POLISH infrastructure manager PKP PLK has confirmed that it will proceed with a construction contract to modernise the Warsaw Wawer - Otwock section of the Warsaw - Lublin main line, the final contract to update the key corridor.
Work will include the addition of two new tracks on the 15km section of line, which will separate long-distance from commuter trains on the route, boosting capacity and service reliability.
Eight stations will also be modernised: Warsaw Anin, Warsaw Międzylesie, Warsaw Radość, Warsaw Miedzeszyn, Michalin, Józefów, Otwock Świder and Warszawa Falenica. Modern passenger information systems will be installed at each station, which will also be adapted to meet the needs of passengers with reduced mobility.
In addition, 20 new underpasses will be constructed at the stations to improve safety and accessibility while the existing crossing at Warsaw Falencia station will be rebuilt. Four level crossings will also be eliminated on the section.
The contract is worth Zlotys 1.4bn ($US 380m) and is being funded under the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment 2021-2027.
PKP PLK says that preliminary work on the project began at the start of 2025 and that it plans to complete work by 2028.
Upon completion, journey times between Warsaw and Lublin will be reduced to around 1h 30min, down from 1h 46min today. PKP PLK has already completed work to track double the Otwock - Pilawa section, and rebuild the Pilawa - Zublin stretch.
“The Otwock line is one of the most heavily-used lines within the Warsaw railway network and additional tracks are needed,” says Piotr Wyborski, president of the Management Board of PKP PLK.
“Separating commuter from long-distance traffic will result in more trains, more connections and faster journeys. It is also a guarantee of an efficient railway for the coming decades. The investment on Warsaw - Otwock is part of a broader plan for the modernisation of infrastructure in Warsaw.”
