Better railway connections with Slovakia. The ministers talked

Contents:

1. What railway routes were discussed by ministers in the context of improving connections on the Polish-Slovak border?
2. What project worth PLN 3.5 billion financed from the KPO was considered important for both Poland and Slovakia?
3. What actions are to be taken jointly by Poland and Slovakia in order to obtain European funds for the development of railway projects?

What can be improved in rail transport?

Slovakia has the second longest state border with Poland (541 km). It is formed almost along the entire length of the Carpathian mountain range, including the Beskids and the Tatra Mountains, which constitute a natural barrier hindering the development of transport infrastructure. Despite steady progress on these issues, there are still numerous restrictions on vehicle movement across the border.

While discussing rail transport issues, the ministers analyzed the possibilities and plans to improve connections on the Czechowice Dziedzice – Zwardoń route, thanks to which rail transport would effectively stimulate the economic development of the Polish-Slovak border, as well as the possibilities of the route running through Muszyna – Plaveč, connecting Kraków and Rzeszów with Prešov and Kosice. . The ministers agreed that it is advisable to develop a common, new system of railway connections after carrying out appropriate investments on both sides, which will improve the quality of these connections and their competitiveness compared to road transport.

– When talking about investments in railway connections, we talked about three corridors, but one of them is particularly important here. We have a large project worth PLN 3.5 billion, financed from the KPO, between Krakow and Nowy Sącz. It is also very important from a communication point of view for the Slovak side. We also agreed with my counterparts that it is time to make up for lost time and eliminate the disproportion in rail and road transport between our countries. We also agreed that we would jointly seek European funds to finance railway projects under the new financial framework. I also welcomed with satisfaction the interest of the Slovak side in the construction of CPK and HSR in Poland, which investments will change the transport architecture in Central Europe – said Minister Dariusz Klimczak.

The minister also noted that the issue of the effectiveness of transport financing after 2027 will be one of the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council in the coming year.