CPK launches tender to build first high-speed rail tunnel in Łódź, Poland

Credit: Centralny Port Komunikacyjny

The Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) has announced a tender for the construction of a 4.6km tunnel designed to accommodate high-speed rail (HSR) in the city of Łódź, Poland. This project marks the third significant construction contract for the most advanced CPK rail project to date, with the other two already underway in the city’s centre.

“The CPK long-distance tunnel is the key element of the so-called Y-line, the planned high-speed rail (HSR) route between Warsaw, CPK, Łódź, Wrocław and Poznań. This investment is crucial for the operations of the Polish railways and represents a significant milestone in the realisation of the Poland in 100 minutes project. Our efforts go beyond integrating various modes of transport to establish a comprehensive transportation network in the country,” said Dariusz Klimczak, the Minister of Infrastructure.

Maciej Lasek, Government Plenipotentiary for the CPK, said: “The tender for the construction of the tunnel in Łódź is proof that we continue the implementation of the CPK investment with focus on passenger benefits. The tunnel will constitute an important element of the “Y” line, which represents a top-priority investment for us. Upon the completion of the road from Łódź to Warsaw in 2032, the travel time between these cities will be reduced to approximately 40 minutes, significantly shorter than it is currently.”

The tunnel under the centre of Łódź, to be excavated using a TBM mechanised shield with a diameter of about 14m, will span approximately 4.6km in length. Two tracks will be located inside, allowing trains to run in both directions.

“It will be the longest and largest-diameter underground railway passage constructed using this method in Poland to date. The CPK tunnel is one of the most technically demanding segments of the Y HSR line and also our most advanced project,” said Filip Czernicki, CEO of CPK.

The CPK company plans to open the bids in early September 2024. The selection process will weigh price evaluation (70% of the criteria) and personnel qualifications (30%). The contractor will have 46 months from the contract signing to complete the project.

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Trains on railway line 85 (LK85) from Warsaw will enter the tunnel behind the Łódź Fabryczna station, with the exit located south-west of Łódź Kaliska near the existing railway line 14 (LK14). The route will then continue west towards Sieradz, where it will fork towards Wrocław and Poznań.

To date, CPK has signed two of the three major contracts related to Łódź. The first contract, for the reinforcement of the Łódź Cultural Centre (ŁDK) foundations, is well advanced. The second contract involves the construction of the Retkinia launching chamber, currently underway and the Fabryczna receiving chamber, set to begin post-ŁDK completion.

The ŁDK foundation reinforcement, on the western side of the Łódź Fabryczna station, has been managed by Keller Polska since September 2023, valued at over PLN 93 million net, and is scheduled for completion by mid-2025. The Retkinia launch chamber, enabling TBM excavation, is being constructed by Budimex under a PLN 147 million net contract signed with CPK in December 2023, and should be completed later this year.

This project is co-ordinated with the ongoing construction of a tunnel for regional and agglomeration traffic led by the Polish railway infrastructure manager PKP PLK.