Szybka Kolej Miejska
Encyclopedia
Szybka Kolej Miejska (ˈʂɨpka ˈkɔlɛi̯ ˈmjɛi̯ska; Fast Urban Railway), or SKM, is a railway transportation service that originally functioned in Poland
's Tricity area (Gdańsk
, Sopot
and Gdynia
). The system has since grown to cover a longer route, reaching towns like Słupsk, Lębork
and Wejherowo
.
It is serviced by electric multiple unit
cars at a frequency of 6 minutes to half an hour between trains (depending on the time of day). It is comparable to subway service or light rail in other European cities. The Tricity area is uniquely suited for this mode of transport, as it's shaped in a relatively narrow north-south corridor between the Gdańsk Bay
and the Tricity Landscape Park
.
PKP Szybka Kolej Miejska w Trójmieście is a limited company, part of PKP Group
, founded in 2001 after PKP had been split into several companies in order to meet European Union
standards. SKM is responsible for passenger transport across Tricity
, and is fully dependent on PKP
SA company. SKM is one of the companies which is set for quick privatistion.
The main goal of the company is to manage special rail line (No. 250) and provide urban rail transport. The incorporation act was signed on December 22, 2000, and the company was registered on December 29, 2000. Operations began on July 1, 2001.
SKM is one of the most profitable companies of PKP Group
. Although it noted a loss in 2003, SKM posted profits in previous years, as well as in years 2004 and 2005. The company is involved in many cultural events in Tricity
, mainly as a sponsor. SKM is managed by a three-person management board.
S. A. - 3% (1966 shares) and Pomeranian Voivodeship
- 12,4% (8 000 shares).
and EN71
electric multiple unit
trains that have been modernised to meet EU requirements such as handicap accessibility, advanced security and comfort. The rolling stock is maintained in Gdynia Cisowa Elektrowozownia (Gdynia Cisowa Depot), which is located on the border between Gdynia
and Rumia
, and serves also as company headquarters.
The EMUs have doors on both sides of the train and can therefore easily be operated in either direction. Even though the SKM line has stops with high platforms
, the units can be used on low platform stations as well. The most common livery for SKM electric multiple units is yellow and blue. The exception are units with advertising labels, which are coloured according to the advertiser's wishes. The SKM company logo is placed on both sides of the unit, next to the doors.
A big problem for SKM are homeless people who in winter time seek shelter in the trains. SKM is trying to solve security problems in the trains, problems that are especially evident at night. Security is handled by SOK (Służba Ochrony Kolei, Rail Protection Office) officers and private security companies. Police
and City Guard patrols are also more common than they once were. Another essential problem for SKM management are people defacing EMUs with graffiti
. Company's spokesman, Mr. Wróblewski assumes annually costs of removing paint from the trains as ce. 150 000 zł (about 50 000 USD).
On May 2006 one of SKM employees, Marek Pleśniar discovered an old EMU, like ones that used to drive on SKM lines until 1970s (and previously on Berlin
S-Bahn
- built in 1936 especially for 1936 Summer Olympics
). Those EMUs were canceled on December 20, 1976 according to the change of voltage in traction from 800 V to 3000 V. After this change many of them were used as technical cars or even as holiday houses for PKP
employees. The EMU found in Tuchola Forest
had probably been used as the second purpose.
The EMU is now waiting in the SKM sheds in Gdynia Cisowa
and will probably be used as an old style customer service office on one of the stops. The train is well preserved and as SKM officials say the renovation is not going to be difficult.
On October 29, 2007 EN57 units modernized by ZNTK
in Mińsk Mazowiecki
started service for SKM. Modernization included, aerodynamical shape and several security systems, which prevent door opening while the EMU is in motion. Additionally, dividing walls between cars were removed, seats were mounted on walls instead of on the floor. EMUs were made more accessible by improving access to washrooms and adding electronic displayers and voice messages about stops. Crew compartments were equipped with air conditioning
system.
Total cost of modernisadion came to 18,000,000 zł, 5,000,000 of which was covered by the European Union
. According to SKM chairman, Mr. Osipów
, the company intends to have at least 35 units modernised by 2012.
One of the most urgent and most difficult problems regarding not only SKM, but the whole Tricity
transport is lack of common ticket for the whole agglomeration and transport types. One has to buy different types of tickets for tram
s and bus
es in Gdańsk
, trolleybus
es and bus
es in Gdynia
, and for SKM trains. Attempts to solve this situations are in progress.
Most of the train stops have ticket booths, and passengers starting the voyage on the stop without one can buy the ticket directly from train service. The price of normal ticket depends on the distance of a trip, and vary from 2,20 zł. to 6,20 zł. Monthly and weekly tickets are also available, as well as discounts for students.
The tickets are not validated in trains, but have to be validated in devices standing on platforms. Passenger entering train with a non-validatd ticket is regarded the same as one without a ticket. SKM has subcontracted a company called Renoma for ticket control in EMU's.
Since 2002 SKM tickets are not valid in other PKP Group
companies' trains. Previously PKP Przewozy Regionalne
tickets could be used on SKM line, and SKM tickets in PKP Przewozy Regionalne
trains on SKM route. Interestingly, it is still possible to buy a monthly ticket common for the two companies.
The layout of the ticket changed throughout the time. First tickets were the same as all local lines' tickets, and looked like a small cardboard rectangle, often with a hole pierced in the middle. More modern design was orange coloured, with a white strip on one end for stamping information about the station and time of validation. After improving stricte SKM tickets the layout took light blue colour, also with a white stripe. This new layout had stops list printed on the reverse in the beginning. Lately, advertisements appeared there, or an information about possibility of advertising. Another kind of ticket one can see in SKM trains is a blank ticket, used by train conductor
to sell the tickets on stops with no ticket office available. It has a stop list with boxes to note start and stop of the journey, type of discount (if any) and number of tickets. An extra fee for train sale can also be filled on this blank, as such fee is taken if the passenger boards on a stop where he could buy a ticket normally.
