One billion PLN of the EU funding for PKP Intercity

Thanks to the signed annexes to the co-financing agreements, the railway company will receive a total of one billion PLN from the European Union.

Significant funds from the European Union, efficiently used by our beneficiary PKP Intercity, continue to contribute to improving the comfort of travel for passengers. The signed annexes increasing the amount of co-financing are another step towards improving the standards of Polish railways – said Joanna Lech, Acting Director of the Center for EU Transport Projects.

Two strategic projects from IEP funds

Under the Operational Program Infrastructure and Environment for 2014-2020, PKP Intercity is currently implementing two strategic investment projects co-financed by the European Union under the Cohesion Fund – “Railway for good connections – modernization of carriages and locomotives for PKP Intercity S.A.” and “We accelerate comfortably – modernization of carriages and purchase of locomotives for PKP Intercity S.A.”.

The total gross value is more than PLN 2.5 billion.

The support of the European Union is extremely important in our investment activities. We can effectively implement a strategy aimed at modernizing the rolling stock park – explains Marek Chraniuk, President of the Management Board of PKP Intercity. Passengers can already travel on board 335 carriages that have been modernized thanks to the EU funding. The support received so far from the Center for EU Transport Projects for both projects, under the original level of co-financing, is PLN 558 million out of PLN 654 million. This means that the Company used the co-financing at the level of 85% – adds Tomasz Gontarz, Member of the Management Board of PKP Intercity.

Nearly 400 carriages and locomotives with the EU funding

They include 60 innovative, multifunctional COMBO carriages that increase access to railways for people with disabilities, families with children and people traveling with bicycles, as well as 60 carriages with first-class compartments and a second-class section without compartments, and 125 111A-20 carriages. The mentioned carriages were modernized by PESA Bydgoszcz in a consortium with Pesa Mińsk Mazowiecki [formerly: ZNTK Mińsk Mazowiecki]. Poznan-based Fabryka Pojazdów Szynowych H. Cegielski also modernized 90 second-class carriages. The co-financing also contributes to the strengthening of the PKP Intercity rolling stock by 53 locomotives. In 2020, the EU funds co-financed the purchase of the most modern electric locomotives in Poland, the EU160 Griffin series. The vehicles develop a speed of up to 160 km/h and run PKP Intercity trains throughout the country. A contract is also being implemented for the modernization of 13 SM42 series diesel shunting locomotives, also adapted to drive passenger trains – the Company has already received 6 such vehicles. The task of modernizing 20 electric locomotives of the EU/EP07 series, with an increase in maximum speed from 125 km/h to 160 km/h, is also in progress.

Within the projects, PKP Intercity also invests in parking stations throughout Poland. The sidings in Olsztyn and Kołobrzeg have already been rebuilt. A comprehensive modernization of the Szczecin Zaleskie Łęgi station is currently underway, and the modernization of the compressed air network and the modernization of water installation have started on the siding in Krakow. Modernization works are also underway at the inspection channels in the locomotive depot in Wroclaw, where an automatic rolling stock washing facility is also being built. A similar carriage wash will also be built at the Krakow Główny Zachód station. The parking station in Warsaw has been equipped with washing devices for a carriage wash and a track bed lathe, and in Wroclaw, the channels in the block train hall and inspection channels in the wagon depot are being reconstructed.

With tge EU funding, PKP Intercity purchased 7 road-rail vehicles, they are used at parking stations in Gdynia, Krakow, Przemyśl and Warsaw. Preparations for further infrastructural investments are underway.

Annex details

źródło: PKP Intercity S.A.