– We are working on the timetable for 2024. Koleje Dolnośląskie trains will appear on the popular “Nadodrzanka” route. I am convinced that the new offer will satisfy all passengers using this line. Improving the quality of the rail offer and passenger comfort is very important to us – says Tymoteusz Myrda, a member of the voivodeship board.
In December last year, trains in the yellow-and-white livery of the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship returned, after nine years, to the entire Lower Silesian section of the so-called “Nadodrzanka,” the railway route from Wrocław to Głogów. For passengers using the services, the main new feature was larger trains, as Impuls 45WE five-car units, capable of carrying more than 500 passengers, appeared on the route.
Initially, the route was served by five pairs of Koleje Dolnośląskie trains, while the remaining services were operated by Polregio trains. However, due to the strong passenger interest in KD’s offer and the quality of its services, the next timetable will be arranged so that the regional carrier’s trains operate all services on this line.
It is worth noting here that Lower Silesian carriers offer extremely different quality of service, as well as different standards in its subsequent delivery. The average age of a Koleje Dolnośląskie vehicle is 7.7 years, compared with more than 32 years at Polregio. Last year, Polregio also cancelled as many as 880 trains solely through its own fault. This situation resulted in an appeal addressed to Polregio’s management in August last year concerning a solution to the problem of routinely cancelling trains. These cancellations caused serious disruptions to rail transport in the region, preventing many Lower Silesian residents from using trains on a daily basis.
In addition, modern Koleje Dolnośląskie trains equipped with amenities such as air conditioning, Wi-Fi and multimedia information systems are appreciated by passengers themselves.
Regional trains carried more than 28 million passengers in Lower Silesia last year, and the priority of the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship self-government is to systematically develop the rail offer for the region’s residents. Nearly PLN 300 million has been allocated for this purpose this year alone, almost three times the amount designated for it just a few years ago.
This money goes to both carriers in proportion to the amount of transport work performed. Thus, Koleje Dolnośląskie, which travelled a total of 10.2 million kilometres last year, will receive approximately PLN 170 million this year, while Polregio will receive approximately PLN 90 million this year for travelling 3.5 million kilometres.