The train from Katowice to Krakow will take only one hour. It will be cheaper than the highway. PKP PLK has published an outline of the timetable!
The route from Katowice to Krakow has been the Achilles’ heel of the Polish railways for years. The delayed renovation, long journey times, and a small number of connections will finally be lost. From December, the fastest trains from the capital of the Silesian Voivodeship to Wawel will take up to an hour. PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe, which is responsible for the construction of the timetable, has just published an outline of the new timetable. Although this is not yet the official timetable, which will be in force from December this year, there is a high probability that it will look like this.
1 hour – 1h 15 min tops!
The train from Katowice to Krakow actually travels on three railway lines. On the Katowice-Mysłowice section it runs along the Oświęcim-Katowice line, then joins the Mysłowice-Jaworzno Szczakowa line, and then joins the Dąbrowa Górnicza Ząbkowice-Kraków Główny line. Recently, between Katowice and Kraków, repairs were carried out on the sections between Jaworzno Szczakowa and Trzebinia and between Trzebinia and Krzeszowice. In December, everything is to be in such a state that the accelerated train from Katowice to Krakow will travel this route in about an hour, and a passenger train stopping at all stations in about an hour and fifteen minutes.
Timetable outline published – not the final one!
The timetable outline published by PKP PLK provides for 18 passenger connections a day between Katowice and Krakow. Most of them are to be serviced by Polregio, but there will also be four courses of Koleje Śląskie. The trains of the regional carrier will depart from Katowice at 6.48, 11.25, 14.48, and 18.40, and return from Kraków Główny at 8.55, 13.02, 16.18, and 20.23. Trains of Koleje Śląskie between Katowice and Trzebinia will stop at all stations (Katowice Zawodzie, Katowice Szopienice Południowy, Mysłowice, Jaworzno Szczakowa, Jaworzno Ciężkowice, Balin, and Trzebinia), and between Trzebinia and Kraków only at the Kraków Business Park station and at the Main Railway Station in Krakow.
New train lines!
In addition to passenger trains, fast trains will also appear on the route between Katowice and Krakow, most of which a few years ago were directed through Częstochowa Stradom and Lubliniec. Now a lot will travel again through Katowice, but also from Jasna Góra there will be 3 connections to Krakow. The train will return to the Katowice-Krakow route, among others former Wawel train from Krakow to Berlin. The Roztocze train to Lublin will not run from Katowice but from Bohumin. Another novelty will be the TLK Sudety train from Kraków to Jelenia Góra via Katowice, Nysa, Dzierżoniów, Świdnica, and Wałbrzych.
The price of the ticket is yet unknown!
It is not known yet what the price of the ticket for the new connection will be. However, taking into account the kilometer distance by rail between Katowice and Krakow, the price for both carriers will be similar – in Koleje Śląskie it is PLN 17 for a normal ticket and in Polregio PLN 17.10. Of course, there will also be reduced tickets. It is possible that both carriers will decide on some promotions. Even without it, the train will be cheaper than using the A4 motorway, wherefrom the beginning of October the toll will be PLN 12 at each gate. It is also worth remembering that the center of Krakow is covered by a paid parking zone, and the station is located in the very center of the city.
The final shape of the timetable is to be known in November. The new timetable will enter into force on December 13 this year.
Original article in Polish language can be found over here.
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