The passenger caught traveling without a valid ticket is asked for his or her documents and charged with a fine. In case one refuses to show documents controllers can call the police to wait on the nearest stop in order to verify one's identity. The amount of money a passenger has to pay for traveling without a ticket is rather serious, and for now it is more than 100 zł (over 30$).
Since May 2006 SKM had been systematically introducing new layouts of single and monthly tickets. The main purpose was to distinguish the SKM tickets from other Polish
railway companies. The change was made without instant canceling old type tickets, so that the two layouts were functioning one along other for some time.
Since 27 January 2007 it has been possible to buy tickets (both single and monthly) from special vending machines. Those machines are presently placed only on the most frequently used stops: Gdańsk Główny, Gdańsk Zaspa
, Gdańsk Oliwa, Sopot, Sopot Kamienny Potok
and Gdynia Cisowa
. For the first week after introducting those devices SKM employees were advicing passengers how to operate them. The company is currently planning buying more machines.
to Wejherowo
, of which 8 are connected with railway stations. All stops are lying on one line, one after another. The situation looks like this since 2005, when Gdańsk
- Nowy Port
line was closed for passenger traffic, and five stops on this line are no longer used.
Throughout the Tricity
, SKM has its own stops built only for its purpose. The stops have high platforms, with tracks on both sides. Except for Gdańsk Główny stop, all trains heading south stop at the western side of platform, and trains heading north on the eastern side. SKM is systematically working on improving the quality of stops, as most of them are currently in bad shape, not having basic services like handicapped lifts or proper ticket validators. The company had lately launched a research among visitors of its website, asking which of the stops should be repaired first. Since January 2006 SKM decided to install video cameras on stops and stations in order to improve the security level on platforms and inside station buildings. Since now only Gdynia Grabówek
stop is equipped with those devices.
In 2004 Szybka Kolej Miejska signed an agreement with owner of press outlets chain Relay, giving the latter exclusive rights for building its shops on platforms. One of the conditions was unification of the general look of kiosks.
Outside the Tricity
, on Gdynia Cisowa
-Wejherowo
line SKM uses later built stops, mainly with two platforms on each side of the tracks. The communication between platforms is made via underground or overground pedestrian passage.
Not all stops have ticket offices, some consist simply of a platform, sometimes even without a roof. A few of the stops are connected with railway stations, as the SKM tracks and long distance and local trains lines are parallel. A high platform is built on these stations in order to service SKM trains. Over 90% of stops are connected with other transport services (both buses and trams, or trolley buses in Gdynia
). For major stops, the timetables of the two services are synchronised, especially when comes to night connections. The company makes big effort to keep passengers well informed. Informational tables, price lists and timetables are changed as soon as the previous is out of date or destroyed (what unfortunately occurs quite often).
The stops on Gdańsk
-Nowy Port
line are no longer used, as the line is closed and despite their antique character (those stops were built before launching SKM service in Gdańsk
) most of them are now ruined. Even in the last years when SKM still serviced this line no efforts were made to repair underground or overground pedestrian walkways or platforms. Gdańsk Nowy Port
stop was the first one to be closed, when the line was shortened in 2000.
- Sopot
route begun in 1912 (station tracks modifications and tearing down buildings on planned route). The project was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I
.
In the interwar period, transport was completely divided between the Polish
zone and the terrain of Danzig. Despite the fact that rail transport
in Gdańsk was serviced by PKP
, its authorities did not decide to connect their city with Gdynia
by a rail service.
World War II
led to a terrible devastation of Gdańsk, as well as the abolishment of borders dividing Tricity
.
S-Bahn
cars were overhauled in the (then) German
town of Luben
to the east of Berlin. When that town, now known as Lubin, was ceded to Poland under the terms of the Potsdam Conference
in 1945, 84 S-Bahn cars were in the works. Further cars were sent east as war reparations
, and whilst many were sent on to Russia
, at least 80 two-car sets, and possibly as many as 189 cars, were retained in Poland. These cars were allocated to the Tricity region for use on suburban services, and one set is preserved in this condition at a museum at Koscierzyna
.
The initial design of urban transport (by prof. Roman Podolski) was to electrify existing tracks, but a more expensive project of building new lines of electrified tracks was forced mainly by Gdańsk
Regional Board of National Rail director, Zbigniew Modliński - later Polish Vice-minister of Transport. The Berlin cars were refitted, mainly by changing the power supply system from the third rail
(as still used today in Germany
) to a system utilising overhead lines
. Also, the lights were changed from small into larger ones that would conform with PKP
standards.
Apparently from construction of rail line to Gdynia
a rail track to Nowy Port
had been electrified. The first depot for German
cars was organised temporarily near Gdańsk Zaspa Towarowa station (on the Gdańsk
- Gdańsk Nowy Port
route). A project to change within 15 years the voltage in power supply lines from 800 V (as in Berlin
) into the Polish standard 3000 V was initiated. A total of 80 electric multiple units were refitted.
In October 1950, the decision to build a separate lane for urban transport was taken, and as a result a separate department of Rail Electrification Office was founded in Gdańsk. Until the operation started in 1952 the two-track line was ready only on the Gdańsk - Gdańsk Wrzeszcz
distance. The line to Sopot
still had only one track. The second track to Sopot
was ready in June 1952. Owing to that, the train running frequency rose to 10 minutes. On July 22, 1952 two-track connection with Gdynia
Orłowo was ready, in 1954 dual-track traffic reached Gdynia Główna station, two years later Gdynia Chylonia, and on December 31, 1957 first electric multiple units reached Wejherowo
.
