Warsaw. Five metro lines, new tram routes. Plans, routes

– While working on the study, we analyzed over 700 kilometers of metro and tram routes in order to plan the corridors well and respond to the most important communication needs of the residents – said the mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, during a meeting devoted to the development of the rail transport network in the city.

– The entire study, a fragment of which we are showing today, is to present the concept of a 15-minute city. The point is that every Varsovian and every Varsovian should be able to reach all the most important services: educational, cultural or sports, by means of public transport or on foot – emphasized the Mayor of Warsaw. – This is a concept implemented by a huge part of European cities. This is what we subordinate the transport network to – he added.

Next week, the entire study will be handed over to other institutions, including the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection, Polish Waters and the Mazowieckie Voivodship Conservator of Monuments. When the study is ready to be presented, public consultations with the participation of residents will begin in May or June. Comments can be submitted until the end of September.

As Trzaskowski pointed out, 59 percent of the inhabitants of the capital use public transport in their daily travels. – This is a very high percentage if we compare it to other European cities – emphasized Trzaskowski. Importantly, according to city hall data, 94 percent of residents positively assess the functioning of public transport in the city.

Trzaskowski also presented a diagram of the effectiveness of individual means of transport in terms of the number of passengers transported per hour. In one transport route, 1,500 people can be transported by cars, about 5,000 by bus, 10,000 by bus on the bus lane, 13,000 by tram, and as many as 50,000 passengers per hour by metro.

The president assured that planning the expansion of the rail transport network took into account the spatial structure, the number of inhabitants and jobs, as well as the planned railway network. – We recommend five metro lines by 2050. This variant has achieved the highest economic efficiency index – said Rafał Trzaskowski.

The M1 line will remain in its current course with additional stations at Plac Konstytucji and Muranów. According to the concept, the second line will be extended in both directions. At the eastern-northern end, a second connector with the M1 line in Żoliborz would be built – from the Bródno station, the line would run through Toruńska, Żerań FSO to the Marymont station.

In turn, on the western side, passengers could reach Ursus. The course of the M3 line does not differ from the concept previously presented by the town hall. It is to run from the Stadion Narodowy station to Gocław (via Dworzec Wschodni, Mińska, Rondo Wiatraczna, Ostrobramska, Jana Nowak-Jeziorańskiego stations), and then branch off via Siekierki, Czerniaków, Sielce and Stary Mokotów. At the Racławicka station, it will intersect with the M1 line and take passengers to the station at Żwirki i Wigury.

In the plan, the fourth line is located in the north-south axis, i.e. it doubles the clogged first one. It starts its course in Tarchomin and runs through Henryków and Stare Świdry, then, after crossing the Vistula, it touches the Ruda housing estate in Bielany and connects with the M1 and M2 in Marymont. The next stops would be located at Plac Grunwaldzki, Radosława roundabout and Kercelak. Passengers could change to the M2 at Rondo Daszyńskiego station, or continue south through Zawiszy and Narutowicza Squares. At the Żwirki i Wigury station there would be a junction with the M3 line. From there, the line would turn east to Służewiec and to the interchange station with the M1 at Wilanowska. Ultimately, the last stop would be in Wilanów. On reaching it, passengers would also pass the following stations: Dolina Służewiecka, Stegny and Sobieskiego.

The M5 line would connect Szamoty and Gocławek. The station in Ursus would be located in the place where the M2 line was extended. Passengers would pass Ursus, Plac Tysiąclecia, Skorosze, Wiktoryn, Aleje Jerozolimskie, and Śmigłowca stops. In Ochota, the line would run past the West Railway Station and then turn east along Trasa Łazienkowska. At Plac Narutowicza there is a transfer to the M4. Further, trains would run through the Filtry, Plac Konstytucji, Piękna, Solec, Saska Kępa and Przyczółek Grochowski stations. A connector with M3 appears at the Ostrobramska station. Next, the line leads through Witolin and Marsa to the final station.

In Marymont there will be a cross between three lines: M1, M2 and M4. There will be a station with the possibility of transfer between lines on one platform. It will be possible to travel by M2 or M4 trains.

As Trzaskowski calculated, the length of the underground railway line will increase from the current 42 to 113 kilometers, and from 39 to 103 stations. He emphasized that the indicator of the number of residents who have a subway station no more than 1000 meters from their place of residence will increase from 28 to 53 percent. – It is important to us that by 2050 more than half of Varsovians will be able to walk to the nearest metro station – added the mayor of the capital. He also stressed that all districts will be served by rail transport.

He also indicated exemplary travel times from various places in the capital. The journey from Tarchomin to Rondo Daszyńskiego will be shortened from 35 to 18 minutes, from Wilanów to Plac Zawiszy from 36 to 25 minutes, from Wilanów to the city center from 31 to 18 minutes, from Marsa junction to Plac Konstytucji from 27 to 15 minutes and from Skorosze in Ursus to Plac Konstytucji from 42 to only 19 minutes.

– We have assessed the effectiveness of each of these lines. We have started conceptual and planning work on the third line. But we are also starting work on the fourth line – said Trzaskowski. – It turns out that the fourth line is very effective and much needed – he added.

According to the city hall’s analyses, the fourth metro line at the busiest station, i.e. Plac Zawiszy, will handle up to 19,000 passengers per hour. On the fifth line, estimates speak of 10,000 passengers. For comparison, in the case of the M1 and M2 lines, the forecasts of passenger flows range from 14-15 thousand people per hour. In turn, in the case of the third line, previously criticized for low efficiency, the estimated number of passengers served was only 6,000.

However, Trzaskowski assessed that “each of these lines defends itself, each has good economic indicators”. – It is true that these lines have slightly different indicators. The fourth line turns out to be needed, which is why we are starting conceptual work on it. However, we will implement them in the order already established. We are convinced that a certain amount of continuation is needed, he pointed out. He also noted that “the economic indicators of the third line justify its construction.”

– With appropriate financing, we are able to build 10 or even more metro stations – added Maciej Fijałkowski, director of the European Funds Office in the capital city hall.

In the case of the expansion of the tram network, the city hall maintains the need to implement previously announced investments.

– When it comes to servicing eastern Białołęka, i.e. the tram to Zielona Białołęka, this investment will certainly be included in the study. The same is true for the connection of the tram to Tarchomin via Jagiellońska Street. Of course, we have a tram to Gocław, a tram to Wilanów, which is currently under construction, with a whole network of connections in the direction of Wola – enumerated Bartosz Rozbiewski from the Architecture Office of the capital city hall. There have also been novelties. – Tram in Powązkowska Street, tram connection between Powązkowska Street and Młynarska Street, as well as the long-announced route in the corridor of the so-called Krasiński Bridge. We also have a connection to the Marsa node, i.e. the extension of the tram route along Grochowska Street – added Rozbiewski.

The diagrams provided by the town hall also show the extension of the line currently under construction along Gagarina Street, further through Aleja Polski Walczaj towards Siekierki.

The masterplan also marked “high-performance public transport corridors” that are most heavily loaded with car traffic (marked with a pink dashed line in the graphic). – We did not want to decide today whether it will be a tram or a fast bus. But these are the places where a change in the mode of transport will have to occur in the future. We believe that the communes neighboring Warsaw will enter the debate on the future of these corridors – added Rozbiewski.