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A Railway Pact for the Lódz Voivodeship has been signed by Poland’s Minister of Infrastructure, Dariusz Klimczak, the CEO of PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PLK), Piotr Wyborski, and the Marshal of the Lódz Voivodeship, Joanna Skrzydlewska. The agreement focuses on enhancing cooperation in the planning and construction of new railway lines that will connect Belchatów with Lódz, Piotrków Trybunalski with Tomaszów Mazowiecki, and Wielun with both Chorzew Siemkowice and Belchatów. The Railway Pact for Lódz also includes the modernisation and revitalisation of existing infrastructure to improve rail connectivity—particularly between Zgierz and Kutno, Lódz and Opoczno, and Skierniewice. “The expansion of the railway network in the Lódz Voivodeship is a key element of our strategy to increase the efficiency of both passenger and freight transport. Investments such as the construction of new routes will help create a new network of connections across the region and the country. Together, we will carry out analyses to improve capacity on key lines, contributing to the continued dynamic development of rail infrastructure,” said Marcin Mochocki, Director for Investment Implementation at PKP PLK. The Pact highlights the pressing need to improve transport accessibility in the Lódz Voivodeship, reinforcing regional cohesion and capitalising on its central location. “The development of rail infrastructure in the Lódz region will lead to better integration of regional connections, allowing for more efficient and effective travel between cities. This will offer residents more mobility options and enable businesses to transport goods more quickly and conveniently. Both major urban centres and smaller local communities will benefit,” said the CEO of PKP PLK at the signing ceremony. The signatories have committed to maximising the potential of rail transport upon completion of strategically important investment projects. These include developments such as the Lódz Railway Junction, led by PLK in cooperation with Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK), along the Central Railway Line (CMK), which is currently under modernisation and expansion works, including the deployemtn of ETCS, all subprojects expected to be completed in 2026. This includes the construction of Biala Rawska station and is supported by funding from the European Funds for Lódz 2021–2027 programme. Additionally, other rail initiatives in the province are being implemented under the Kolej Plus programme, running through to 2029 and financed jointly by the state and local authorities. “Our region is undergoing a transport revolution. Major projects such as the high-speed railway and the construction of two tunnels beneath the centre of Lódz are opening up new opportunities for social, cultural, and economic development. However, these investments must be complemented by regional connections—‘tributaries’ that support the main lines. The Railway Pact for Lódz responds to the region’s dynamic transformation. This tripartite commitment will provide us with a concrete action plan for the coming years,” said the Marshal of the Lódz Voivodeship during the ceremony held on 9 April 2025. The aim of the Railway Pact for Lódz is to ensure synergy between regional and long-distance rail connections, enabling more effective provincial and interprovincial transport. “Together with local authorities and PLK, we will work to ensure synergy between regional and long-distance routes by balancing strategic investments already underway. Increasing the region’s transport accessibility will strengthen its internal cohesion and optimise the use of its geographical, central location,” said the Minister of Infrastructure. Planned works, subject to the availability of funding Railway Line No. 16 (Zgierz–Kutno section): Two-stage project to increase speeds to 160 km/h and construct passing loops, with future expansion to a double-track system. A tender procedure for this project will be launched later this year. Railway Line No. 25 (Lódz Widzew–Tomaszów Mazowiecki–Opoczno section): Aimed at improving the Lódz–Kielce route and enhancing connections to the Central Rail Line. A tender for the modernisation and electrification of the Tomaszów Mazowiecki–Skarzysko-Kamienna section will be launched in 2025. Planning study for the Lódz agglomeration rail junction: Will analyse improvements to capacity on eight railway lines. The tender to develop the study is expected to be launched by the end of the year. Improvements on the Lódz Widzew–Koluszki–Skierniewice section as part of works on Lines No. 1, 17, and 25. Future actions and investment priorities will be determined based on the results of the agglomeration junction planning study. As funding becomes available, the Lódz Voivodeship and PKP PLK will enter into further agreements to initiate project studies and documentation for two potential railway axes: one connecting Belchatów with Lódz, and the other linking Piotrków Trybunalski and Tomaszów Mazowiecki. Additionally, the Voivodeship authorities intend to pursue the launch of a fast rail connection on the Lódz–Tomaszów Mazowiecki–Warsaw route. These projects will be co-financed by funds available to the signatories of the Railway Pact. Regional authorities are committed to ensuring the provision of provincial public utility rail transport using infrastructure managed by PLK with a minimum of eight pairs of trains operating daily. Ongoing projects in Lódz Regarding the high-speed projects in this region, Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) is advancing the Warsaw – Lódz HSR aiming to reduce travel time to approximately 45 minutes. In June 2023, the EU delivered EUR 64 million for this 140 km line, which will accommodate speeds up to 350 km/h. The connection through Lódz will be provided by a new 4.6 km tunnel for which the construction was launched at the end of 2023. This tunnel will link the Retkinia and Fabryczna chambers, facilitating high-speed trains connecting Warsaw, Wroclaw, and Poznan. The project is budgeted at approximately PLN 2.8 billion (EUR 654 million), with construction expected to be completed in 2028. Another strategic rail project is the