PKP's new platform

Mayors of Katowice, Gdynia and Kielce recently met the president of Polish Railways, Andrzej Wach, as well as private investors including Hochtief Polska, Parkridge CE Retail and others, to discuss possible cooperation on modernizing local railway stations. The meeting was a part of PKP's new strategy in relation to local authorities. PKP wants the towns to become more involved in the decision-making process concerning the future of local stations, their design, modernization and function.

The preliminary agreements on the cooperation of PKP and local authorities have already been signed between PKP and the cities of Warsaw, Łódź, Kielce, Gdynia, and Katowice. Soon a similar contract is to be signed with Poznań. This year PKP, together with Kielce, Katowice, and Gdynia, plans to work out architectural projects for the new stations. They are also going to decide on the ideal form of cooperation with investors, who will finance the modernization. Finally, investors will be selected in a tender procedure. PKP pledges that the new station buildings in these three locations will be ready within three years. The total cost of this project is some zł.800 million.

Hopefully, the scenario of numerous attempts to modernize the gloomy railway station in Katowice will not repeat. Five years ago ING Real Estate presented its concept to rebuild the station. The plans remained on paper because one of the conditions for the construction to begin was establishing a joint venture between PKP and Katowice, and the local officials never agreed. After that, PKP announced a tender for the station's reconstruction, which was won by Polish Transport Holdings. However, PKP canceled the procedure.