On the Gdynia - Wejherowo distance SKM ran on rails common with other trains. Rails prepared for urban rail service from Gdańsk to Gdynia had few special features, like curves of a smaller angle, less resistant bridges and a top speed of 70 km/h.
Until the 1970s, the ridership continued to grow heavily, which surprised even constructors. In 1959 the number of travellers reached over 50 million passengers annually. About 152,700 citizens were said to live in a distance no larger than 800 metres from SKM stations. More than 40% of the Tricity
population used this means of urban transport. However, this led to a problem that is still evident to this day — crowding in the trains. Back in the day, some people were forced to ride on the outside parts of the trains.
to Pruszcz Gdański
was planned, but because old power lines near the tracks would have had to be removed, the plan was given up. Another unrealised project was electrification of the Gdańsk
- Nowy Port
line with an experimental voltage of 1500 V; low quality and frequent engine breakdowns led to project cancellation in 1954.
Plans to connect Wrzeszcz
with Kokoszki and Kartuzy
were often made in the 60s. It is not obvious why this line was not rebuilt and electrified, as the cost was relatively small. More hopes were connected with building a Seaside SKM that was to run from Zaspa Towarowa to Sopot
, east of the existing line, to relieve pressure on the crowded (Sopot
- Gdańsk
) section.
This was the age of the biggest traffic on lines. Introducing automatic line blockade allowed to increase train running frequency to 6 minutes. The voltage on Gdynia
- Wejherowo
line had been changed to 3000 V. As a result different EMU types had to be used. However, old S-Bahn
trains caused more problems, and the decision to change voltage on the whole line, and as a result to exchange all trains was made. This forced another changes to be made, like lengthening the platforms and building new depots complex in Gdynia Cisowa. A continuation of building the third lane on Gdynia - Rumia distance was also in progress. The day (called by Tricity
engineers The X Day) when the change was made was set on December 20, 1976. This caused a great disturbance, as the information of stopping the traffic on December 19 did not reach the public, and this was the pre-Christmas time.
Thanks to unification, the electric multiple units were able to leave beyond Gdańsk
- Wejherowo line, and ride on standard trains rails in case of emergency (as a result regular trains could also ride on SKM rails). In 1975 annual number of passengers travelling by SKM exceeded 100 million people, and it could reach the level of 300 thousand passengers daily.
The eighties were the time of recession, not only for railroad. No new investments, except for the ones started in 70s, were made. The electrification of Polish railways was moving fast instead, and the plans appeared to electrify Gdynia - Kościerzyna
route. According to started in 1986 first Polish nuclear power plant
construction in Żarnowiec
three units were heading this village in the period of 1986 to 1990.
.
Capitalist
economy forced much reorganisation in PKP
. Main change was to leave the division made on geographical basis and start to divide PKP in departments depending on responsibility. As a part of this changes Urban Passenger Transport Department was founded in Gdańsk
, responsible for marketing trade side of SKM.
Alongside this changes works on commercialising PKP were in progress and soon after SKM became separate company in July 2001.
In June 2005 the line to Nowy Port
was finally closed, as it proved no income.
On December 2, 2005 SKM achieved 25th place in the top 100 Polish
companies by Rzeczpospolita newspaper. It was the highest place in Pomeranian Voivodship and the highest position for the company from the PKP Group
.
put Andrzej Osipów
and Maciej Lignowski. This move was strongly criticised by SKM employees and labor unions, which were afraid that SKM would be incorporated to PKP Przewozy Regionalne (one of PKP Group
companies, responsible for local railway connections). PKP Przewozy Regionalne
is widely know to be non profitable and to have serious problems with debts.
Under a threat of strike (an official letter was sent to PKP
on 13 June) PKP
management invited labor unions and employees representatives to talk in Warsaw
on 14 July 2006. The talks started at 4 AM and as a result an agreement was signed. This agreement stated, that Mr. Piotr Małolepszy is to stay in SKM management board together with new authorities. The other parties taking parts in talks were self government of Pomeranian Voivodship and national labor union of railway engineers. Mr. Segień had retired after finishing work for SKM, but it is possible, that he will be hired by local government as the person responsible for local transport in marshalls office.
New connections (not using SKM line) were started to Iława, Lębork
and Elbląg
in 2003 . In the end of 2005 decision was made to buy a few items of German
used diesel multiple units to service Gdynia
-Kartuzy
line (non electrified). The future of this line is still uncertain due to doubts of the local authorities.
Since December 10, 2005 southern area of SKM service has been shortened to reach only Tczew
and cancel connecions to Elbląg
, Malbork
and Iława. In exchange the company has gained several connections with Słupsk.
Soon after UEFA
's decision to grant Poland
and Ukraine
organisation of 2012 UEFA European Football Championship
new plans for SKM were made. The most probable one is to re-open presently defunct line to Gdańsk Nowy Port
, as one of the stadiums, Baltic Arena
is to be built just near former stops Zaspa Towarowa
and Kolonia
.
More ambitious plans tend to build additional line of SKM, connecting Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport with Wrzeszcz. It would be built over the remains of a pre-war line from Stara Piła to Wrzeszcz
. Such a line could be easily connected with existing, yet not electrified line to Gdynia
, via Gdańsk Osowa
and Wielki Kack
. Another advantage of re-opening this connection would be the fact that no buildings would have to be pulled down, as the remains of an old line are not destroyed anywhere on its path.
