Revitalisation of railway lines in Śląskie, Poland, leads the way to improved services

The lines that will be upgraded in this project are:

No. 694 - Bronów to Bieniowiec; No. 157 - Bieniowiec to Skoczów; No. 190 - Skoczów - Goleszów - Cieszyn; and No. 191 - Goleszów to Wisła Głębce

This scheme includes replacement or reconstruction of the tracks, the reinforcement of the ground underneath them, reconstruction of drainage systems and upgrading of signaling equipment. Traction power supply systems and level crossings will be reconstructed.

Work also covers reconstruction of seven railway stations and 10 passenger stops. Two new passenger stops will be built while 19 bridges and eight viaducts will be reconstructed.

Other activities include: reconstruction of wire and radio communication devices and construction of a system to control level crossings. Energy, water supply, telecommunications, gas and heating networks intersecting with the new railway lines will be rebuilt.

Modern standards

The reconstructed lines will be able to cope with axle loads of 221 kN/axle and the following maximum speeds: lines 694, 190 – passenger trains 120km/h and freight 80km/h; line 157 – passenger trains 110km/h and freight 80km/h; and line 191 – passenger trains 80km/h and freight 60km/h.

The extensive revamp will enable modern trains to run on the lines. This will reduce travel times, increase transport capacity and reduce environmental impact. The new trains and infrastructure will be accessible for people with reduced mobility.

The completed scheme will meet the requirements for railway interoperability, have an efficient traffic control system and safer junctions of railway lines with public roads.

This investment lies on a route from the Upper Silesian conurbation, which has 2.2 million inhabitants, and the Silesian Beskid mountains – an important destination for tourists. Both locals and visitors currently have to endure slow train services due to the poor condition of the tracks. This situation means many people opt to travel by car, which leads to congestion on local roads, particularly on the regional road 941, Skoczów to Wisła. The revamped lines will offer a viable alternative to car travel.

In addition, when work is completed, passenger trains will again be able to run between Goleszów and Cieszyn. No trains have run on this section since 2009. Restoration of this service will greatly benefit the region’s residents and improve links to the Czech border.

The project will also contribute to improving rail services between central Silesia and the areas of Cieszyn and Wisła/Ustron. Once again, both locals and visitors who enjoy the mountains will benefit from modern, reliable trains. Better rail services in this area could also help to alleviate traffic congestion along the Goleszow - Wisła – Ustron road corridor.

Complementary schemes

This investment complements other works being carried out along southern Poland’s railway network. These include construction of an interchange hub near the railway station at Wisła Centrum and the development of an integrated transfer hub in Cieszyn.

The objective of these and other projects is to improve the technical condition of the southern region’s railway infrastructure, thereby improving the quality of connections between national economic centres and major urban areas. Regional and local connections will be improved for both passenger and freight services.

Total investment and EU funding

Total investment for the project “Revitalisation of the railway lines No 694/157/190/191 Bronów – Bieniowiec – Skoczów – Goleszów - Cieszyn/Wisła Głębce” is EUR 132 326 789, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 76 069 365 through the “Śląskie Voivodeship” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Transport”.