A new line in the Krakow area will be built with an investment of EUR 750 million (PLN 3.2 billion), announced railway infrastructure manager PKP PLK.

To this end, a contract has been signed with the consortium formed by Budimex, Budimex Kolejnictwo, and Ferrovial Construction (UK) Limited for the construction of the section closest to Krakow, part of the “Podłęże–Piekiełko” project.

The new line will connect the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship with the town of Gdów, located 26 km southeast of Krakow.

The builders will have 46 months (almost 4 years) to complete the new line, which will be double-track and approximately 20 km long.

The new line to Gdów will allow for the efficient movement of passenger and freight trains, and the journey time to the center of Krakow will be approximately 30 minutes. In addition to the station in Gdów, a new station will be built in Podłęże Balachówka and platforms in Zagórze near Niepołomice and Wiatowice. All platforms will be fully accessible to people with reduced mobility, via underground passages and conflict-free crossings equipped with lifts.

The new railway line has been designed so that all road crossings are at two levels, which will increase the safety and reliability of rail traffic. It will be connected without traffic conflicts to the existing E30 main line (Krakow – Rzeszów), between the Węgrzce Wielkie and Podłęże stations.

The system of viaducts and engineering structures will carry the new sections of the line over the A4 motorway and connect them to the railway line to Krakow Central Station and Nowa Huta. To the south, the railway lines will be built using multiple bridges and viaducts, and the investment also includes a double railway tunnel over 900 meters long.

The first trains will run between Krakow and Gdów in 2030. Forty-two engineering structures will be built on this section, including railway bridges and viaducts, the longest of which will exceed 1,300 meters. Thirty-three intersections without traffic conflicts have been designed for the safety of rail and road traffic.

This contract will see the completion of the Podłęże–Piekiełko project, which will be represented by the Gdów station, located near the town of Marszowice, with platforms located under the existing road, which will be raised and connected directly to the station.

“We are continuing this key railway investment for Małopolska and the whole country. By completing it, we will improve the quality of life for the region’s residents,” said Piotr Wyborski, president of PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A.

The new line in the Krakow area will provide both the residents of Gdów and those of neighboring towns with access to a fast and reliable connection to Krakow. The project is also the next step in the largest investment carried out by Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PLK) in Poland, which will improve transport in the Lesser Poland region, shorten journeys to Zakopane and Nowy Sącz, and facilitate international freight transport.

“The Podłęże–Piekiełko project is a major investment for the development of the entire region. It is not just about the construction of railway lines, but about a development boost for the whole of Lesser Poland – for local communities, the economy, tourism, and the mobility of residents,” said Dariusz Klimczak, Minister of Infrastructure.

The construction of the Podłęże–Podłęże Balachówka and Podłęże–Gdów lines is part of the “Podłęże–Piekiełko” project, the largest investment undertaken by PLK. Work is currently underway on five sections: In December 2025, the Chabówka–Rabka Zaryte section was put into operation, and this year trains will also be introduced on the Nowy Sącz–Marcinkowice section. At the same time, a tender is underway for the modernization of the Tymbark–Limanowa railway line.

The investment includes the modernization and electrification of 75 km of the Chabówka – Nowy Sącz route, as well as the construction of 58 km of new line, which will ultimately connect Podłęże with Tymbark and Mszana Dolna. This will create a fast and efficient link between Krakow and the Podhale and Sądecczyzna regions. The fastest trains will cover the Krakow – Nowy Sącz route in approximately 60 minutes, and the journey from the capital of Lesser Poland to Zakopane will take approximately 90 minutes.