Poland’s railway line 354 between the stations of Poznań Główny, Chodzież and Piła Główna in the northern Wielkopolskie region is undergoing modernisation. Financed by the EU, the upgrades to the line will make it faster and easier for the 250 000 people living in the north of the Wielkopolskie region to reach Poznań by train.
- 20 December 2017
Work under the project covers the entirety of railway line 354, which is just over 92 kilometres in length. It includes aspects such as the detailed technical design of the railway infrastructure, as well as related supervision and publicity activities.
Comprehensive modernisation is to be carried out on the track, the power supply, the engineering structures, stations and platforms, level crossings, and telecommunications and signalling systems.
Shorter journey times and more competitive railways
Following completion of the improvements, which is scheduled for 2020, maximum speeds for trains on the line will be increased to 120 kilometres per hour for passenger traffic and to 80 kilometres per hour for freight traffic. Higher speeds will bring time savings of 41 to 48 minutes for passenger trains and 40 to 50 minutes for freight trains.
The maximum axle load will be increased to 221 kilonewtons per axle, thus allowing goods trains to carry heavier loads. This should enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the railway for freight transport.
By making the railways – which are a relatively clean and sustainable means of transport – a more attractive option for freight and passengers, the project will bring environmental benefits, such as reduced emissions of greenhouse gases, and have a positive impact on the quality of life of the region’s inhabitants. Moreover, good railway links are essential to economic activity in Poland and the modernisation of the line should help to trigger increased investment in the region, with positive effects in terms of job creation and economic growth.
A total of over EUR 141 million has been invested in the upgrades, of which the EU provided around EUR 97.5 million.
Important regional centres
With a population of around 550 000, Poznań is both the capital of the Wielkopolskie region and the fifth largest city in Poland. Lying on the banks of the river Warta, it is an important economic centre with a high per capita GDP and a low unemployment rate compared to many parts of Poland.
Piła has some 75 000 inhabitants and is the largest town in the north of the Wielkopolskie region and the fourth largest in the region as a whole. It is an important railway junction, located at the intersection of the main lines between Poznań and Szczecin, and Bydgoszcz and Krzyż Wielkopolski.
Around 25 kilometres south-east of Piła is the town of Chodzież, home to about 20 000 people. The landscape around the town is characterised by lakes and pine forests, which have raised the area’s profile as a tourist destination.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Modernisation of the railway line no. 354 Poznań Główny PoD – Chodzież – Piła Główna” is EUR 141 139 302, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 97 535 290 through the “Wielkopolskie Voivodeship” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.