Phase two of an EU-funded project will complete the construction of some 16.97 kilometres of double-track, non-electrified railway line in the Pomorskie region of Poland. The line aims to significantly improve passenger services in the region and help to fully integrate air and urban transport in the cities of Gdańsk and Gdynia.
- 31 March 2017
Phase two involves the construction of two stops – Gdynia Karwiny and Gdynia Stadion – along with the reconstruction of existing infrastructure including platforms on line 201. Diesel locomotives will used on the line.
A key objective of the project has been to provide a transport solution to make possible full integration of air and urban transport in the cities of Gdańsk and Gdynia through highly efficient rail transport. By increasing the frequency of trains and improving connections, it is hoped that more people will be encouraged to take the train and more cars taken off the road.
The project also aims to reduce the number of cars entering the city of Tricity and reduce congestion in the region. To this end, ‘Park and Ride’ interchanges will also be built.
This will help to reduce urban congestion and improve the environmental footprint of the region. The work will also contribute towards increasing the attractiveness of moving businesses to the region; time/cost savings for passengers for 2016 have been forecast at EUR 39.7 million a year.
The Baltic-Adriatic corridor
Better links between urban centres, along with connections further afield (to Warsaw and Gdańsk for example), will support the development of the Baltic-Adriatic core network corridor. The Baltic-Adriatic Corridor is one of the most important trans-European road and railway axes, connecting the Baltic with the Adriatic Sea, through industrialised areas between Southern Poland (Upper Silesia), Vienna and Bratislava, the Eastern Alpine region and Northern Italy.
Cutting edge rail for Poland
The project forms an integral part of an ambitious plant to transform some 700 km of railway across several Polish regions. Five key projects are taking place, not only in Pomorskie but also Łódzkie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Mazowieckie regions. The modernised railway lines will be adapted to line speeds of up to 160km/h for passengers and 120km/h for freight traffic.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for Phase II of the project “Pomorska Kolej Metropolitalna Etap I – rewitalizacja „Kolei Kokoszkowskiej” – realizacja przedsięwzięcia - Faza II” is EUR 11 777 079, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 7 306 349 through the “Infrastructure and Environment” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Development of railway transport in Poland”. Total investment for Phase I (2007-2013 programming period) is EUR 176 905 636 with the EU contributing EUR 141 524 509.