S-Bahn
cars were retired. Presently mostly PKP class EN57
and PKP class EN71
are in use.
in the capital of Poland
, Warsaw
. This was launched in 2004 and runs from the neighbouring town of Pruszków
, through the centre of Warsaw to Sulejówek
Miłosna station. This SKM is not operated by PKP
and is owned by the Warsaw Transport Authority. It has eight trains of type 14WE
. In the past, Warsaw SKM borrowed a couple of trains from the Gdansk SKM. Unlike the Gdansk SKM, the Warsaw SKM's services runs less frequently, around every 30 minutes.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
's Tricity area (Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
and Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
). The system has since grown to cover a longer route, reaching towns like Słupsk, Lębork
Lebork
Lębork is a town on the Łeba and Okalica rivers in Middle Pomerania region, north-western Poland with some 37,000 inhabitants.Lębork is also the capital of Lębork County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, formerly in Słupsk Voivodeship ....
and Wejherowo
Wejherowo
Wejherowo is a town in Gdańsk Pomerania, northern Poland, with 47,435 inhabitants . It has been the capital of Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously, it was a town in Gdańsk Voivodeship .-History:...
.
It is serviced by electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
cars at a frequency of 6 minutes to half an hour between trains (depending on the time of day). It is comparable to subway service or light rail in other European cities. The Tricity area is uniquely suited for this mode of transport, as it's shaped in a relatively narrow north-south corridor between the Gdańsk Bay
Gdansk Bay
Gdańsk Bay or the Bay of Gdańsk or Danzig Bay is a southeastern bay of the Baltic Sea. It is named after the adjacent port city of Gdańsk in Poland and is sometimes referred to as a gulf.-Geography:...
and the Tricity Landscape Park
Tricity Landscape Park
Tricity Landscape Park is a protected area in northern Poland , established in 1979, and covering the area of ....
.
The company
PKP Group
PKP Group is a Polish conglomerate founded in 2001 from the former single national rail operator, Polskie Koleje Państwowe. The purpose of this change was to match European Union directives of dividing transport service from rail system management and founding separate companies able to sell their...
, founded in 2001 after PKP had been split into several companies in order to meet European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
standards. SKM is responsible for passenger transport across Tricity
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
, and is fully dependent on PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
SA company. SKM is one of the companies which is set for quick privatistion.
The main goal of the company is to manage special rail line (No. 250) and provide urban rail transport. The incorporation act was signed on December 22, 2000, and the company was registered on December 29, 2000. Operations began on July 1, 2001.
SKM is one of the most profitable companies of PKP Group
PKP Group
PKP Group is a Polish conglomerate founded in 2001 from the former single national rail operator, Polskie Koleje Państwowe. The purpose of this change was to match European Union directives of dividing transport service from rail system management and founding separate companies able to sell their...
. Although it noted a loss in 2003, SKM posted profits in previous years, as well as in years 2004 and 2005. The company is involved in many cultural events in Tricity
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
, mainly as a sponsor. SKM is managed by a three-person management board.
Shareholders
The main shareholder of SKM company is the Polish Exchequer, owning 84,6% (56 640) of them. The rest is owned by PKPPolskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
S. A. - 3% (1966 shares) and Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship, or Pomerania Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in north-central Poland. It comprises most of Pomerelia , as well as an area east of the Vistula River...
- 12,4% (8 000 shares).
EMUs
SKM uses mostly PKP class EN57PKP class EN57
EN57 is an electric multiple unit used by the Polish railway operator . It was built for suburban and long-distance services. Presently it is used by Przewozy Regionalne, Szybka Kolej Miejska and Koleje Mazowieckie companies.-History:...
and EN71
PKP class EN71
The EN71 is a four-carriage Polish EMU constructed for the Polish National Railways and is based on the three-carriage EN57, but differs in that it has an additional motor carriage.-History:...
electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
trains that have been modernised to meet EU requirements such as handicap accessibility, advanced security and comfort. The rolling stock is maintained in Gdynia Cisowa Elektrowozownia (Gdynia Cisowa Depot), which is located on the border between Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
and Rumia
Rumia
Rumia is a city in the Eastern Pomerania region of north-western Poland, with some 45,000 inhabitants. It is a part of the Kashubian Tricity and a suburb part of the metropolitan area of the Tricity...
, and serves also as company headquarters.
The EMUs have doors on both sides of the train and can therefore easily be operated in either direction. Even though the SKM line has stops with high platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
, the units can be used on low platform stations as well. The most common livery for SKM electric multiple units is yellow and blue. The exception are units with advertising labels, which are coloured according to the advertiser's wishes. The SKM company logo is placed on both sides of the unit, next to the doors.
A big problem for SKM are homeless people who in winter time seek shelter in the trains. SKM is trying to solve security problems in the trains, problems that are especially evident at night. Security is handled by SOK (Służba Ochrony Kolei, Rail Protection Office) officers and private security companies. Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and City Guard patrols are also more common than they once were. Another essential problem for SKM management are people defacing EMUs with graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
. Company's spokesman, Mr. Wróblewski assumes annually costs of removing paint from the trains as ce. 150 000 zł (about 50 000 USD).
On May 2006 one of SKM employees, Marek Pleśniar discovered an old EMU, like ones that used to drive on SKM lines until 1970s (and previously on Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
S-Bahn
S-Bahn
S-Bahn refers to an often combined city center and suburban railway system metro in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark...
- built in 1936 especially for 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
). Those EMUs were canceled on December 20, 1976 according to the change of voltage in traction from 800 V to 3000 V. After this change many of them were used as technical cars or even as holiday houses for PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
employees. The EMU found in Tuchola Forest
Tuchola Forest
The Tuchola Forest is a large forest near the town of Tuchola in northern Poland, and lies between the Brda and Wda Rivers. It contains the Tuchola Forest National Park, which is at the core of the Tuchola Forest Biosphere Reserve, designated by UNESCO in 2010.- Landscape :The area was formed...
had probably been used as the second purpose.
