Polskie Koleje Państwowe S.A. (Polish State Railways) has completed the revitalisation of the Pleszew railway station, thoroughly renovating the building. The modernisation, carried out in cooperation with the local government, made the building not only a place for passenger services, but also a cultural and meeting space for local residents. This is the first investment carried out as part of the ‘Passenger Friendly Railway Stations’ programme, which aims to improve the quality of passenger services also in smaller centres.
The history of the station dates back to 1875, when the construction of railway line 272 Poznań Główny – Kluczbork was completed. After nearly 150 years, the building has undergone a thorough metamorphosis. The façade was renewed, the window and door frames were replaced, and the waiting room and toilets were modernised. A new ecological heating system was installed, which will improve user comfort and reduce the environmental impact of the building. The interior of the station has been enhanced with passenger amenities – a coffee machine, a vending machine for snacks and drinks and a charging area.
As Andrzej Bułczyński, member of PKP S.A.’s real estate management board, emphasises, the revitalisation in Pleszew is an example of a new approach to investment – fast and effective action responding to the real needs of travellers. In cooperation with the Pleszew Municipality, a car park with 65 spaces, a bicycle shelter and a rest area were created. The local authority also ensured that part of the station’s space was used for cultural purposes. The Cultural Centre in Pleszew will rent over 166 sq m for museum activities, which is expected to give the building an additional social dimension. A commercial unit of around 103 sq m remains to be rented, which can be used, for example, as an office.
The cost of the investment was approximately PLN 5 million gross. The contractor for the works was the ORLIKON company from Poznań. The revitalisation of the station is part of wider modernisation activities carried out at Pleszew station, where PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe renovated platform no. 1 in 2023. Thanks to these changes, travellers gained more comfortable service conditions.
This is how the station looked in 2017:
Pleszew station, located in Kowalewo about 4 km from the city centre, serves an average of up to 1,000 passengers per day and about 60 trains. Both PKP Intercity trainsets, running to, for example , Szczecin, Zakopane or Lublin, and regional POLREGIO and Wielkopolska Railways trains stop here. Since 14 December, there has also been an overnight IC Uznam train between Chełm and Świnoujście, running direct to Berlin. The connection to the city centre is provided by SKPL, which operates the line from Kowalewo to Pleszew Miasto station – a route unique in Poland with a three-rail track.
source: PKP S.A.
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