Warsaw West deep under construction

Once my tip for Poland's Worst Railway Station, given a light-touch modernisation ahead of the Euro 2012 football championships, W-wa Zachodnia ('Warsaw West') is currently undergoing a thorough redevelopment to bring it into the 21st century. The Clapham Junction of the East, with its multiplicity of platforms, was a bit of an afterthought in the capital's transport plans, integrated with the nearby bus station in the 1970s. Though much improved compared to its wretched state before 2012 (mainly in terms of proper signage and a decent entrance and booking hall/concourse on the south side of the tracks), it is still a long way off what modern stations should look like. With no heritage architecture to protect, the architects can go large on this one.

Returning from Wrocław from my first Polish business trip in nearly 18 months (!), I had the chance to see how things are coming on. It's clear that there is a very, very long way to go before this job's finished. Below: the new station building will arise on the left. Platforms 6 and 7 have already been demolished.

Large maps of the locality explain clearly (at last!) how passengers are to get from Platforms 1-5 to Platform 8 and on to the bus loop on the north side of the tracks. Allow 15 minutes to walk there from the south side!

It may take longer; the picture top was taken from the line serving Platform 5; there's a pedestrian level crossing here with lights and a guard. If a train's coming, everyone must wait until it passes before being allowed to cross. And there are also a few points where construction equipment can pass through; again, barriers are put in place, below, and passengers have to wait.

The tunnel that links the platforms will be replaced by one 60 metres wide, that will house a new waiting room and booking office as well as shops. In the meanwhile, travellers are trying to orientate themselves.

Below: arriving at Platform 5 track 4, the Lubomirski, a train that links Gdynia and Przemyśl, departing W-wa Zachodnia on time, headed by an EP09 locomotive, in 'retro' orange and brown livery, as used in the mid-1980s when this series of passenger engines was new.

Below: the new footbridge that will serve as the only crossing between platforms until the tunnel is ready. An eastbound ED160 multiple unit awaits departure for W-wa Wschodnia.

I look forward to being able to use the new W-wa Zachodnia station, but I daresay it won't be ready for a long, long time yet.

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Gdynia, on the beach, six am

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