The EMU is now waiting in the SKM sheds in Gdynia Cisowa
Gdynia Cisowa (SKM stop)
Gdynia Cisowa is an SKM stop in Gdynia, Poland. It is the last stop of this urban train in Gdynia. This stop is not connected with any railway station.-External links:* at Google Local...
and will probably be used as an old style customer service office on one of the stops. The train is well preserved and as SKM officials say the renovation is not going to be difficult.
On October 29, 2007 EN57 units modernized by ZNTK
ZNTK Nowy Sacz
ZNTK Nowy Sącz is the former name of Newag S.A. in Nowy Sącz, Poland. It is manufacturing electric multiple unit trains and trams....
in Mińsk Mazowiecki
Minsk Mazowiecki
Mińsk Mazowiecki is a town in central Poland with 38 181 inhabitants . It is situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , previously in Siedlce Voivodeship...
started service for SKM. Modernization included, aerodynamical shape and several security systems, which prevent door opening while the EMU is in motion. Additionally, dividing walls between cars were removed, seats were mounted on walls instead of on the floor. EMUs were made more accessible by improving access to washrooms and adding electronic displayers and voice messages about stops. Crew compartments were equipped with air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
system.
Total cost of modernisadion came to 18,000,000 zł, 5,000,000 of which was covered by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. According to SKM chairman, Mr. Osipów
Andrzej Osipów
Andrzej Osipów was a CEO of Szybka Kolej Miejska. He has held this position since June 2006 until June 2009....
, the company intends to have at least 35 units modernised by 2012.
Tickets
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
transport is lack of common ticket for the whole agglomeration and transport types. One has to buy different types of tickets for tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s and bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es and bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es in Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
, and for SKM trains. Attempts to solve this situations are in progress.
Most of the train stops have ticket booths, and passengers starting the voyage on the stop without one can buy the ticket directly from train service. The price of normal ticket depends on the distance of a trip, and vary from 2,20 zł. to 6,20 zł. Monthly and weekly tickets are also available, as well as discounts for students.
The tickets are not validated in trains, but have to be validated in devices standing on platforms. Passenger entering train with a non-validatd ticket is regarded the same as one without a ticket. SKM has subcontracted a company called Renoma for ticket control in EMU's.
Since 2002 SKM tickets are not valid in other PKP Group
PKP Group
PKP Group is a Polish conglomerate founded in 2001 from the former single national rail operator, Polskie Koleje Państwowe. The purpose of this change was to match European Union directives of dividing transport service from rail system management and founding separate companies able to sell their...
companies' trains. Previously PKP Przewozy Regionalne
PKP Przewozy Regionalne
Przewozy Regionalne , formerly PKP Przewozy Regionalne, is a train operator in Poland, responsible for local and interregional passenger transportation. Each day it runs approximately 3,000 regional trains...
tickets could be used on SKM line, and SKM tickets in PKP Przewozy Regionalne
PKP Przewozy Regionalne
Przewozy Regionalne , formerly PKP Przewozy Regionalne, is a train operator in Poland, responsible for local and interregional passenger transportation. Each day it runs approximately 3,000 regional trains...
trains on SKM route. Interestingly, it is still possible to buy a monthly ticket common for the two companies.
The layout of the ticket changed throughout the time. First tickets were the same as all local lines' tickets, and looked like a small cardboard rectangle, often with a hole pierced in the middle. More modern design was orange coloured, with a white strip on one end for stamping information about the station and time of validation. After improving stricte SKM tickets the layout took light blue colour, also with a white stripe. This new layout had stops list printed on the reverse in the beginning. Lately, advertisements appeared there, or an information about possibility of advertising. Another kind of ticket one can see in SKM trains is a blank ticket, used by train conductor
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
to sell the tickets on stops with no ticket office available. It has a stop list with boxes to note start and stop of the journey, type of discount (if any) and number of tickets. An extra fee for train sale can also be filled on this blank, as such fee is taken if the passenger boards on a stop where he could buy a ticket normally.
The passenger caught traveling without a valid ticket is asked for his or her documents and charged with a fine. In case one refuses to show documents controllers can call the police to wait on the nearest stop in order to verify one's identity. The amount of money a passenger has to pay for traveling without a ticket is rather serious, and for now it is more than 100 zł (over 30$).
Since May 2006 SKM had been systematically introducing new layouts of single and monthly tickets. The main purpose was to distinguish the SKM tickets from other Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
railway companies. The change was made without instant canceling old type tickets, so that the two layouts were functioning one along other for some time.
Since 27 January 2007 it has been possible to buy tickets (both single and monthly) from special vending machines. Those machines are presently placed only on the most frequently used stops: Gdańsk Główny, Gdańsk Zaspa
Gdansk Zaspa (SKM stop)
Gdańsk Zaspa is an SKM stop in Gdańsk, Poland. It is the fifth stop of this urban train line. This stop is not connected with any railway station.-History:Previous name of this stop is Gdańsk Lotnisko from once existing nearby airport...
, Gdańsk Oliwa, Sopot, Sopot Kamienny Potok
Sopot Kamienny Potok (SKM stop)
Sopot Kamienny Potok is an SKM stop in Sopot, Poland. It is the last stop of this urban train in Sopot. This stop is not connected with any railway station.-External links:* at Google Local...
and Gdynia Cisowa
Gdynia Cisowa (SKM stop)
Gdynia Cisowa is an SKM stop in Gdynia, Poland. It is the last stop of this urban train in Gdynia. This stop is not connected with any railway station.-External links:* at Google Local...
. For the first week after introducting those devices SKM employees were advicing passengers how to operate them. The company is currently planning buying more machines.
Stops
Szybka Kolej Miejska owns 27 stops on the way from GdańskGdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
to Wejherowo
Wejherowo
Wejherowo is a town in Gdańsk Pomerania, northern Poland, with 47,435 inhabitants . It has been the capital of Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously, it was a town in Gdańsk Voivodeship .-History:...
