Progress on Warsaw Metro's Line 2

Taking a peek into the hole in the ground that stretches all the way along ul. Świętokrzyska, one can see that things are starting to take shape on Warsaw Metro's Line 2. Photo taken on corner of ul. Emilii Plater looking eastwards along ul. Świętokrzyska towards the crossroads between Świętokrzyska and Marszałkowska, where there will be the interchange between Line 1 and Line 2. The 6km central section of Line 2, linking seven stations (Rondo Daszyńskiego, Rondo ONZ, Świętokrzyska, Nowy Świat, Powiśle, Stadion and Dworzec Wileński) will open sometime in 2014.

In the meantime, the entire length of this stretch above ground is in chaos. Cars cannot pass (not a bad thing); I hope ul. Świętokrzyska will be pedestrianised.

Left: view westwards from the 31st (of 40) floor of Rondo ONZ 1, looking along ul. Prosta, the extension of Świętokrzyska.

Prosta is also closed to traffic for the duration. Note how Al. Jan Pawła Marchlewskiego (old taxi-driver joke) has been forced to make a curving diversion. From up here it looks like Scalextric track. And also see just how flat the Mazovian horizon is.

Line 2 is making its way to Rondo Daszyńskiego, thence it is planned to extend into Wola, undoubtedly trendifying the place. I must say, I know Kraków, Wrocław or Łódź better than I know Wola; extending the Metro system westwards will help revitalise this part of Warsaw. The building of the Hilton Hotel, the Warsaw Uprising Museum and several office developments have all helped to tug Warsaw's centre of gravity towards the west. Looking at the map - Ulrychów? Nowe Gorce? Stare Jelonki? I've never stepped foot in these places. Maybe once Line 2 is extended to distant Wola, I will.

This time last year:
Doric arches, ul. Targowa

This time two years ago:
A place in the country, everyone's ideal

This time five years ago:
I must go down to the sea again