The company financed the purchase of 20 five-car Elf 2 trains with a preferential loan taken out from PKO Bank Polski. Despite this, the company sought EU funding to purchase these trains.
– Of all 26 applications submitted to the Centre for EU Transport Projects, two applications from Koleje Dolnośląskie received the highest scores. This is a tremendous success for the Lower Silesian carrier, and I warmly congratulate the company’s management – says Tymoteusz Myrda, member of the Management Board of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, responsible, among other things, for railways.
Only three of the 26 applications submitted to the Centre for EU Transport Projects received the full requested amounts. Two of the three were applications from Koleje Dolnośląskie.
Koleje Dolnośląskie plan further purchases
Thanks to EU funding, Koleje Dolnośląskie have unlocked substantial capital that will allow investment in rolling stock.
– We are preparing a tender for the purchase of another ten electric trains and are sounding out the market regarding the possibility of purchasing double-decker vehicles – says Damian Stawikowski, president of Koleje Dolnośląskie, adding: – We want to announce a tender for the purchase of ten vehicles, with an option for another ten.
The vehicles are to operate on the busiest routes, where platform lengths do not allow two trainsets to be coupled. Double-decker vehicles provide more seats.
– We are also planning a tender for diesel vehicles to serve non-electrified lines. At present, it is impossible to acquire such vehicles with the support of EU funds, but we will nevertheless announce procurement procedures for these trains – says Wojciech Zdanowski, vice-president of Koleje Dolnośląskie.
The diesel vehicles are to serve non-electrified lines, including Legnica–Kamieniec Ząbkowicki. Their greater number will make it possible, among other things, to increase the number of train pairs, naturally also depending on route capacity.
Record grant in the company’s history
Over the past five years, Koleje Dolnośląskie have practically doubled the number of seats available to their passengers. The purchase of 25 Elf 2 trains and six hybrid Impuls trains, along with ongoing inspections of Kolzam trains, means that the company’s rolling stock fleet now comprises more than 80 vehicles.
– Koleje Dolnośląskie are becoming increasingly popular. Naturally, as a result, they need more trains. Elf 2 trains are an excellent choice because they offer as many as 540 places, including 250 seats – adds Krzysztof Maj, member of the Management Board of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.
Now PLN 333.7 million from EU funds is expected to raise the number of trains owned by the Lower Silesian carrier above 100. The grant awarded to Koleje Dolnośląskie is the largest in the history of the voivodeship marshal’s company.
Regional rail in Lower Silesia is considered the best in Poland. This is worth noting because the assessment comes from the passengers themselves, who took part in surveys conducted by the Transport Economics Association. Koleje Dolnośląskie alone cover more than 12 million kilometres on the tracks each year, and more than 19 million passengers travelled on their trains in 2023.