12 Elf 2 trains purchased under the 2021 agreement will be delivered to Koleje Dolnośląskie by the end of this year. Four units will already be in service by the end of June. In total, 25 Elf 2 trains are scheduled to arrive in Lower Silesia by 2024. The opening of a modern maintenance hall in Legnica is planned for July. It will enable significantly greater independence in the periodic inspection and repair of trains. The value of these two major investments is nearly PLN 415 million.
Under the agreement with PESA, by 2024 Koleje Dolnośląskie is to expand its fleet by 25 modern, five-carriage Elf 2 trains of the latest generation, increasing the fleet to 88 vehicles. The overwhelming majority—65%—will be electric vehicles. The investment is worth PLN 348.5 million.
– By the end of 2023, under the agreement with PESA, 12 modern, five-carriage Elf 2 passenger trains will arrive at the Koleje Dolnośląskie facilities. We will have four units by mid-year. The investment in rolling stock is a response to the growing needs of Lower Silesia residents, who are increasingly choosing rail as their means of transport. Let me remind you that in 2022 we set a record by carrying 16 million passengers. That is more than before the pandemic – says Damian Stawikowski, president of Koleje Dolnośląskie.
A key railway investment in the region
Koleje Dolnośląskie plans to open a new maintenance hall in Legnica as early as July. The building’s shell has been completed, and finishing work is currently under way, including roofing, installation and electrical work. Reinforced-concrete work and interior plastering are also being carried out.
– The new Koleje Dolnośląskie maintenance hall is a key railway investment in Lower Silesia. Thanks to it, we will significantly increase our independence in the periodic inspection and repair of rolling stock. We are all the more pleased that its construction is practically finished – says Bartłomiej Rodak, press spokesperson for Koleje Dolnośląskie, adding: – Our substantial investments in rolling stock require equally substantial investments in maintenance facilities, such as the construction of the new hall. As a result, we will also create new jobs. Even today, I invite you to look at the job offers available on our website.
The investment is being carried out with support from the European Union under the Regional Operational Programme, which has provided more than PLN 50 million, as well as with support from the Marshal’s Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. The total value of the work under way amounts to PLN 65 million.
A record-breaking 2022 and new connections
2022 was not only a successful investment year for Koleje Dolnośląskie, but also a successful year in terms of passenger transport. A record 16 million passengers used the carrier’s services during that period. That is nearly two million more than before the pandemic. In 2019, KD carried 14.1 million people.
In March 2022, trains returned to the route to Świdnica via Sobótka. Koleje Dolnośląskie hybrid trains appeared on the tracks. Not only residents of towns near Wrocław, but also Wrocław residents themselves gained a fast connection with the city centre. The rail connection between Wrocław and Świdnica via an alternative route had been awaited by residents of the southern part of the capital of Lower Silesia, as well as Bielany Wrocławskie, Kobierzyce, Sobótka and Świdnica, who gained direct connections to Wrocław Główny station.
After 22 years, rail service also returned to Chocianów, located on the edge of the Lower Silesian Forests. The service runs on the Legnica – Chocianów – Legnica route. In January alone, 12,000 passengers boarded and alighted from Koleje Dolnośląskie trains at Chocianów station. Services were also resumed on the so-called Nadodrzanka line, enabling passengers to travel by KD train from Wrocław to Głogów via Wołów, Brzeg Dolny and Ścinawa.
One hundred million journeys for Koleje Dolnośląskie’s 15th anniversary
Koleje Dolnośląskie is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2023. This year will also see the carrier’s 100-millionth train journey. The carrier expects it to take place in the first half of the year.
– This year is a special one for Koleje Dolnośląskie, and we will do our best to make it memorable as an exceptional year. That is why I can already reveal that we are preparing several unusual events for the anniversary. Once construction of our maintenance hall is complete, we will organise an open day on the premises for everyone interested. Railway travel enthusiasts will have the opportunity to test their skills in practice during a weekend train race. We will also invite visitors to an anniversary exhibition marking KD’s 15th anniversary, which we are preparing together with the Museum of Copper in Legnica. These are not all the attractions we are preparing for Lower Silesia residents this year, but I cannot reveal more today. It will certainly be interesting – adds Bartłomiej Rodak.