Polish and Czech rail infrastructure managers discuss investments and cooperation

Polish railway infrastructure manager PKP PLK and its Czech counterpart Správa železnic have agreed to strengthen their cooperation during a joint meeting in Warsaw. The talks included the exchanging experiences in investment implementation and a visit by the Czech delegation to the construction site of the Warszawa Zachodnia station, where a massive renewal including an underpass is underway.

During the meeting, the current international situation in the railway industry was discussed, including the impact of the war in Ukraine on the work of both infrastructure managers. The meeting was attended by Ireneusz Merchel, President of the Management Board of PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe SA, and Jiři Svoboda, General Director of Správa železnic, as well as several directors of relevant departments of the companies.

The subject of investments on railway lines running to Polish-Czech border crossings was also discussed, along with the possibility of improving capacity to increase the number of cross-border trains running. PKP PLK is working on several modernisation projects of lines towards the Czech border, such as the modernisation and electrification of the rail route from Zabrzeg to Zebrzydowice and the border with the Czech Republic, partly funded by the European Union.

Another important part of the talks was the revision of the TEN-T Regulation and the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI). The talks also touched on the cost of electricity and measures taken by both managers to reduce its energy consumption.

The meeting and visit mark another successful chapter in the history of cooperation between the two infrastructure managers. Frequent bilateral meetings are a testament to the excellent cooperation between the two companies, particularly in the lead up to the Polish-Czech ministerial working group for cooperation in the field of railways. Správa železnic recently signed a cooperation agreement with Polish state organisation CPK with the intention to realise a high-speed network in the ‘Three Seas Region’ between the Baltic Sea in the North, the Black Sea in central Europe and the Adriatic Sea, together with Rail Baltica.

Further reading:

• A high-speed rail network from the Baltics to Central Europe is one step closer