Szybka Kolej Miejska (Warsaw)

Szybka Kolej Miejska (English: Fast Urban Railway) is a rail operator providing services in the Warsaw metropolitan area using the national rail network while constituting a part of the cities integrated public transport system organized by the Warsaw Transport Authority.

History

The Warsaw Fast Urban Railway in its present form was initially proposed in 2002, stipulating to use the existing infrastructure of the Warsaw Railway Junction, especially the cross city line with its over 2 km long tunnel running under the city center and conveniently located underground station, as a cheap substitute for a badly needed second metro line.

In order to implement this the Mayor of Warsaw Lech Kaczyński established in 2004 the municipally owned company Szybka Kolej Miejska Sp. z o.o. The company was originally incorporated as a joint venture between the City of Warsaw with 50% shares and the companies Metro Warszawskie Sp. z o.o with 49% shares and Tramwaje Warszawskie Sp. z. o.o with 1% shares, both owned entirely by the city and responsible respectively for the Metro and Tram system. As such the company was notably completely independent from the national rail operator PKP Group, unlike the Masovian Railways established by the Masovian Voivodship at around the same time.

The newly formed company was equipped with six Newag 14WE EMUs which were extensive modernizations of the PKP class EN57 EMUs, with a modern looking body but retaining the old mechanical components.

A year and a half after being established the Fast Urban Railway initiated its operation with its first trains, opening a line from Warszawa Zachodnia along the cross city line to Warszawa Wschodnia and along the Vistula river to Warszawa Falenica. The new service failed to deliver on its promise to serve as a viable replacement due to the poor state of the rail infrastructure. Passengers within the city center preferred the more accessible trams system and few people wanted to use the trains in the south eastern districts of the city. Additionally while the integrated fare system of the Warsaw Transit Authority offered a large convenience the modern look and relative cleanness of the rolling stock sharply contrasted with the standard found in the Polish railroad, during rush hours most of slots on the tracks were taken up by regional traffic and the new EMUs suffered from the same technical problems as the ones they were based on.

Due to the initial low popularity of the line the original concept was somewhat altered in 2006 with the line extended outside the administrative borders of the city through the Ursus district into the town of Pruszków to the west and diverted to the district of the Wesoła and town of Sulejówek to the east, turning the service into a suburban commuter train which allowed people in the metropolitan area to quickly reach the city center and conveniently transfer within the city's public transit system. The revised formula proved to be very successful leading the city to take purchase all the shares of the company and purchase two more Newag 14WE EMUs. The popularity of trains run the Fast Urban Rail was also instrumental in the city negotiating a deal with the Masovian Voivodship to have the Masovian Railways honor long term tickets of the Warsaw Transit Authority, first along the route of the Fast Urban Rail and eventually within the entire area served by the city's public transit system.

In 2010 the company purchased four brand new Newag 19WE EMUs and opened a new line to the town of Otwock. Additionally the Warsaw Transit Authority signed a contract with the Masovian Railways to operate a line between Warszawa Gdańska station on the Warsaw Circumferential Line and the town of Legionowo under the branding of the Fast Urban Railway.

Future plans include the delivery of 13 new PESA 27WE 'ELF' EMUs (2011–2012) and opening a new line running through the Służewiec office district and new 1.5 km rail tune presently under construction to the Warsaw Frédéric Chopin Airport (March 2012).

Lines

Line ‹S1› (Otwock – Warszawa Śródmieście – Pruszków)

The line was established in October 2005, running from Warszawa Falenica to Warszawa Zachodnia and suspended indefinitely in July 2006 with all of the rolling stock directed to the newly created line S2. In September 2010 the line was reestablished extended towards the town of Otwock but only reaching Warszawa Wschodnia, which required most of the potential passengers to transfer there to trains running on the line S2 or regional trains operated by Masovian Railways to reach the city. The line will was extended through Warszawa Śródmieście and Warszawa Zachodnia to Pruszków in December.

Line ‹S2› (Warszawa Zachodnia – Warszawa Śródmieście – Sulejówek)

The line was established in July 2006 running from Pruszków through Warszawa Śródmieście to Sulejówek Miłosna. In December 2010 the line was shortened to Warszawa Zachodnia in the West, with the line S1 taking over the route from Pruszków to Warszawa Zachodnia and further to Warszawa Śródmieście.

Line ‹S9› (Warszawa Gdańska – Legionowo)

The line was established in March 2010, running between Warszawa Gdańska and Legionowo with some trains reaching Wieliszew. It is operated by Koleje Mazowieckie and, from 5 september 2011, SKM Warszawa.

References

• (Polish) Official site

External links

• Official website