The railwaymen have completed the reconstruction of the platforms of the railway station in Bialystok. Travellers gained a canopy over the platforms, and escalators and lifts were installed in the tunnel. This is a big change because previously travellers had to wait for trains to leave without shelter from the rain.
Previously, the platforms at Bialystok station were low, making it difficult to get on and off the carriages. Communication also left much to be desired – they had to use a walkway at rail level. This is now a thing of the past.
The redeveloped railway station now offers four platforms with seven edges. A partially glazed shelter was built over platforms 1-3 to protect them from rain and snow. A separate canopy has appeared on platform 4.
The canopies were designed with both the needs of travellers and aesthetics in mind – their design is reminiscent of the historic nature of the station building,” say the railwaymen.
New benches and lighting have been installed on the elevated platforms. Dynamic Passenger Information System boards now provide information on current train departure times. Another new feature is the tunnel. It is 70 metres long and has replaced the old footbridges over the tracks, which are several decades old.
This is how the platforms still looked in 2020:
The changes that have taken place in Bialystok are taking the railway into a new era. The layout of the platforms will ensure a more efficient movement of trains – the longer platforms No. 1 and 2 were built mainly to serve long-distance trains, while the shorter platforms No. 3 and 4 are mainly used by regional railbuses. The new platform no. 4 was built in the immediate vicinity of the city interchange and the bus station; equipped with lifts and escalators, the facility will significantly improve communication between the city’s major transport hubs. In the vicinity of the post office, travellers received an additional edge from platform No. 1 as a result of the construction of the new track No. 6,” reads a press releasefrom PKP PLK.
Białystok is also the last large station in Poland to have a Local Rail Traffic Control Centre. Previously, operation was by mechanical equipment, just like decades ago.
We plan to complete all work on the Czyżew-Bialystok route this year. The investment is being carried out as part of the project ‘Works on the E75 line between Czyżew and Białystok’. The value of the works is almost PLN 3.4 billion.
source: PKP PLK
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