The tender on purchase of 20 so-called joint gravimetric compositions, which are expected to achieve the speed from 190 to 250 km/h. According to Czesław Warsewicz, the chairman of PKP Intercity, they go on Polish railway tracks at the latest in April 2012, just before European Championships in Football.
The railway branch has been waiting for announcement of this contest for months, because the value of order can achieve 400 million euro. It is not a small amount, but according to Intercity, there should not be a problem with financing this investment.
To make this happen, the company must finish the tender procedures quickly. As the chairman of the company ensures, the contract with the winner of the contest will be singed in June 2009. Warsewicz hopes, that many world-known manufacturers such as: Alstom, Bombardier, Siemens or Talgo, and also Polish firms such as Pesa and Newag will take part in the tender. Who will finally make an offer? It will be known on last days of September, when the period of sending pre-proposals expires. We can expect, that the interest will be huge.
The railway branch has been waiting for announcement of this contest for months, because the value of order can achieve 400 milion euro. It is not a small amount, but according to Intercity, there should not be a problem with financing this investment. The company plans to assign for this e.g. part of funds received from recent emission of debentures and money from planned public emission of shares on the market. The firm counts also on funds from EU Operational Program – Infrastructure and Environment.
According to Czesław Warsewicz it is worth to pay such prize for new trains, because not only it will increase the level of comfort of passengers, but also it will shorten the duration of the journey. The most important route has been already chosen: from Warsaw to Katowice, Kraków, Gdańsk, Poznań and Wrocław. Later perhaps another line Wrocław-Poznań-Szczecin will be added.
After introducing fast trains to the rails, the railway will be expected not only to increase the advantage over the car traffic, but also to take the airlines customers. The European examples show, that such trains are in fact the best mean of transport – says Warsewicz.
His opinion is confirmed by prof. Włodzimierz Rydzkowski from University of Gdańsk. – The magical border of competitiveness of railway towards other means of transport is 3 hours of journey. Such a length of time after including drives and check-ins is needed to travel by plane. – says prof. Rydzkowski. According to him, after introducing new trains this requirement will be fulfilled almost by all lines leading to Warsaw, except for Szczecin and Wrocław. These two cities has better railway connections with Berlin than with the capital of Poland.