, of which 8 are connected with railway stations. All stops are lying on one line, one after another. The situation looks like this since 2005, when Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
- Nowy Port
Nowy Port
-External links:*...
line was closed for passenger traffic, and five stops on this line are no longer used.
Throughout the Tricity
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
, SKM has its own stops built only for its purpose. The stops have high platforms, with tracks on both sides. Except for Gdańsk Główny stop, all trains heading south stop at the western side of platform, and trains heading north on the eastern side. SKM is systematically working on improving the quality of stops, as most of them are currently in bad shape, not having basic services like handicapped lifts or proper ticket validators. The company had lately launched a research among visitors of its website, asking which of the stops should be repaired first. Since January 2006 SKM decided to install video cameras on stops and stations in order to improve the security level on platforms and inside station buildings. Since now only Gdynia Grabówek
Gdynia Grabówek (SKM stop)
Gdynia Grabówek is an SKM stop in Gdynia, Poland. It is the sixth stop of this urban train in Gdynia. This stop is not connected with any railway station.-External links:* at Google Local...
stop is equipped with those devices.
In 2004 Szybka Kolej Miejska signed an agreement with owner of press outlets chain Relay, giving the latter exclusive rights for building its shops on platforms. One of the conditions was unification of the general look of kiosks.
Outside the Tricity
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
, on Gdynia Cisowa
Gdynia Cisowa (SKM stop)
Gdynia Cisowa is an SKM stop in Gdynia, Poland. It is the last stop of this urban train in Gdynia. This stop is not connected with any railway station.-External links:* at Google Local...
-Wejherowo
Wejherowo
Wejherowo is a town in Gdańsk Pomerania, northern Poland, with 47,435 inhabitants . It has been the capital of Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously, it was a town in Gdańsk Voivodeship .-History:...
line SKM uses later built stops, mainly with two platforms on each side of the tracks. The communication between platforms is made via underground or overground pedestrian passage.
Not all stops have ticket offices, some consist simply of a platform, sometimes even without a roof. A few of the stops are connected with railway stations, as the SKM tracks and long distance and local trains lines are parallel. A high platform is built on these stations in order to service SKM trains. Over 90% of stops are connected with other transport services (both buses and trams, or trolley buses in Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
). For major stops, the timetables of the two services are synchronised, especially when comes to night connections. The company makes big effort to keep passengers well informed. Informational tables, price lists and timetables are changed as soon as the previous is out of date or destroyed (what unfortunately occurs quite often).
The stops on Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
-Nowy Port
Nowy Port
-External links:*...
line are no longer used, as the line is closed and despite their antique character (those stops were built before launching SKM service in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
) most of them are now ruined. Even in the last years when SKM still serviced this line no efforts were made to repair underground or overground pedestrian walkways or platforms. Gdańsk Nowy Port
Gdansk Nowy Port (SKM stop)
Gdańsk Nowy Port is a former SKM stop in Gdańsk, Poland. It is no longer used since December 15, 2002, after shortening the line Gdańsk - Nowy Port line to Brzeźno...
stop was the first one to be closed, when the line was shortened in 2000.
Before 1945
First works on building additional tracks for urban transport on GdańskGdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
- Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
route begun in 1912 (station tracks modifications and tearing down buildings on planned route). The project was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In the interwar period, transport was completely divided between the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
zone and the terrain of Danzig. Despite the fact that rail transport
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
in Gdańsk was serviced by PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
, its authorities did not decide to connect their city with Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
by a rail service.
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
led to a terrible devastation of Gdańsk, as well as the abolishment of borders dividing Tricity
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
.
Post war time
During the war, BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
S-Bahn
Berlin S-Bahn
The Berlin S-Bahn is a rapid transit system in and around Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It consists of 15 lines and is integrated with the mostly underground U-Bahn to form the backbone of Berlin's rapid transport system...
cars were overhauled in the (then) German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
town of Luben
Lubin
Lubin is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. From 1975–1998 it belonged to the former Legnica Voivodeship. Lubin is the administrative seat of Lubin County, and also of the rural district called Gmina Lubin, although it is not part of the territory of the latter,...
to the east of Berlin. When that town, now known as Lubin, was ceded to Poland under the terms of the Potsdam Conference
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was held at Cecilienhof, the home of Crown Prince Wilhelm Hohenzollern, in Potsdam, occupied Germany, from 16 July to 2 August 1945. Participants were the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States...
in 1945, 84 S-Bahn cars were in the works. Further cars were sent east as war reparations
War reparations
War reparations are payments intended to cover damage or injury during a war. Generally, the term war reparations refers to money or goods changing hands, rather than such property transfers as the annexation of land.- History :...
, and whilst many were sent on to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, at least 80 two-car sets, and possibly as many as 189 cars, were retained in Poland. These cars were allocated to the Tricity region for use on suburban services, and one set is preserved in this condition at a museum at Koscierzyna
Koscierzyna
Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...
.
The initial design of urban transport (by prof. Roman Podolski) was to electrify existing tracks, but a more expensive project of building new lines of electrified tracks was forced mainly by Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
Regional Board of National Rail director, Zbigniew Modliński - later Polish Vice-minister of Transport. The Berlin cars were refitted, mainly by changing the power supply system from the third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
(as still used today in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) to a system utilising overhead lines
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
. Also, the lights were changed from small into larger ones that would conform with PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
standards.
Apparently from construction of rail line to Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
a rail track to Nowy Port
Nowy Port
-External links:*...
had been electrified. The first depot for German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
cars was organised temporarily near Gdańsk Zaspa Towarowa station (on the Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
- Gdańsk Nowy Port
Nowy Port
-External links:*...
route). A project to change within 15 years the voltage in power supply lines from 800 V (as in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
) into the Polish standard 3000 V was initiated. A total of 80 electric multiple units were refitted.
