PKP Group prepared for winter
Over 20,000 members of staff, around four times the number of engines for clearing ice, close to 1,500 prepared PKP Intercity carriages and full passenger information: PKP Group, prepared for winter
Comprehensive information
In the period of increased passenger traffic in winter, passengers will be able to count on the support of the mobile information providers to appear in the course of the timetable change at 18 of the most important railway stations. Daily c. 100 providers will be supporting travellers.
Travellers will be informed of potential delays, with full information as to the causes and extent of delays being provided by staff on the conductor team and appropriate announcements made at stations. It will also be possible to find current information relating to the timetable on the infoline number – 19 757 – and over the Internet at a selection of websites (www.intercity.plotwiera się w nowym oknie, www.rozklad-pkp.plotwiera się w nowym oknie, www.plk-sa.plotwiera się w nowym oknie, www.pkpsa.plotwiera się w nowym oknie) and social media sites (twitterotwiera się w nowym oknie, facebookotwiera się w nowym oknie).
Assistance for passengers
In the event of delays of longer than 30 minutes, passengers of PKP Intercity trains will receive warm drinks. Travellers will also have the possibility of a change, with PKP Intercity tickets to be honoured by other carriers (Przewozy Regionalne, Koleje Mazowieckie, Koleje Śląskie). In a situation in which railway lines become impassable, the company will initiate replacement transport for passengers.
Passengers who withdraw from the journey will have the option of an amount due being returned without deductions.
Passengers will also receive appropriate assistance at certain stations. In the event of delays to trains of longer than 30 minutes, passengers waiting at 40 of the largest stations will receive warm drinks and snacks. These buildings will be open round-the-clock should the temperature outside fall below 10 degrees Celsius. If the temperature drops by a further 10 degrees, all such stations in the country will be made available to passengers round-the-clock.
Passengers will also be able to count on the assistance of staff members at the New Station Offices, operating at the stations Gdańsk Główny, Gdynia Główna, Katowice, Kraków Główny, Poznań Główny, Wrocław Główny, Warszawa Centralna and Warszawa Wschodnia. Offices are open daily, 7.00 am - 9.00 pm.
Also operating round-the-clock is the Customer Support Center, which takes care of passengers at every stage of a journey. The representatives of PKP S.A., PKP Intercity and PKP PLK working there are responsible for activities including the monitoring of train movement and control as regards the work of conductor teams. The Center also assists passengers in cases of delay, providing replacement transport or drinks and snacks at stations and on trains. Since January of this year the Center has provided assistance to 160,000 passengers.
Additional support during winter
All PKP Group companies are preparing for the difficulties potentially caused by wintry conditions. PKP Intercity is providing close to 1,500 carriages (including reserves amounting to 20% in case of failure or the need for additional train capacity). Repair workshops are active seven days a week, 24 hours a day. If it becomes necessary, PKP Intercity diesel locomotives will also be allocated, with the company having refurbished 10 such locomotives this year. In exceptional circumstances electric and diesel cover locomotives will also be provided by PKP Cargo.
Watching over railway line maintenance will be PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PLK) and PKP Energetyka. The companies will collaborate in the clearance of snow from railway lines and ice from the traction network. For the removal of snow, frost and ice around one fifth more machines have been prepared (up from 165 to 195), with around four times the number of devices for removal of ice (up from 18 to 66), plus 85 traction network service trains and 28 devices for frost removal. Also ready will be special fixed equipment protecting train underbodies from icing. Preventive activities on railway lines are being undertaken by PKP Energetyka, with the company protecting the traction network against the formation of frost and ice. This year the area of activity has increased around fourfold, from 950 to 3,500 km.
In addition, 172 rapid reaction teams have been designated for work in wintry conditions. In total, in excess of 20,000 people will be watching over the maintenance of rail traffic.
In the winter period the maintenance of railway buildings will be undertaken by special cleaning firms, appointed by PKP Group companies. Among the duties will be clearance of snow and ice and the spreading of sand and agents to reduce slipping. Activity frequency is adjusted to prevailing weather conditions.
A new timetable
On 14 December this year a new annual train timetable comes into force. With it we will be offering travellers much shorter journey times on major routes, which in the case of connections from Warsaw to Gdańsk and Wrocław will be the shortest times ever. Assistance for travellers will be available from mobile information providers present at the largest stations in the country. Passengers will also be able to find there special information leaflets. Information on all of the changes will be available at websites and social media sites as well as through the infoline on 19 757. Passengers will also be able to monitor seat occupancy on PKP Intercity trains at the carrier website.
Fixed information points will appear at the stations Warszawa Centralna, Warszawa Wschodnia, Poznań Główny and Łódź Kaliska. In the period of increased passenger traffic additional stands will appear at other stations.
Journey times from 14 December 2014:
Warsaw – Gdańsk 2h58min
Warsaw – Wrocław 3h42min
Warsaw – Kraków 2h28min
Warsaw – Katowice 2h34min
Warsaw – Łódź 1h26min
The changes can be seen at www.rozklad-pkp.pl as well as at carrier sites.