cross-city railway line running through the centre of the city of Lódz with transport hubs in Lódz Kaliska (situated west of the city), Lódz Fabryczna, the largest and most modern railway station in the city of Lódz and Lódz Widzew, located in the eastern part of Lódz. The line is currently under construction and also includes the construction of a new section linking the Widzew and Niciarniana stations, and the tunnel reaching Lódz Fabryczna station, enhancing urban mobility. ? Works at the Lódz Polesie underground stop are at the most advanced stage compared to the other two stops, all part of the cross-city line in Lódz, which involves five tunnels and three new underground passenger stops to be integrated with the city’s public transport system. At this station, platforms have already been built at a depth of 24 metres, from which passengers will board trains. Due to its proximity to the city’s largest shopping centre, Manufaktura, the Polesie stop is expected to be used by many travellers and residents of Lódz, making it one of the most important transport hubs in the Lódz agglomeration. The Lódz Polesie underground stop will have three underground levels. Level -1 will serve as a communication hall, with access to trains from the north and south. The technical facilities will be located one floor below, and Level -3 will contain platforms and tracks. Elevators and escalators will provide convenient access to the platforms. Intensive work is underway at the Lódz Polesie underground stop construction site. Most of the construction work has been completed, including side walls, pillars, and floor slabs. The 150-metre-long platforms, from which passengers will board trains travelling under the city, are already finished. Stairs, elevator shafts, and brick technological rooms are being constructed. The first finishing elements, including partition walls being built on Level -2, also reflect the advanced stage of the construction. At the same time, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe is continuing the construction of the Sródmiescie and Koziny underground stops The Lódz Sródmiescie stop is located at the intersection of Zielona Street, Zachodnia Street, and Kosciuszki Avenue. All conflicts with external infrastructure have been resolved, and a complete set of diaphragm walls has been constructed. Construction work is ongoing, and earth is being excavated from the interior of the stop. The Lódz Koziny stop is situated at the intersection of Wlókniarzy Avenue and Drewnowska Street. It is the largest facility on the Lódz tunnel route, and reinforcement of the lowest level, -3, is in progress. Level -2 is being built with a ceiling, and pillars are being erected to support Level -1. Work is underway in the excavated single-track tunnels between Koziny, Kaliska, and Zabieniec to construct a concrete track bed. The substructure for 70 cm high tracks has already been completed in three of the five tunnels. Subsequent layers of track surface will then be laid on the completed substructure, incorporating solutions to reduce noise and vibration levels. Meanwhile, in Zubardzie, beneath a layer of concrete and earth, the chambers where the TBM shields began their work are being filled in. The western chamber, from where Faustyna set off, has already been sealed and covered with soil. At the eastern chamber, from where Katarzyna started, construction is nearing completion. The buildings and the connector between them will serve technical purposes for the tunnel. This is where technical platforms and rooms for railway staff and service personnel will be located. In November 2024, TBM Faustyna completed its work on boring a single-track tunnel and is being dismantled after several years of operation. The second shield, Katarzyna, encountered ground difficulties while boring under 1 Maja Street. The area beneath the threatened tenement houses was reinforced. At the turn of December and January, ground tests were carried out to assess the scope of additional work needed to secure the buildings in the area affected by the machine’s impact. Work with the shield will not resume until the appropriate safeguards are implemented. After the completion of construction, the tunnel will undergo testing and technical acceptance before being put into service. The project is a continuation of the construction of the Lódz Fabryczna station (opened in 2016), which will become a through station instead of a terminal station, allowing regional and long-distance trains to pass through the centre of Lódz along the east-west axis (through Lódz Widzew, Fabryczna, and Kaliska stations) and the north-south axis (through Lódz Widzew, Fabryczna, and Zabieniec stations). The 7.5 km tunnel connection includes a 3 km two-track tunnel from Lódz Fabryczna station, passing through the Lódz Sródmiescie and Lódz Polesie stops, and 4.5 km of single-track tunnels, from the switch chamber at Wlókniarzy Street to railway line No. 15, heading towards Lódz Zabieniec and Lódz Kaliska. The entire project involves a total track length of 17 km. Train journeys through the city will be shorter, and the number of trains and their frequency will increase. The cross-city line in Lódz will connect Fabryczna station with Kaliska and Zabieniec stations through the new Lódz Koziny, Lódz Polesie, and Lódz Sródmiescie stops. The tunnel is part of the ongoing construction of the Lódz Fabryczna station, which will become a through station rather than the final station. The investment is valued at over PLN 2 billion (EUR 473.5 million) and is being implemented with funding from the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, and Environment 2021-2027 programme (FEnIKS). The project will revolutionise suburban and long-distance connections in the region and the country. It is expected that by the end of 2025, trains will begin operating on the underground railway connection. The new tunnel runs under the city centre, opening up the Lódz agglomeration to new rail connections and improving local, regional, and national passenger and freight transport. At the same time, CPK is undertaking a construction project for a 4.6 km tunnel in Lódz, which will be used by high-speed trains. The company recently unveiled the bidders for this project. |
