Since railways were first built, stations have always been places of interest and important living spaces within cities. They are an interface between the various modes of transport and places which have had to constantly adapt to growing urbanisation.

Stations are also multi-dimensional hubs where modern architectural lines meet older and more historical ones built by our predecessors – given that the history of stations began with the railways. It is a story which started with the first industrial revolution in the 19th century, in the shape of Stephenson’s steam locomotive, Eiffel’s metallic structure and Barlow, who built a network and stations for trains, and who formed a network across regions – not to mention the history of Freycinet, the conquest of the West, of the Baikal-Amur and Hejaz railways, and the Orient Express.

Stations are also gateways for travelling to places steeped in culture.

Ultimately, stations also represent a dream of future mobility, from station to station, in a free and open world, thanks to the work of our great-grandparents who had great dreams, and thanks to the dreams of our children, who have set their sights even higher than us.

This special UIC eNews edition on Railway Stations, with its varied content, aims to demonstrate UIC’s commitment to this subject, which is addressed every day across all aspects by the networks of expert groups at global level.

We hope that you enjoy reading this edition and we look forward to seeing you at the UIC Next Station Conference from 19 – 20 October in Madrid.

To conclude with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Hitch your station to a star

Jean-Pierre LOUBINOUX
UIC Director General