After more than two years of intensive work, the Łódź Kaliska railway station has acquired an appearance that combines functionality, ecology and respect for the history of the place. Polskie Koleje Państwowe S.A. (Polish State Railways) has completed an investment worth PLN 64 million, subsidised from the state budget, and has fully opened the facility for passengers.
The new building has retained its three-nave layout, and its simple, glazed body with an oxidised copper façade alludes to the durability and nobility of the material, while at the same time blending in with its surroundings. The central architectural element is a skylight running the full length of the roof, the form of which recurs in the interior details. During the works, fragments of ceramic flooring from the original station in 1902 were discovered – today exposed in the tunnel, they are a reminder of the continuity of the site’s history:
The ground floor of the building offers a spacious waiting area, ticket offices, a children’s area and service units, including a press lounge and food outlets. Two still vacant units are waiting for tenants – both chain and local businesses. Luggage lockers, snack and beverage vending machines, an ATM and a ticket machine are also planned. The floors of the side wings have been allocated to railway company offices.
The new Łódź Kaliska is also a response to the needs of people with reduced mobility. Architectural barriers have been removed, with guided paths, tactile plans, Braille signs and toilets adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. The comfort of travellers is enhanced by lifts, electronic arrival and departure boards, as well as modern security systems and intelligent building management. The station is equipped with energy-efficient lighting, underfloor heating and ventilation with air conditioning.
This is what the interior of the building looked like BEFORE the redevelopment:
The station surroundings have also changed. A station square has been created to act as a transport hub, with spaces for buses, bicycles and cars, including electric cars that can be charged on site. There is a car park behind the building and a taxi rank next door.
This is an extremely important investment. It is worth noting that the station redevelopment project takes into account new assumptions related to increasing the capacity of the Łódź Kaliska railway station, including the construction of the Łódź cross-town tunnel. The station building has been integrated with the station layout, new tunnels and platforms. Thanks to this, the station is fully prepared to serve a greater number of passengers, including travellers with special needs, i.e. people with limited mobility, ” emphasises Paweł Lisiewicz, member of the PKP S.A. Management Board.
The interior of the building now:
Łódź Kaliska remains one of the key transport hubs of the region. An average of 153 trains stop here every day, and by 2024 the station was serving around 8,300 passengers per day. The station is used by travellers on PKP Intercity trains going to Szczecin, Kraków or Bielsko-Biała, as well as by passengers on regional POLREGIO trains, the Łódź Agglomeration Railway or the Greater Poland Railway.
The reconstruction of the Łódź Kaliska railway station cost PLN 64 million gross. The investment was co-financed from the state budget. The investor is Polskie Koleje Państwowe S.A. (Polish State Railways). The contractor for the construction work is the SKB LDR company from Warsaw, and the project for the reconstruction of the station was developed by the An Archi Group Sp. z o.o. studio from Gliwice. According to initial announcements, the new Łódź Kaliska station was partially opened for passengers already in June this year. Inside the facility, ticket offices and a tunnel leading to them were made available, and thanks to the relocation of passenger services from the temporary station to the target building, the contractor of construction works could complete works related to the development of the area around the station.
photos: PKP S.A.
source: PKP S.A.
Also read: Łódź | Railway station | Metamorphosis | Featured | whiteMAD on Instagram
