Towards a climate neutral EU:
efficient allocation of EU funds

Modernisation of the Poznań-Wągrowiec diesel railway line

Organisation: Institute for Sustainable Development Fondation Website: www.pine.org.pl Added: June 29, 2022
Project start date: January 01, 2008
Project end date: December 31, 2012

Narrative

The railway line connects the capital of the Greater Poland region, Poznań, with Wągrowiec, which has about 25,000 inhabitants. Its modernisation was completed in 2011-2013. Immediate effects of the modernisation include: reduced travel time by 25 minuntes (-40%), and higher maximum speed (up to 120 km/h). The most important outcome is that the railway line, previously marginalised, has become second-most used railway line in Greater Poland, with over 10,5 thousand trips yearly. Initial revitalisation has opened the way for: increasing the number of passengers on the line by 50%, leading to fewer cars on the road to Poznań (subsequently, park&ride facilities near train stations were built from EU Funding); increasing the number of trains in 2018 (taking 30 minutes instead of 1 hour), leading in turn to the purchase of four higher-capacity, more efficient trains (from local funding); the opening of a train-service point in Wągrowiec (partly from EU funding); upgrading the Wągrowiec Railway Station, which was named 'best railway station' in 2018 (partly from EU funding, with the main station building upgraded solely from local funding); and plans for EU funding to help revitalise a closed part of the railway from Wągrowiec to Szubin, Kcynia, and further to Bydgoszcz.


Financial data

Railway revitalisation was financed 50% from ERDF and the Regional Operational Programme for Greater Poland 2007-2013. The overall allocated sum was EUR 40 million. More funds were provided for subsequent investments in rolling stock (EUR 22.5 million, with 70% from ERDF), P&R facilities, Wągrowiec Station (EUR 3.5 million, with no EU funding), and a train-service point (EUR 15 million, with 50% from ERDF).


Recommendations

All new railway modernisations should be a part of a revitalisation packets (railway, trains, stations, communication with local transport and park&ride facilities). New modernisations should put more effort to electrification of railway lines. Polish regions should take bolder approach to railway modernisation: in the 2021-2027 period, only three regions have decided to modernise their railway lines.


Information sources

Various

Other info

All links are in Polish:

https://web.archive.org/web/20120419064120/http://www.wrpo.wielkopolskie.pl/zalaczniki/Modernizacja_linii_kolejowej_nr_356_Poznan_Wschod__Bydgoszcz.pdf

https://www.rynek-kolejowy.pl/wiadomosci/spalinowe-impulsy-kolei-wielkopolskich-wyjechaly-na-trasy-99358.html

https://www.rynek-kolejowy.pl/wiadomosci/dworzec-roku-2018-wygral-wagrowiec-89820.html

https://www.sektorkolejowy.pl/zaplecze-serwisowe-kolei-wielkopolskich-w-wagrowcu-oddane-do-eksploatacji/

https://wagrowiec.naszemiasto.pl/juz-niebawem-przybedzie-szynobusow-na-trasie-wagrowiec/ar/c4-465240

https://wagrowiec.naszemiasto.pl/koleje-wielkopolskie-kupily-cztery-nowoczesne-i-wieksze/ar/c1-7332909

European Climate Initiative (EUKI)
This project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI). EUKI is a project financing instrument by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The EUKI competition for project ideas is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It is the overarching goal of the EUKI to foster climate cooperation within the European Union (EU) in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.