Poland: EIB increases support for high-speed trains
Posted: 16 May 2013 | | No comments yet
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is increasing its loan for PKP Intercity’s Pendolino trains from EUR 224m to EUR 342m…
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is increasing its loan for PKP Intercity’s Pendolino trains from EUR 224m to EUR 342m
The European Investment Bank (EIB), the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States, is increasing its loan for PKP Intercity’s Pendolino trains from EUR 224m to EUR 342m. The project consists of the purchase of 20 modern high-speed trains and the construction of an associated maintenance depot in Warsaw. With the increase of financing, the Bank aims to ensure smooth project implementation by completing the financing plan.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is increasing its loan for PKP Intercity’s Pendolino trains from EUR 224m to EUR 342m
The high-speed passenger connections will be available between Gdynia, Warsaw and Krakow/Katowice. This section forms part of a Trans-European Transport Networks project connecting Gdansk, Warsaw, Brno/Bratislava and Vienna. Further high-speed train services are now also expected to be provided to Gliwice via Katowice, to Wroclaw via Opole and to Rzeszow via Tarnow. Services with the new trains may start in December 2014.
With the EIB strongly encouraging a shift from cars towards rail transport, the 20 new trains will provide time savings and assure high levels of passenger safety and comfort. They are designed to reach up to 250km per hour and each has a seating capacity of about 400 passengers. The related depot has been built on an existing railway site close to Warszawa Grochow and will cater for the maintenance and servicing of new trains.
The modern technology trains co-financed by the EIB will replace obsolete equipment (on average more than 20 years old). They comply with applicable European standards for passenger safety, noise emissions and access for persons with reduced mobility.
This increased support for PKP Intercity complements other EIB loans financing investment in Polish rail infrastructure, including the modernisation of the E65 line from Warsaw to Gdynia on which the trains will run.