In October 1950, the decision to build a separate lane for urban transport was taken, and as a result a separate department of Rail Electrification Office was founded in Gdańsk. Until the operation started in 1952 the two-track line was ready only on the Gdańsk - Gdańsk Wrzeszcz
Wrzeszcz
Wrzeszcz is one of the boroughs of the Northern Polish city of Gdańsk. With a population of more than 65,000 in an area of 9.9 km² , Wrzeszcz is the most populous part of Gdańsk.- History :...
distance. The line to Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
still had only one track. The second track to Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
was ready in June 1952. Owing to that, the train running frequency rose to 10 minutes. On July 22, 1952 two-track connection with Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
Orłowo was ready, in 1954 dual-track traffic reached Gdynia Główna station, two years later Gdynia Chylonia, and on December 31, 1957 first electric multiple units reached Wejherowo
Wejherowo
Wejherowo is a town in Gdańsk Pomerania, northern Poland, with 47,435 inhabitants . It has been the capital of Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously, it was a town in Gdańsk Voivodeship .-History:...
.
On the Gdynia - Wejherowo distance SKM ran on rails common with other trains. Rails prepared for urban rail service from Gdańsk to Gdynia had few special features, like curves of a smaller angle, less resistant bridges and a top speed of 70 km/h.
Until the 1970s, the ridership continued to grow heavily, which surprised even constructors. In 1959 the number of travellers reached over 50 million passengers annually. About 152,700 citizens were said to live in a distance no larger than 800 metres from SKM stations. More than 40% of the Tricity
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
population used this means of urban transport. However, this led to a problem that is still evident to this day — crowding in the trains. Back in the day, some people were forced to ride on the outside parts of the trains.
Unrealised plans
Primary project asset electrification of the line from GdańskGdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
to Pruszcz Gdański
Pruszcz Gdanski
Pruszcz Gdański is a town in Gdańsk Pomerania, northwestern Poland with 26834 inhabitants . Pruszcz Gdański is an industrial town neighbouring Gdańsk, part of the Tricity agglomeration...
was planned, but because old power lines near the tracks would have had to be removed, the plan was given up. Another unrealised project was electrification of the Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
- Nowy Port
Nowy Port
-External links:*...
line with an experimental voltage of 1500 V; low quality and frequent engine breakdowns led to project cancellation in 1954.
Plans to connect Wrzeszcz
Wrzeszcz
Wrzeszcz is one of the boroughs of the Northern Polish city of Gdańsk. With a population of more than 65,000 in an area of 9.9 km² , Wrzeszcz is the most populous part of Gdańsk.- History :...
with Kokoszki and Kartuzy
Kartuzy
Kartuzy is a town in the historic Eastern Pomerania region of northwestern Poland, located about west of Gdańsk with a population of 15,472...
were often made in the 60s. It is not obvious why this line was not rebuilt and electrified, as the cost was relatively small. More hopes were connected with building a Seaside SKM that was to run from Zaspa Towarowa to Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
, east of the existing line, to relieve pressure on the crowded (Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
- Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
) section.
The 70s and 80s
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
- Wejherowo
Wejherowo
Wejherowo is a town in Gdańsk Pomerania, northern Poland, with 47,435 inhabitants . It has been the capital of Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously, it was a town in Gdańsk Voivodeship .-History:...
line had been changed to 3000 V. As a result different EMU types had to be used. However, old S-Bahn
S-Bahn
S-Bahn refers to an often combined city center and suburban railway system metro in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark...
trains caused more problems, and the decision to change voltage on the whole line, and as a result to exchange all trains was made. This forced another changes to be made, like lengthening the platforms and building new depots complex in Gdynia Cisowa. A continuation of building the third lane on Gdynia - Rumia distance was also in progress. The day (called by Tricity
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
engineers The X Day) when the change was made was set on December 20, 1976. This caused a great disturbance, as the information of stopping the traffic on December 19 did not reach the public, and this was the pre-Christmas time.
Thanks to unification, the electric multiple units were able to leave beyond Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
- Wejherowo line, and ride on standard trains rails in case of emergency (as a result regular trains could also ride on SKM rails). In 1975 annual number of passengers travelling by SKM exceeded 100 million people, and it could reach the level of 300 thousand passengers daily.
The eighties were the time of recession, not only for railroad. No new investments, except for the ones started in 70s, were made. The electrification of Polish railways was moving fast instead, and the plans appeared to electrify Gdynia - Kościerzyna
Koscierzyna
Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...
route. According to started in 1986 first Polish nuclear power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
construction in Żarnowiec
Zarnowiec
Żarnowiec is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Krokowa, within Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies close to Żarnowieckie Lake, approximately west of Krokowa, north-west of Puck, and north-west of the regional capital Gdańsk...
three units were heading this village in the period of 1986 to 1990.
Time of changes
The fall of communist regime and the change of economical system brought enormous development of individual motorisation, and as a result decreasing number of passengers in urban transport. During the 1990s, the annual number of passengers serviced by SKM was halved, from 80 million to 40 million, but it continued to be an important urban transport service in TricityTricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
.
Capitalist
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
economy forced much reorganisation in PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
. Main change was to leave the division made on geographical basis and start to divide PKP in departments depending on responsibility. As a part of this changes Urban Passenger Transport Department was founded in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, responsible for marketing trade side of SKM.
Alongside this changes works on commercialising PKP were in progress and soon after SKM became separate company in July 2001.
In June 2005 the line to Nowy Port
Nowy Port
-External links:*...
was finally closed, as it proved no income.
