The Trako 2021 exhibition in Polish Gdańsk is coming

Trako 2021 is approaching and planning traditional physical exhibition. This year, the organizers plan to organize one of the largest exhibitions of railway technology, rolling stock and new opportunities in the railway trade in Central Europe - Trako 2021 - on 21-24 of September hopefully this traditional exhibition will hapen without the epidemiological complications.Czech companies succeeded at the railway fair in Gdańsk, Poland

In the past, Czech companies successfully presented themselves at the international railway industry fair in Gdańsk, Poland. In Poland, they have new opportunities in the segment of railway transport and railway industry. A significant number of Polish visitors to the Czech official stand testifies to the great interest of Polish companies in this segment.

Czech companies successfully presented themselves at the 13th International Fair of the Railway Industry TRAKO 2019 in Gdańsk, which took place on 24-27. September 2019. The Czech Republic had an official national exposition here, where 9 specialized companies presented themselves together with the Association of Companies of the Czech Railway Industry (ACRI). Another 23 Czech companies presented themselves at this important trade fair in the form of a separate stand.

The Czech National Exhibition was ceremoniously opened by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Poland, PhDr. Ivan Jestřáb. In his speech, he pointed out that the Czech Republic and Poland are undoubtedly strong economic partners and that there are a number of business opportunities for Czech companies in the above-mentioned segment on the Polish market.

The international railway fair TRAKO, which takes place once every two years, is one of the largest and most prestigious railway industrial meetings not only in Poland but also in Central and Eastern Europe. During the fair, the current state of transport systems and railway infrastructure is presented not only in Poland, but also in Europe and in the world. The fair also included an accompanying program including discussions, conferences, seminars and company presentations.

A significant number of Polish visitors to the Czech official stand testifies to the great interest of Polish companies in this segment. Czech products have been successful on the Polish market for a long time, especially in our domain, which is engineering, energy and transport machinery and vehicles. Czech companies are very interested in cooperating with Polish partners in this area, as evidenced by their numerous presence at the above-mentioned trade fair.

Modernization of Polish railways - opportunities for Czech entrepreneurs

Poland is implementing an extensive and long-term railway modernization program (KPK), which also creates opportunities for Czech companies operating in railway and rolling transport. This is a railway development strategy until 2023, ie in the period defined by co-financing under the current EU financial perspective 2014-2020. Poland is already preparing railway projects for the next EU budget 2021-2027, which will be implemented by 2030.

According to Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Andrzej Bittel, Poland should invest 10-12 billion zlotys per year (1 PLN = 6 CZK) from EU funds, the state budget and commercial loans over the next ten years.

In the years 2019–2023, 23.8 billion zlotys will be allocated from public budgets. The main part of the funds will be spent on new railway infrastructure, maintenance and repairs of the current railway network and long-term maintenance contracts. Due to the sharp rise in construction prices and the value of tender in the announced tenders, it was decided on 17th September 2019 that the government would increase the budget of the KPK program by an additional PLN 5.7 billion, which will be used to increase PKP PLK's capital (Polish version of SŽDC). . These funds will be used, among other things, in the modernization of the 84 km long route Bedzin-Katowice-Zebrzydowice (state border with the Czech Republic).

Tne European Investment Bank (EIB), which asigned a loan agreement of 233 millions of Euro for 22 years with the state railway carrier PKP Intercity on 12 September, also contributes financially to the KPK modernization program. The funds are intended for the purchase of electric locomotives, wagons and electric traction units for transport in Poland as well as international connections with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary and Austria. In addition, the EIB co-finances the modernization of the railway network - in May 2019, it provided 400 millions of Euro for the modernization of the Poznań-Szczecin section and 650 millions of Euro for the modernization of the Gdańsk-Katowice line.

Large investments bring concrete results

Extensive investments that have been taking place since 2015 are yielding concrete results. The Pendolino express trains on the Gdańsk-Warsaw track will run at speeds of up to 200 km / h from the new timetable in December 2019, as will the Warsaw-Katowice / Krakow main corridor (CMK) track. In 2023, this speed should increase to 250 km / h and travel time between Warsaw and Katowice will be reduced to less than 2 hours (at the same time, the modernization of the Katowice-Zebrzydowice / Petrovice u Karviné route will be completed). Thanks to the modernization of the E30 route along the southern border between Rzeszów and Katowice, new trains to the Czech Republic will run on the Przemyśl-Ostrava-Graz line from December 2019.

Thanks to these investments, the number of passengers is also increasing significantly. While in 2014 269 millions passengers used the transport services of the Polish Railways, in 2017 it was already 304 millions and last year more than 310 millions passengers.

However, the KPK program will also include a substantial increase in the transport of goods by railway. According to the Office of Railway Transport (UTK), in the 2nd quarter of 2019, 511 thousand TEU containers were transported on Polish railways, which is 13.6% more year-on-year. Thanks to EU subsidies, Polish carriers have now received PLN 1.2 billion for the purchase of intermodal transport units, locomotives and the construction of container depots. PKP Cargo has now bought an additional 930 containers. From the Czech Republic, it will be possible to carry out the international transport of goods in containers to the port of Gdańsk.

Broad gauge track to the border with Ukraine

Significant development potential for Polish railways and also for Czech exporters is represented by the broad-gauge track (Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa PKP LHS) from Hrubieszów on the border with Ukraine to Slawkow near Katowice. According to the head of the company Z.Tracichleb, back in 2001, this 400 km long track allowed transport at a maximum speed of 30 km / h. After repairs and modernization, the transport speed has now been increased to 80 km / h in the middle of the route and to 60 km / h in the remaining half.

The operation of this track brings a profit, which enabled the replacement or modernization of all 70 operating locomotives. Modernization work continues and the advantage of electrification of the entire section or extension of the route (at the border with the Czech Republic to the Gorzyczki-Věřňovice / Bohumín terminal by the D1 / A1 motorway) is now being analysed. Polish Railways could transport goods on this line as part of China's new Silk Road.

PKP LHS has already signed an agreement with China Railway Tielong Specialized Container Logistics and the China Communications and Transport Association on regular container transport between Slawkow and China's fifth largest city in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. From China, trains would run through Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine and could transport Polish food back to Asia via the Trans-Caspian Corridor (TITR), ie outside Russia.

The first test trains to Central Asia have already passed - the subsidiary of the Azerbaijani Railways ADY Container LLC transported cargo in containers from the Slawkow terminal to Astara on the border of Iran and Azerbaijan (via Ukraine and Georgia) in the length of 3396 km in 9 days. The next transport from Slawkow to Urumqi in the north of the PRC took less than 20 days. The decision on further modernization and extension of the wide-gauge railway should be made by the end of this year.

The business opportunities just described, as well as many others such as the wide-gauge line between Poland and Ukraine and many others, will be of interest to foreign investors who feel the opportunity to participate in such a huge Polish investment project. The Trako 2021 exhibition therefore aspires to a place where many business agreements and contracts will undoubtedly be formed.