Phase two of an EU-funded project will complete the renovation of sections of a vitally important rail line connecting the Polish capital of Warsaw with the southern city of Kraków. The project is crucial to ensuring that Poland has a modern rail system, ensuring that more people and goods are transported efficiently and at greater speed along the network.
- 29 November 2016
Phase two of the project is focusing on key sections of the line between Warsaw Okęcie and Warka stations.
The work will ensure that the line can handle more frequent trains that can travel at higher speeds.
The new infrastructure being put in place will enable passenger trains to reach speeds of up to 160 km/h, and freight traffic to reach speeds of up to 120 km/h. This will help to cut travel time between Warsaw and towns and cities like Radom.
Furthermore, the refurbished line will be able to take more traffic, increasing the maximum axle load to 22.5 tonnes per axle. In total, both phases of the project encompass renovation of 49 km of rail line 8 between Warsaw and Radom, and the modernisation of Radom’s railway station.
Ecological considerations
A total of 17 animal crossings and ecologic corridors will be built, ensuring that Polish rail travel will be able to carry more passengers and cargo without having an increasingly detrimental impact on wildlife and the environment. Modernising the line will make it a more attractive alternative for passenger and freight transport, helping to reduce traffic on congested roads.
Modernising Polish rail
The project forms an integral part of an ambitious plan to transform some 700 km of railway across several Polish regions. Five key projects are taking place, not only in Mazowieckie but also Łódzkie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Pomorskie 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 the project “Modernisation of the railway line No 8, section Warszawa Okęcie – Radom (LOT A, B, F) – Phase II” is EUR 312 259 480, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 171 847 828 through the “Infrastructure and environment” Operational Programme for the 2014 - 2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Development of TEN-T road network and multimodal transport”.