The new Mons Train Station in Mons, Belgium, designed by Santiago Calatrava, officially opened in 2025, introducing a landmark transportation hub that bridges the historic city centre with the developing Grand Prés district. Spanning approximately 37,850 square metres, the station has been conceived as a monumental architectural structure that functions both as a mobility hub and an urban connector.

At the heart of the design is a 165-metre-long gallery rising around 15 metres in height, forming a bridge-like structure that spans the railway tracks below. The gallery connects the southern historic district of Mons with the emerging northern neighbourhood, transforming the station into a central pedestrian passage between the two parts of the city.

The architecture is defined by a sequence of inclined triangular steel trusses supporting an expansive roof system combined with curved glass façades framed in wood. This structural rhythm allows generous natural daylight to enter the interior spaces while creating a visually dynamic architectural expression typical of Calatrava’s sculptural design language.

The station accommodates seven passenger tracks and 350-metre-long platforms, all fully covered beneath the roof structure. Inside the gallery, passengers have access to platforms via stairs, escalators and large elevators, with two lifts serving each platform to ensure efficient circulation.

Beyond transportation functions, the gallery integrates retail services and a joint travel centre operated by SNCB and TEC, echoing the historic Galerie de la Reine in Brussels by combining mobility with commercial and social activity. The enclosed and insulated structure ensures thermal comfort in winter, while operable skylights provide natural ventilation during summer months.

The surrounding urban environment has also been transformed. Place Leopold, previously dominated by road infrastructure, has been redesigned as a pedestrian-friendly public square capable of hosting community events, while the green Place de Congrès anchors the development of the Grand Prés district.

Additional infrastructure includes two underground parking facilities, providing space for over 850 cars and 200 bicycles, along with staff facilities, office spaces, and a childcare unit integrated into the station complex.

Fully accessible, the station incorporates 12 elevators, barrier-free platforms, tactile paving, and audio guidance systems, ensuring seamless access for all passengers, including cyclists and visually impaired users.

Images by Santiago Calatrava