PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe has launched a tender for the design and reconstruction of Gliwice – Katowice rail line via Ruda Kochłowice, 10 km west Katowice city centre, in Silesian Voivodeship. The procedure is part of the Kolej Plus programme which will be implemented until 2029.
The project covers the reconstruction of 20 km of existing railway connection, construction and modernisation of seven stops (Opawska, Zabrze Makoszowy, Ruda Bielszowice, Ruda Halemba, Ruda Wirek, Ruda Kochłowice and Chorzów Hajduki).
The railway line No. 141, which runs through Ruda Kochłowice and connects Gliwice with Katowice, it is used by freight trains and the project aims at delivering passenger transport services.
When Gliwice – Katowice rail line will be modernised, it will allow passenger trains to run at speeds of up to 120 km/h providing inhabitants of Gliwice, Zabrze and Ruda Śląska access to fast train services and option of an alternative rail connection with Katowice.
Design and construction work for the project “Preparation of an alternative agglomeration connection Gliwice – Ruda Kochłowice – Katowice with railway lines No. 141 on the Gliwice – Ruda Kochłowice section, 164 on the Ruda Kochłowice – Hajduki section and 651 Hajduki – Gottwald” will be carried out in between 2024 and 2028.
In Silesian Voivodeship (Śląskie), Kolej Plus programme includes seven projects with an estimated value of over PLN 2 billion (EUR 450 million). The projects include 112 km of rail lines in total covering revitalisation, modernisation, reconstruction and expansion of the railway connections. Revitalization and extension works are planned for 79 km structured in 5 projects including the revitalisation of two connections of the towns of Pyskowice and Zdrój with Katowice (38 km in total), extension works on lines no. 189, 132 and 162, as well as the construction of the double track line between Jaśkowice and Katowice (20 km). For two other projects, only revitalisation works on 33 km have been proposed.
The projects in Silesian Voivodeship under Kolej Plus are:
- The above-mentioned project for Gliwice – Ruda Kochłowice – Katowice line (20 km);
- The reconstruction of existing lines to restore the connection between Katowice, Gliwice and Pyskowice (3 km);
- The preparation of an alternative Tychy agglomeration connectionwith Katowice Murcki and Katowice Ligota districts on the railway line No. 142 (15 km);
- Works on railway lines No. 189 and 132 and construction of Kuźnica – Bytom Bobrek Wsch new route to create the Ruda Chebzie/Zabrze – Bytom connection including the construction of two stops (15 km);
- The reconstruction and extension of Jastrzębia – Zdrój line to provide direct access to Katowice (35 km);
- The revitalisation of railway line No. 162 on the Dąbrowa Górnicza– Dąbrowa Gołonóg – Dąbrowa Strzemieszyce which also includes reconstruction and expansion works (10 km); and
- Increasing the capacity of railway line No. 140 on the sectionKatowice Ligota – Orzesze Jaśkowice by building the second track and additional passenger stops.
In December 2022, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe signed six contracts with local authorities to implement the Kolej Plus programme in Silesian Voivodeship. These contracts have a value of PLN 1.5 billion (EUR 337.3 million) and will allow passengers to use train services connecting Katowice. In January 2023, the Polish rail infrastructure manager launched two tenders totalling EUR 87 million for the design documentation for the revitalization of Tychy – Katowice rail route and for construction and reconstruction works for a direct railway connection of Bytom with Zabrze, Ruda Chebzie and Katowice.
Kolej Plus programme has a total budget of PLN 13.3 billion (EUR 3 billion) of which PLN 11.2 billion (EUR 2.5 billion) are provided by the government through the Ministry of Infrastructure, while PLN 2 billion (EUR 450 million) are covered by the local or regional authorities. The 34 selected projects include more than 1200 km of rail sections out of which 515 km of lines need reconstruction and/or extension works, 400 km should be revitalised and 285 km of rail lines would be constructed to provide access to passenger transport services.
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