Warsaw Targówek. The train stop is almost ready, they will release it in December, the train will leave once an hour. “This is beginning”

The construction of the Warszawa Targówek stop (previously called Warszawa Stalowa) is an element of a larger project consisting in the modernization of the line between Warszawa Gdańska and Mińsk Mazowiecki. The contract for the design and implementation of the investment was signed by PKP PLK with Torpol in September 2017. Originally, the works were supposed to end in October 2019, but the deadline could not be kept. In the meantime, the so-called master plan for the Warsaw Railway Junction. According to it, the railway line at this point is to have two additional tracks, which forced the redesign of the station at the junction of Praga Północ and Targówek, which delayed the construction of the stop.

On Wednesday, PKP PLK convened a press briefing with the participation of Andrzej Bittel, secretary of state in the Ministry of Infrastructure, and Ireneusz Merchel, president of the management board of PKP PLK. As Merchel informed, the investment is “at the final stage of implementation”. – Construction of platforms, underground passage, access from two sides: a ramp on one side, stairs and lifts on the other will allow passengers to safely reach the platform. We are at the junction of two districts where the passenger potential is high, said Merchel.

Railwaymen announce that passengers will use the stop in December. As part of the investment, two 200-meter platforms were built. Shelters and benches will be installed for travelers. The platforms will be illuminated and equipped with a passenger information system. Access to trains will be provided by two elevators at the new passage under the tracks from the Stalowa side and roofed ramps from al. Solidarności towards the bus stop. The cost of works related to the stop is PLN 27.3 million. However, the value of the entire project is PLN 172 million.

A few days ago, the industry portal transport-publiczny.pl drew attention to the fact that the commissioning of the stop will not result in the improvement of accessibility to the agglomeration railway offer, as announced by the railway workers. According to the portal, trains at the station are to stop only once an hour. When asked about it by journalists during the briefing, Andrzej Bittel replied: – I hope that one train per hour is the beginning. Then this tact will be corrected.

– There is a reason why these platforms are built in such a way that it will be possible to add tracks. We want there to be four tracks in each direction when leaving Warsaw. At this point, these additional tracks are also needed to separate agglomeration from long-distance traffic – added Ireneusz Merchel.

At the moment, it is not known which specific trains will stop at the Warszawa Targówek stop. – Work is still in progress and arrangements with the carriers on the timetable applicable from the December timetable change. The information will be made available in advance – Martyn Janduła from the company’s press office told us.

According to railwaymen, an important element enhancing the passenger potential of the new stop is also the proximity of the station of the second line of the Szwedzka metro station. The acclaimed proximity to the underground railway is, however, a contractual matter. At the moment, it is over 600 meters of walk. There is no shorter, more convenient access. Its performance was delegated to the city.

– We are currently completing project documentation. We already have it most of the time, including the decision to locate a public purpose investment. It will be possible to talk about the dates in a meaningful way as soon as we have a whole. In any case, we are in constant contact with PKP PLK – Jakub Dybalski from the Capital City Roads Authority told us.

The designed access route is a three-meter wide and several hundred long pedestrian and bicycle route. It will lead from the exit of the Szwedzka station, then along the curve it will go along the buildings of the Stalowa bus depot, and then through the pedestrian crossing at the stop in front of the depot and further to the entrance to the station from the side of Stalowa Street. Which means that even after building an access road, the journey from the subway to the suburban train will be rather short.

– The shape of this access now results from land development and the availability of plots. However, this place is expected to change significantly in the near future, incl. the Stalowa depot is to change its location and then the route of the connection between the Szwedzka metro station and the Warszawa Targówek train stop will be different, shorter – Dybalski announced.

ZDM declared that the pedestrian and bicycle route may be built in line with the commissioning of the stop, i.e. in December.