Poland’s Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Andrzej Bittel has inaugurated Polregio maintenance centre, located in Skarżysko-Kamienna, northern Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship in south-central part of the country. The ceremony was also held by the Marshal of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Andrzej Bętkowski, and the President of the Management Board of Polregio, Artur Martyniuk.
A PLN 50 million (EUR 10.7 million) investment was made to develop the 110-metre-long new facility accommodating two inspection channels, an additional repair track as well as the workshop and social and office facilities.
“This is a historic moment for Polregio and railways in Poland. Some of up to 200 new EMUs that we will receive in 2025-2026 will go to the new hall for inspection and services. We are consistently investing billions of zlotys in a modern regional railway,” Artur Martyniuk said.
The maintenance centre meets modern requirements in terms of sustainability and energy saving.The building has a photovoltaic installation with energy storage system, and the ventilation is equipped with heat recovery system.The construction of a drive-through washing station for vehicles fitted with systems to use the industrial water and rainwater is also at the stage of final works.
“The renaissance of railways in Poland is not only the modernisation of infrastructure and the purchase of new railway vehicles. We also invest in modern rolling stock maintenance centres. The project, commissioned by Polregio at an impressive pace, means a new development boost for the city of the largest rail regional carrier,” Andrzej Bittel said at the ceremony.
In addition to the standard inspections of trains at the P1 and P2 levels, the new facility is planned to perform about 150 inspections at the 3rd maintenance level, as well as a minimum of 37 P4 inspection repairs by 2030. In the new hall, Polregio will service trains from the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship, Małopolskie and Podkarpackie, as well as the rolling stock of other operators.
A total of over 100 people will work in the new centre which has been created under a long-term agreement between Polregio and the Marshal’s Office of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship.
“The opening of Polregio maintenance centre fits perfectly into our activities, through which we increase the availability of public transport in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodship,” the Marshal emphasised after a mentioning the importance of rail infrastructure modernisation and construction projects in the region.
The project is a milestone of Polregio’s strategy to increase cost efficiency relating to rolling stock maintenance and repair activities. The operator will increase its development potential through both contracts’ implementation with provinces in south-eastern Poland and its commercial activities.
In January 25, 2023, Polregio signed framework agreements with four rolling stock manufacturers for the supply of a fleet of 200 electric multiple units worth PLN 7 billion (EUR 1.5 billion).
FPS H. Cegielski, Pesa Bydgoszcz, Newag and Stadler Polska are the manufacturers which will supply the new modern trains in the next three years.
The first deliveries are planned for 2025 and end in July 2026. The new EMUs will gradually enter services in all provinces with which Polregio has signed long-term contracts.
The train procurement will be financed by the European Union grants and loans from the National Recovery Plan (KPO), the Infrastructure, Climate and Environment programme for 2021-2027 (FEnIKS), the Regional Operational Programme (ROP) as well as from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The operator would obtain financing thanks to its stable financial situation. In the last two years, Polregio secured nearly PLN 10 billion (EUR 2.1 billion) in contracts until 2030 under long-term agreements with local governments. In 2022, Polregio and the authorities of Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship signed a PSO contract regional rail services until 2030.
The financing will come from EU grants and loans (KPO, FENiKS, RPO), other sources (e.g. EIB), commercial debt instruments and the carrier’s own funds. Obtaining such a large number of trains is possible thanks to the stable financial situation of the company. In the last two years, the company has secured nearly PLN 10 billion in revenues until 2030 in long-term contracts with marshal offices.
The new trains to be delivered will be designed in several configurations. The orders include 60 two-car trains with a capacity of at least 130 seats and 140 three-car trains with 210 seats which will be able to run at 160 km/h and due to infrastructure modernisation projects, travel times will be shortened. All the new trains will be equipped with air conditioning, Wi-Fi and a dynamic passenger information system. The low floor, single-space trains will be adapted to passengers with reduced mobility, providing them with a ramp or an automatic lift to make easer the train access. In addition, one of the two toilets will also be adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, and there will also be a designed place for babies.
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