The second phase of the modernisation of Poland’s railway line number 7 between the capital city Warsaw and Lublin, some 170 kilometres to the south east, has been launched with the assistance of European Union co-financing. It covers the section of track between Warsaw Wschodnia (East) station and the town of Otwock, and follows on from the first phase of the project which comprises upgrades to the section between Otwock and Lublin.
Modernisation continues along Poland’s railway line number 7
- 28 July 2017
Work under phase two of the project will be carried out on a total of 24.56 kilometres of track. Of this, approximately 21.15 kilometres concern railway line number 7, while around 3.4 kilometres are on the connecting railway line number 506.
Along with standard railway modernisation works, an important element of the second phase is construction of a third track, 15 kilometres long, between Warsaw Wawer station and Otwock. Two additional tracks, each 1.39 kilometres long, will also be built between Warsaw Gocławek and Warsaw Wawer to allow for the separation of long-distance and regional traffic.
Rebuilding bridges, viaducts and culverts
The majority of the engineering structures on the track will be renovated or rebuilt during the project. These include bridges, viaducts and culverts for water drainage. In addition, new viaducts will be built to replace level crossings.
Further renovations will be carried out in the stations, and new underpasses will be constructed and existing ones adapted to make them accessible for people with reduced mobility.
Total costs for the second phase of the project are around EUR 159.5 million, with nearly EUR 92 million coming from European Union funding. The work done under the first phase cost in excess of EUR 750 million.
Better, more reliable railways to cope with increased traffic
The Warsaw to Lublin railway line forms part of the comprehensive Trans-European Transport Network. The project’s primary objective is to enhance the quality and reliability of transport between the two cities by improving the infrastructure. By constructing additional tracks, the investment will eliminate existing bottlenecks and improve the technical and operational parameters of the line.
This will enable the railway to adjust to expected rises in volumes of both passenger and freight traffic, while reducing journey times and enhancing safety standards. It will also bring it into line with the requirements laid down under the European Agreement on Main International Railway Lines and the European Agreement on Important International Combined Transport Lines and Related Installations. Generally speaking, improvements to Poland’s railways reinforce connections and increase accessibility across the country, while encouraging the shift towards low-emission public transport.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Works on railway line no 7 Warszawa Wschodnia Osobowa – Dorohusk, section Warszawa – Otwock – Dęblin – Lublin, stage II” is EUR 159 470 882, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 91 722 336 through the “Infrastructure and Environment” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.