The Polish rail infrastructure manager, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe, has completed the most important works at Ełk railway station part of the future Rail Baltica, which now is modern, more convenient and more accessible. Passengers will fully benefit from the station with the introduction of the new timetable.
PKP PLK has constructed new platforms and reconstructed the track system and engineering structures and the station now meets European standard and will bring Poland closer to modern connections with the Baltic countries.
From the passenger’s perspective, the most visible change is the three new platforms at the Ełk station. Instead of the previous, lower and less comfortable ones, PKP PLK built two platforms with a length of 400 m, one of 300 m-long and 76 cm high. They are easier to board trains, and the spacious shelters provide protection from rain and sun. The first trains will stop at platforms no. 1 and 2 on 15 December this year, when the new annual timetable comes into force.
Part of the investment project is the facilities for people with limited mobility in the station. Passengers can reach the platforms through a new 110 m tunnel leading from the station building to the other side of the station, to the Zatorze housing estate. Accessibility is provided by lifts, while on the platforms there are guide paths. An additional convenience will be the dynamic passenger information system, which will provide up-to-date information on train traffic. Work on its implementation is currently underway.
In addition to the Ełk railway station, the project also included the construction of Ełk Szyba Wschód stop with two 200-metre platforms and to remove the rail-road crossing initially situated next to this stop, a viaduct for trains was built. Drivers can safely pass under the tracks, while passengers have gained convenient access to the platforms.
The Polish infrastructure manager has also built grade-separated, two-level intersections in other parts of the city and a new viaduct over Suwalska Street and rebuilt sections of neighboring streets improve communication in the city centre. A road tunnel has been built and above it a rail viaduct and a road viaduct have been also constructed which improves transport connections in the city of Ełk.
For freight transport, there is no longer a separate Ełk Towarowy station with its separate signal boxes. The entire track system is now included and integrated in the Ełk station. This was possible thanks to the centralisation of devices and control of train traffic from one place. For this purpose, PKP PLKA has built a modern local control centre equipped with advanced computer devices. Thanks to this, the traffic systems, the control of train movements take place on 40 km of tracks and 118 switches, which currently make up the Ełk railway station. The reconstruction of the track system now allows longer trains up to 740 metres to operate the on the line.
PLN 612 million (EUR 140.4 million) is the value of the project which is part of the “Works on the E 75 railway line on the Białystok – Suwałki – Trakiszki (state border) section, stage I, Białystok – Ełk section” The works were co-financed by the European Union from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
The modernisation of the Rail Baltica railway line in Poland is one of the most important railway investments implemented in the country. PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe has already modernised two sections, one from Warsaw Rembertów to Sadowne and another one from Sadowne to Czyżew. Currently, work is being carried out on the third section, from Czyżew to the capital of the Podlaskie province, Białystok. Works on this 71 km section include the construction or modernisation of 6 stations and 12 stops, 10 railway bridges, including the largest 200-meter bridge over the Narew Rive. Additionally, a local railway traffic control centre will be opened in Białystok. Platforms on the route from Czyżew to Białystok will be equipped with a central dynamic passenger information system.
After the modernisation of the Czyżew – Białystok section is completed, the reconstruction of the 100 km Białystok – Ełk section will start. The final stage of the construction of the Polish part of the international Rail Baltica line will be the modernisation of the 94 km Ełk – Trakiszki section. The end of work on the route fromWarsaw to Tallinn is scheduled for 2026.
In Poland, the modernisation of the Rail Baltica project was divided into five stages. In 2015, the main works on the Warsaw Rembertów – Tłuszcz (Sadowne) route were completed which included construction or reconstruction of 4 stations and 14 railway stops, including Warsaw Nowy Ług stop as well as the track replacement on a 60 km section.
Share on:
