Skip to main content

Consortium wins Polish rail modernisation contract

A consortium led by Bombardier Transportation in partnership with Thales and Nokia Siemens Networks has won the US$146 million contract to modernise the signalling of the 350 km long E65 railway line linking Warsaw and Gdynia. The need to comply with the standards of the trans-European transport network linking the north and south of Europe makes the contract is one of the most important investments of PKP, the Polish railway lines operator. The consortium claims the modernisation will enhance safety and in
February 27, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
A consortium led by 513 Bombardier Transportation in partnership with 596 Thales and 183 Nokia 189 Siemens Networks has won the US$146 million contract to modernise the signalling of the 350 km long E65 railway line linking Warsaw and Gdynia.

The need to comply with the standards of the trans-European transport network linking the north and south of Europe makes the contract is one of the most important investments of PKP, the Polish railway lines operator. The consortium claims the modernisation will enhance safety and increase the capacity of the line. In addition, the journey times will be noticeably reduced. Following the upgrade, trains will be able to run with speeds of up to 200 km/h through selected sections.

Thales and Bombardier Transportation are responsible for the design and development of European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2. They will also deliver conventional signalling for eight local control centres and upgrade existing conventional signalling equipment to the ETCS standard.

Thales will provide the ETCS Level 2 system, a remote control and traffic management, comprehensive solutions for dispatching centres in Warsaw and Gdynia, together with an integrated information system for travellers along the line and monitoring solutions.

Nokia Siemens Networks is providing the GSM-R systems on this highly complex thirty-five-station line for passenger and freight traffic.

Pawel Piotrowski, Thales country director in Poland explains: “For Thales, this important project significantly strengthens our position on the Polish railway market. We have been involved in the trans-European network since 2009, including the famous E30 European corridor.”

Related Content

  • October 1, 2015
    Thales to upgrade New York’s Queens Boulevard subway line
    In a contract worth US$49.6 million from the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Thales is to upgrade the New York subway’s busy Queens Boulevard Line with its signalling solution. The contract includes the deployment of the Thales’s communications-based train control system, SelTrac CBTC, as well as the supply of equipment for the line’s train fleet. Design work for the Queens Boulevard Line is getting underway and installations are expected to begin in mid-2017.
  • December 16, 2016
    Video analytics enhances urban rail safety
    David Crawford explores some promising innovations for North American commuters. North America is experiencing a surge in commuter rail and metro development. The US now has 75 light rail and metro networks in operation; and California, in particular, is actively exploring ways of developing the state’s existing passenger rail operations into a fully integrated system.
  • November 18, 2013
    Major rail order for Kapsch
    Kapsch CarrierCom has won a further order worth US$56 million from the Polish railway company PKP for the design, delivery and installation of the GSM-R train radio system on the stretch of line E20 from Kunowice to Terespol. The 26-month project will be implemented in cooperation with local partner Torpol. Kapsch will install 114 base transceiver stations (BTS) at 57 locations. In addition, base station controllers (BSC), transcoder units (TCU) and packet control unit support nodes (PCUSN) will be supp
  • July 17, 2015
    EIB provides loan for Rhine-Ruhr Express project
    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing a US$370 million long-term loan to finance the upgrading of the local public transport system in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The funds will be used to purchase 82 new double-deck electric trains offering better energy efficiency, greater capacity and special barrier-free passenger comfort for the Rhine-Ruhr Express (RRX) project. RRX is North Rhine-Westphalia’s most important rail project. Promoted by the four neighbouring transport associations VRR,