Over a billion zlotys from the European Funds for the development of railway and sustainable mobility – we have signed subsequent co-financing agreements

Thanks to the support from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), as well as the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment, Poland and Polish railway will receive over PLN 1 billion, which will improve safety, travel comfort, as well as development of low-emission transport.

Investments in railway lines – over PLN 800 million

The largest agreements signed in September involve the modernisation of railway infrastructure by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe.

The national railway network manager received support of over PLN 500 million from NRRP for works on selected sections of the C-E 59 railway line (lines no. 273 and 401). The investment included, among other things, reinforcement of the railbed, modernisation of 98 railway crossings, reconstruction of 9 platforms on four stations (Małowice Wołowskie – 2, Grębocice – 2, Chełmek Wołowski – 2, Krzepów – 1), as well as one railway stop (Orzeszków). At the same time, works on the adaptation of the railway traffic management system and modernisation of lighting in 70 locations, development of railway semaphore signals in 44 locations, as well as bar gates in 76 locations were also planned. Moreover, road surface in 29 locations will undergo modernisation. All of this will allow to increase the speed of passenger trains up to 160 km/h.

Changes will also be introduced to line no. 179, which will undergo modernisation along the Tychy – Bieruń Stary section. For this purpose, we granted over PLN 296.7 million from the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment. Until 2029, PKP PLK will modernise 2.744 km of a double-track railway line and 6.808 km of a single-track line, as well as expand 1.408 km of a double-track line. All of the works will cover lines located outside of the TEN-T network.

The scope of the project will also cover such works as, e.g.:

• reconstruction of stations in Tychy and Bieruń,
• construction of 1 underground passageway,
• reconstruction of 6 engineering structures, including 3 overcrossings, 1 viaduct and 2 railway bridges,
• modernisation of 5 road-railway crossings,
• construction of 3 railway stops (Tychy Potok, Bieruń Domy Polne, Bieruń Mleczarnia) and modernisation of 2: Tychy Lodowisko, Tychy Urbanowice,
• construction of 4 platforms (Bieruń Domy Polne – 1, Bieruń Mleczarnia – 1, Tychy Lodowisko -1, Tychy Potok – 1),
• reconstruction of 4 platforms (Tychy Miasto – 2, Bieruń Stary – 1, Tychy Urbanowice – 1),
• works related to energy technology, telecommunications engineering, and railway traffic management devices on selected sections along railway line no. 179.

Passenger comfort and modern technologies – over PLN 40 million

Projects aiming to improve accessibility and quality of travel offer also received support from the European Funds.

Koleje Dolnośląskie will create a digital passenger information and service platform, as well as an integrated ticketing system, based on the OSDM model and GTFS Real Time standard (over PLN 7.1 million from the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment). As part of the investment, local carrier will ensure necessary accompanying infrastructure, i.e. 30 devices facilitating ticket sales.

Warsaw Commuter Railway (WKD) will allocate over PLN 4.2 million for modernisation of the Warszawa Raków stop. The investment received PLN 1.7 million from the European Funds. It is an important investment, as the station in Włochy district is one of the key locations on the WKD route.

Now Raków acts as a local transport hub – from the viaduct spanning above the tracks, public buses set out in the direction of, among others, city centre, Mokotów, Ursus, Ochota and Wola. The main problem is that the current platform layout doesn’t provide comfortable transfer, and the lack of proper solutions prevents people with disabilities from using the stop.

The project assumes a thorough reconstruction:

• existing platforms will be disassembled, and new ones will be constructed on one side of the viaduct – opposite of each other, on the southern side;
• platforms will be longer (80 m), wider and taller (38 cm over the tracks), as well as fully adapted to the needs of people with limited mobility;
• moreover, a safe passage through the tracks will be made, connecting both platforms.

PKP KM in Tricity, for nearly PLN 58.3 million, of which PLN 32.8 million comes from the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment, will fund the following tasks: modernisation of Gdańsk Politechnika and Gdańsk Zaspa stops, as well as works aiming to reduce noise pollution along railway line no. 250.

Intermodal and zero-emission transport – over PLN 91 million

We have also signed additional agreements for the development of intermodal transport, as well as modernisation of the railway rolling stock. All undertakings received support from NRRP.

• ELL Polska Asset will purchase two modern multisystem electric engines, which will be able to travel across 12 European countries, including Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia. The engines will have the ability to be powered by various voltages (15 kV AC, 25 kV AC, and 3 kV DC), and will be equipped with a set of safety systems required in each of those countries. The vehicles will also be equipped with the European Train Control System (ERTMS/ETCS), together with GSM-R connectivity. They will not have an additional combustion module. The carrier has received support in the amount of over PLN 22.1 million.
• PCC Intermodal S.A. has received support for the purchase of 100 railway platforms (over PLN 25.6 million from NRRP).
• LTG Cargo Polska has received over PLN 31.4 million for the purchase of 72 modern carriages to serve international connections, especially the Kaunas Intermodal Terminal (Lithuania) – Duisburg (Germany) route.

• CARGOUNIT will conduct modernisation works on the engines by equipping them with the European ERTMS safety system (over PLN 12.5 million from NRRP). The project will consist of two tasks:
  • modernisation of a Vectron MS A01 engine (model 193),
  • comprehensive upgrade of three Traxx MS2 electric engines (model E186).

The works will not revolve only around the installation of a new system. They will also include tests, training and acquiring certification necessary to approve the engines for operation.

Urban mobility – over PLN 8.5 million

In Lower Silesia, thanks to the support from FEnIKS, new parking spaces will be built: Park & Ride and Bike & Ride:

• by the station in Dobroszyce (cost of nearly PLN 6.1 million, co-financing in the amount of PLN 4.2 million),
• in Długołęka and Borowa (cost of PLN 7.1 million, support in the amount of PLN 4.25 million).

CEUTP and the European Funds for railway

Agreements signed in September show, that the European Funds are a crucial source of funding for the development of transport in Poland. CEUTP supports beneficiaries at every stage – from preparatory works to the implementation and settlement of projects.

Thanks to these investments, Polish railway will become safer, more accessible and environmentally-friendly, while the passengers and entrepreneurs will benefit from modern solutions in passenger and cargo transport.