The Polish government has begun work on a new project called the “Solidarity” airport (Central Communication Port (CPK)). It is by far the largest recent infrastructure undertaking in Poland.
The project is scheduled for 2027, located in Central Poland between Warsaw and Łódź. It will cost around PLN 35 billion to construct – a yearly investment of almost PLN 4 billion. In comparison, Law and Justice’s (PiS) 500+ child benefit program costs PLN 25 billion per annum.
The construction of a 1.3 thousand km railway network connecting over 120 Central European towns will be the most expensive – costing PLN 40 billion overall. The railways have been qualified for the Connecting Europe Facility, therefore the majority of the costs should be covered by EU funds.
A gate to a 180 million people market
The CPK would be the first of this kind of hub in Central Europe. It would have access to a market of more than 180 million people. It is also written into the European Aviation Strategy and would solve part of the issues concerning the limited bandwidth in the European market. It would be a transit and logistics center for the entire region. It is also an opportunity for an access gateway for China into the European market.
Poland’s current biggest airport – Warsaw Okęcie serves 15 million passengers per year. The CPK would have to have 40 million (the majority being people in transit from around the Intermarium) for it to be profitable.
The project is also a signal for the largest airlines to take part in the venture and enter the new market. Airlines such as Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines have already sent representatives to hold talks with LOT Polish Airlines, the Polish government and other state institutions.
