“We came close several times, because we were approaching this magic number practically every month in 2023. In March, we were short of a million by eight thousand kilometres. Now we have exceeded that number,” says Damian Stawikowski, president of Koleje Dolnośląskie.
Koleje Dolnośląskie travel more and more kilometres every year. In 2023, the total is expected to exceed 12 million.
Where did this million come from?
To show the scale of the work carried out by Koleje Dolnośląskie, it is best to compare it with the achievements of rail operators from other provinces. For example, in Podlaskie Voivodeship, the so-called transport work commissioned by the local marshal’s office amounts to 2 million kilometres, while the regional operator travels 1.8 million kilometres. But that is on an annual, not monthly, basis.
“It is gratifying to read articles in nationwide media outlets that speak of a renaissance of railways and hold Lower Silesia up as an example. We border the Czech Republic, which, in my opinion, has one of the best public transport systems in Europe. We are aiming to match it and want the rail offer in Lower Silesia to improve every year,” says Cezary Przybylski, Marshal of Lower Silesian Voivodeship.
Only two entities in Poland achieve one million kilometres per month travelled by a rail operator commissioned by a single marshal’s office: Koleje Mazowieckie and, since July 2023, Koleje Dolnośląskie. It should also be remembered that in Mazowieckie Voivodeship, regional railways operate, among other places, in the Warsaw metropolitan area, which has a population of more than three million.
How does it work in Warsaw?
Warsaw is an exception—the railway operates in its metropolitan area on a different level than in any other city in Poland. The Warsaw Municipal Office pays operators more than PLN 200 million annually for the possibility of accepting city tickets on Koleje Mazowieckie and Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa trains. Receiving this compensation enables the operators to improve their offer for metropolitan residents. With support not only from Warsaw but also from the municipalities in the Warsaw metropolitan area, Koleje Mazowieckie operate approximately 1.6 million kilometres per month. Koleje Dolnośląskie are now joining the ranks of regional operators achieving an operating mileage of 1 million kilometres per month.
“Lower Silesia is investing in railways so that residents can use them conveniently. Koleje Dolnośląskie’s most modern Elf2 trains carry passengers as part of the so-called Lower Silesian Metropolitan Railway. This offer saves time, as it is now possible to reach central Wrocław from neighbourhoods such as Wojnów and Strachocin in approximately 30 minutes. It is a genuine alternative for people who use a car every day,” notes Krzysztof Maj, a member of the Board of Lower Silesian Voivodeship responsible, among other things, for the functioning of the metropolitan area.
It was during the current term of the Board of Lower Silesian Voivodeship that passenger trains returned, among other places, to Lubin (population 72,000), Bielawa (29,000) and Sobótka (7,000). Świeradów-Zdrój and Karpacz will soon be added to the network of connections.
“Residents of Lower Silesia travel on six new Impuls II hybrids and new Elf2 trains. Two diesel Kolzamy, freshly overhauled, will soon arrive in Lower Silesia. Compared with the 8 million kilometres travelled in 2018, at the beginning of the current term of the regional authorities, Koleje Dolnośląskie will travel 12 million kilometres in 2023,” says Tymoteusz Myrda, a member of the Board of Lower Silesian Voivodeship responsible for railways.
The Board of Lower Silesian Voivodeship is also the first in Poland to implement a project launching rail connections… by bus. Buses in Koleje Dolnośląskie livery operate on inactive railway lines even before their revitalisation, allowing residents to travel without having to purchase a separate ticket. The first connection of this kind began operating in June 2022 between Kłodzko and Stronie Śląskie. More than 73,000 passengers have already used it. Following this pilot project, further buses will begin operating in September 2023. Góra will soon be added to the list of these towns.