A rail line between Poland and the Czech Republic is now under construction after Poland received €1.6 million in financing from the European Union to help cover initial planning and construction costs
The money comes from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the total cost of the entire initial project will amount to €3.2 million.
The heads of the CPK explained that the new 30-kilometer (18-mile) long section of railway, alongside other investments, will create a quick cross-border connection which will shorten international train journeys.
The current travel time is almost 2 hours, and after the project’s completion, it will take only 35 minutes.
Poland is actively cooperating with Czechia in the endeavor and a special working group responsible for the investment has been established.
The deputy CEO of the CPK, Piotr Malepszak, pointed out that the new cross-border section works well with broader Czech plans to create a new high-speed railway between Prague and Ostrava.
He added that the high-speed railway project, along with other Polish ones, could shorten the journey between Warsaw and Prague to between 4 and 4.5 hours from the current 8 hours.
Authorities admit that the creation of the new, swift connection between Katowice and Ostrava is still a long way from being realized.
The initial project will be ready in 2021. Following that, funds for precise projects and construction will have to be found. The entire endeavor is estimated to cost €1.3 billion.
The CEO of the CPK stated that the fulfillment of this investment will begin at the end of the current decade and will most likely be completed at the beginning of the 2030s.
The Visegrád Group, which includes Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia, has ambitious plans to increase high-speed rail links between the four countries’ capitals.
