With the development of railway stations in the past years, a new type of commercial facility was launched, the mall which is built either in the neighbourhood of railway stations or even inside rail stations displaying shops for products and services, creating a new life style and adapting to new market requirements. As part of the railway sector development, rail stations with shopping areas become a “must have” of a modern city, where people spend their time shopping until the train arrival.
Apart from the advantages of ensuring an efficient and modern transport system, the project consisting in the construction and mo-dernisation of a rail station and of the adjacent area includes the development of shopping areas which contribute to economic development, but also to changing the mindset of rail station as “simple area for the transport to and from the city”.
As example for the development of railway stations as shopping areas in stations or in their neighbourhood, the list of the European Shopping Centre Awards, in the category “continued developments”, includes a shopping centre in the close neighbourhood of Munich railway station which is connected to the railway transport facility. The centre is built on sustainable criteria and attracts hundreds of passengers who spend their time in the railway station. Currently, there are 100 shops and another 60 such commercial areas will be built by 2013.
Katowice railway station: renovation and innovation
The city of Katowice (Poland) will have a modern station (to replace the one built in 1972) based on the project carried out at the initiative of the authorities and which presents a surface of 136,000 square meters, of which 17,350 square meters for the actual railway station, 8,100 for offices, 4,800 square meters for the construction of a hotel, 24,000 for shops and 19,000 square meters for cultural activities. Works for the implementation of the project have already begun in the se-cond half of 2010 and the new rail station building will be opened for passengers in the second half of 2012. Costs for project development amount to more than EUR 250 Million from the state budget and financial institutions. After 2012, the authorities deal with the construction of adjacent buildings and spaces.
The project also includes the development of a shopping centre connected to the new station, to Katowicka Gallery Centre and to the underground network.
The shopping centre of the rail station will include coffee shops, restaurants, land planning elements and children’s areas.
The project development is absolutely necessary for the European Football Championship 2012 as it will help ease traffic, increase passengers’ comfort and stimulate the economic development of the city.
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