The UIC hosted on 16 October the first combined edition of the UIC Railway Station Awards and the TopRail Tourism-Friendly Awards at its headquarters in Paris. These two initiatives jointly honour creativity, innovation, and excellence in the design, management, and customer experience of railway stations and tourism-oriented rail services across the world.
The ceremony brought together participants from Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America, highlighting the truly global scope of this initiative.
These Awards remind us that innovation in rail is not only about technology, but also about people, design and experience. What unites today’s winners is a shared vision of the railway as a human-centered system — one that enhances accessibility, sustainability, and the pleasure of travel.
UIC Railway Station Awards 2025
Organised under the UIC Station Managers Global Group (SMGG), the Railway Station Awards recognise best practices in station development and operation. Projects were assessed on innovation, passenger experience, community engagement, and replicability.
Winners and Special Mentions
Category 1 – Station & Urban Design
- Winner: Bioclimatic Atlas of Major Paris Train Stations, AREP (France)
- Winner: Varberg Station, Jernhusen (Sweden)
- Special Prize: DB Rad+, DB (Germany)
Category 2 – Facility Management & Operation
- Winner: Dutch Grand Prix Zandvoort, NS (Netherlands)
- Special Prize: Improving Safety & Security, DSB (Denmark)
Category 3 – Retail & Commercial Affairs
- Winner: Commercial Attractivity Index (idAC), RFI (Italy)
- Winner: Vialia Vigo, ADIF (Spain)
- Special Prize: Place de la Gare, SNCF Retail & Connexions (France)
Category 4 – Small Stations
- Winner: Station Communities, NS (Netherlands)
- Winner: Svenska Reseterminaler, Jernhusen (Sweden)
- Winner: Atlas of Slow Mobility in Italy, RFI (Italy)
TopRail Tourism-Friendly Awards 2025
Under the TopRail sector, the UIC Tourism-Friendly Awards recognise operators and initiatives that enhance the tourist experience, promote cultural exchange, and contribute to sustainable travel.
Winners and Special Mentions
Rolling Stock – Long Distance
- Winner: North Night Trains, SAR (Saudi Arabia)
- Special Prize of the Jury: Panda Train “Chengdu”, China Railway (China)
Rolling Stock – Short Distance
- Winner (Ex Aequo): The Lighthouse Galician Route, Renfe (Spain)
- Winner (Ex Aequo): Núria Rack Railway, FGC – Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Spain)
Stations
- Small Station Winner: Szklarska Poręba Górna Station, PKP (Poland)
- Large Station Winner: KTX Gwangmyeong Station, Korail (South Korea)
Lounge
- Winner: FrecciaLounges Roma & Milano, Trenitalia (Italy)
Line
- Winner: Arica–La Paz Line, EFE (Chile)
Initiative / Product
- Winner: Gotthard Panorama Express, SBB (Switzerland)
- Special Prize of the Jury: Gite in Treno, Trenord (Italy)
A Global Celebration of Innovation
This year’s awards highlight how stations and tourism-oriented services can act as key drivers of the future passenger experience — combining sustainability, design excellence, and cultural richness.
By rewarding outstanding practices, the UIC strengthens its vision of rail as the backbone of sustainable mobility and an essential enabler of green tourism.
The awards were presented by Fabrice Morenon, Chair of the Station Managers Global Group (SMGG); Paul Van Doninck, Vice-Chair of the SMGG; Carles Casas, TopRail Chairman; and Björn Bender, CEO & Executive Chairman of Rail Europe, who participated as a representative of the jury. Together, they congratulated all winners and finalists for their contributions to the global rail community.
The ceremony was also supported by Bertrand Minary, Director of Passengers at UIC, together with Maria Gusarova and Vanessa Perez Miranda, Senior Advisors for Passengers at UIC, who coordinate the respective working groups SMGG (Stations) and TopRail (Rail Tourism).
