For Jana Naba’a, a psychology student at the Lebanese University, commuting is a daily ordeal. In Beirut’s congested streets, the dream of a functioning railway system feels distant, yet urgent.
“It’s a daily struggle to make it to university or job training,” Jana tells The New Arab.
Sometimes, she leaves two hours early to reach her destination. Her trip from Hadath, on the southern periphery of the capital, Beirut, to Cola, a transportation hub on the route to Mar Mikhael station, where she is receiving job training, costs approximately 800,000 Lebanese lira (about $10) a day, or over 32 million lira ($200) monthly.
Beyond the financial strain and wasted time, harassment on overcrowded buses adds to her misery.
“The train is the only solution to reduce traffic congestion and pollution in Cola,” Jana says.
Rawad Jaloul, a political science student at Saint Joseph University, echoes Jana's frustration.
“Transportation justice in Lebanon does not exist,” Rawad says, citing long waits for buses like the 1:30 pm bus 14 to Sawfar, which only departs when full and makes its last trip at 7:00 pm.
“Sometimes, there is no driver at all, and the trip is cancelled,” he adds.
His struggle led him to co-launch busmap.me in collaboration with Riders’ Rights, an NGO dedicated to improving public transport and promoting inclusivity.
The grassroots map, updated by ordinary citizens, allows users to explore formal and informal transit options by line, route, hub, region, or operator.
“The map helps, but trains and railways remain the best solution,” Rawad says, lamenting decades of government neglect.
But this was not always the case, says Salma Dou, recalling Lebanon’s rich railway history.
Now 95, Salma still remembers B’Hamdoun Station in the 1930s.
“My father, Mahmoud, was responsible for train operations at this station, and my brother was a train driver. We spent winters at the station and summers in our village in Baabda. The station was always bustling with passengers and goods,” Salma says.
Today, that vibrancy is a distant memory.
Shadi Faraj, a member of the Riders’ Rights NGO, says Lebanon faces a transportation crisis, not a traffic crisis.
“The government spent €70 million on the Jounieh–Tabarja road expansion instead of adopting sustainable solutions like railways,” Shadi says.
Since the start of Lebanon’s financial crisis in 2019, soaring transport costs have consumed up to 40% of employees’ salaries, even as services remain inaccessible to people with special needs.
“We must activate the railways and integrate them into a comprehensive public transport system,” Shadi says, calling for the Office of Rail, Road and Public Transport, established in 1966, to take charge of organising the sector.
Getting Lebanon back on track
The restoration project for Mar Mikhael station lies at the heart of the national debate over Lebanon’s transportation crisis, a project whose outcome is uncertain, Shadi says.
Carlos Naffah, a member of Train Train Lebanon, an NGO advocating for the rehabilitation and preservation of Lebanese railway heritage, expresses mixed emotions.
“We are pleased with the restoration of 10,000 square metres of the historic station, which reflects Lebanon’s identity as an open gateway to the East, but we are deeply saddened by the neglect of 48 other stations since the 1990s,” Carlos says.
The irony, he notes, is that the restoration was not a national initiative, but was launched following the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, 125 years after Lebanon’s first official train began operation.
“We thank the Italian Embassy, UNESCO and UN-Habitat for providing this safe public space, which helps heal the community’s wounds while preserving the station’s potential as a railway facility,” Carlos says, stressing that reviving the railway is essential for Lebanon’s future development.
“Getting Lebanon back on track will begin with re-establishing national and regional connectivity,” he adds.
Linking the railway to the Port of Beirut, and extending it towards Tripoli, Syria and Iraq, would enable Lebanon to take part in regional reconstruction and the Mashreq Transport Project, a United Nations initiative to create an Integrated Transport System in the Arab Mashreq (ITSAM) to boost trade and economic development.
“Activating the railway is also key to solving housing problems, reducing pollution and cutting our fuel expenditure, which currently exceeds $4 billion annually. Only then can we achieve transportation justice and foster economic prosperity,” Carlos says.
That said, restoring trust in Lebanon can only happen through this inclusive national vision, he adds, and through transparent public policies that prioritise citizens rather than “serving investors and cartels.”
The restoration plan
Ziad Chea, Director of the Railway and Public Transport Authority, says the Mar Mikhael project is a “strategic effort to restore part of Lebanon’s memory.”
Funded by the Italian government in partnership with UNESCO and UN-Habitat, the project aims to preserve the station’s original spirit and prepare it to receive trains, passengers and goods once the government decides to relaunch the railway. Its long-term vision is to restore 48 stations across the country.
However, Ziad says challenges loom large.
“The main obstacle is the massive encroachment on more than 10 million square metres of railway property. Large mafias have taken control of these public assets to undermine the sector and seize the land,” he says.
He adds, “Cultural and developmental activities at the station, such as a museum, cafés and gardens, are sound investments to boost revenue and are in line with international trends. The restoration must happen alongside efforts to modernise public transport by offering 11 routes and an integrated smart application.”
Wajih Halabi, who is tasked with monitoring the Beirut–Bekaa Valley railway line, describes his role as “a guard protecting vast railway properties from encroachments.”
“My duties include documenting violations on railway land, whether it involves setting up cafés, erecting buildings or creating parking lots,” Wajih says.
In sharing this, Wajih notes that his role includes filing lawsuits against violators, as the railway authority lacks the executive power to remove encroaching entities immediately. While penalties are enforced, court cases take time.
“The railway is a national heritage and one of Lebanon’s richest entities in real estate. Our mission is to preserve it for future operation,” he says.
UNESCO and UN-Habitat: Roles and vision
UNESCO is currently restoring five historic buildings from the early 20th century using conservation techniques modelled on their 1894 designs, while UN-Habitat is replanning the entire site, including a new security office, an information centre and infrastructure upgrades.
The public space will feature a cultural zone displaying the railway’s history and original equipment. It will also include green areas to host public events, a café, and recreational spaces for walking and yoga.
Joseph Kreidi, Senior National Professional Officer at UNESCO in Lebanon, says the work is part of the Beirut Industrial Heritage Park Project, which the Italian government funds with $2.2 million.
“Covering 10,000 square metres, the project aims to strengthen social and cultural ties in Beirut and should be completed by early 2027,” Joseph says.
UNESCO’s methodology, Joseph explains, emphasises authenticity, minimal intervention and future functionality. Community engagement shaped the project’s design, focusing on promoting railway heritage, inclusivity for all ages and abilities, and sustainability through income-generating spaces.
“Restored buildings will host flexible event spaces, archives, historical displays, children’s workshops, a café and terraces,” he adds.
“The goal is to transform the station into a cultural hub, a gift to Beirut that preserves tangible and intangible heritage, from buildings and tracks to crafts and stories. The Directorate will manage cultural programming, while the Railways Authority oversees maintenance,” Sarkis Khoury, Lebanon’s Director General of Antiquities, weighs in.
Elias Abi Najm of UN-Habitat calls the initiative “a pioneering effort to promote inclusive and sustainable urban development,” with a mandate to boost sustainability through adaptive design, promote biodiversity and support climate resilience.
But Carlos, of Train Train Lebanon, is somewhat sceptical.
“Will the restoration of Mar Mikhael remain a cultural landmark and signal the beginning of a railway renaissance, or is it simply a nostalgic gesture in a country desperate for mobility solutions?” he asks.
Suzanne Abou Said is a journalist based in Lebanon
This piece is published in collaboration with Egab