On December 2, 2005 SKM achieved 25th place in the top 100 Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
companies by Rzeczpospolita newspaper. It was the highest place in Pomeranian Voivodship and the highest position for the company from the PKP Group
PKP Group
PKP Group is a Polish conglomerate founded in 2001 from the former single national rail operator, Polskie Koleje Państwowe. The purpose of this change was to match European Union directives of dividing transport service from rail system management and founding separate companies able to sell their...
.
Tensions in SKM management
Since 2003 the key people in SKM were Mikołaj Segień (CEO) and Piotr Małolepszy (CFO). After finishing their terms PKPPolskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
put Andrzej Osipów
Andrzej Osipów
Andrzej Osipów was a CEO of Szybka Kolej Miejska. He has held this position since June 2006 until June 2009....
and Maciej Lignowski. This move was strongly criticised by SKM employees and labor unions, which were afraid that SKM would be incorporated to PKP Przewozy Regionalne (one of PKP Group
PKP Group
PKP Group is a Polish conglomerate founded in 2001 from the former single national rail operator, Polskie Koleje Państwowe. The purpose of this change was to match European Union directives of dividing transport service from rail system management and founding separate companies able to sell their...
companies, responsible for local railway connections). PKP Przewozy Regionalne
PKP Przewozy Regionalne
Przewozy Regionalne , formerly PKP Przewozy Regionalne, is a train operator in Poland, responsible for local and interregional passenger transportation. Each day it runs approximately 3,000 regional trains...
is widely know to be non profitable and to have serious problems with debts.
Under a threat of strike (an official letter was sent to PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
on 13 June) PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
management invited labor unions and employees representatives to talk in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
on 14 July 2006. The talks started at 4 AM and as a result an agreement was signed. This agreement stated, that Mr. Piotr Małolepszy is to stay in SKM management board together with new authorities. The other parties taking parts in talks were self government of Pomeranian Voivodship and national labor union of railway engineers. Mr. Segień had retired after finishing work for SKM, but it is possible, that he will be hired by local government as the person responsible for local transport in marshalls office.
New connections
Lebork
Lębork is a town on the Łeba and Okalica rivers in Middle Pomerania region, north-western Poland with some 37,000 inhabitants.Lębork is also the capital of Lębork County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, formerly in Słupsk Voivodeship ....
and Elbląg
Elblag
Elbląg is a city in northern Poland with 127,892 inhabitants . It is the capital of Elbląg County and has been assigned to the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. Before then it was the capital of Elbląg Voivodeship and a county seat in Gdańsk Voivodeship...
in 2003 . In the end of 2005 decision was made to buy a few items of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
used diesel multiple units to service Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
-Kartuzy
Kartuzy
Kartuzy is a town in the historic Eastern Pomerania region of northwestern Poland, located about west of Gdańsk with a population of 15,472...
line (non electrified). The future of this line is still uncertain due to doubts of the local authorities.
Since December 10, 2005 southern area of SKM service has been shortened to reach only Tczew
Tczew
Tczew is a town on the Vistula River in Eastern Pomerania, Kociewie, northern Poland with 60,279 inhabitants . It is an important railway junction with a classification yard dating to the Prussian Eastern Railway...
and cancel connecions to Elbląg
Elblag
Elbląg is a city in northern Poland with 127,892 inhabitants . It is the capital of Elbląg County and has been assigned to the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. Before then it was the capital of Elbląg Voivodeship and a county seat in Gdańsk Voivodeship...
, Malbork
Malbork
Malbork is a town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region , with 38,478 inhabitants . Situated in the Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously assigned to Elbląg Voivodeship...
and Iława. In exchange the company has gained several connections with Słupsk.
Soon after UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
's decision to grant Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
organisation of 2012 UEFA European Football Championship
2012 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2012, will be the 14th European Championship for national football teams sanctioned by UEFA. The final tournament will be hosted by Poland and Ukraine between 8 June and 1 July 2012...
new plans for SKM were made. The most probable one is to re-open presently defunct line to Gdańsk Nowy Port
Gdansk Nowy Port (SKM stop)
Gdańsk Nowy Port is a former SKM stop in Gdańsk, Poland. It is no longer used since December 15, 2002, after shortening the line Gdańsk - Nowy Port line to Brzeźno...
, as one of the stadiums, Baltic Arena
Baltic Arena
The PGE Arena Gdańsk , previously called the Baltic Arena, is a football stadium in Gdańsk, Poland. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Lechia Gdańsk. The Stadium is located on Generations of Lechia Gdańsk street in the northern part of the city . The capacity of the...
is to be built just near former stops Zaspa Towarowa
Gdansk Zaspa Towarowa (SKM stop)
Gdańsk Zaspa Towarowa is a former SKM stop in Gdańsk, Poland. It is no longer used after canceling passenger service on Gdańsk - Nowy Port line in June 2005. This line is now used only for freight transport....
and Kolonia
Gdansk Kolonia (SKM stop)
Gdańsk Kolonia is a former SKM stop in Gdańsk, Poland. It is no longer used since June 2005, after canceling passenger service on Gdańsk - Nowy Port line...
.
More ambitious plans tend to build additional line of SKM, connecting Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport with Wrzeszcz. It would be built over the remains of a pre-war line from Stara Piła to Wrzeszcz
Gdansk Wrzeszcz (PKP station)
Gdańsk Wrzeszcz is a railway station in Gdańsk, Poland. The station is localised in the Wrzeszcz quarter of the city.-General information:The station operates two platforms, of which one is operating as the SKM stop Gdańsk Wrzeszcz. Access to the platforms is made through two underground passages....
. Such a line could be easily connected with existing, yet not electrified line to Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
, via Gdańsk Osowa
Gdansk Osowa (PKP station)
-Lines crossing the station:- References :*Gdańsk Osowa article at , URL accessed at 5 March 2006...
and Wielki Kack
Gdynia Wielki Kack (PKP station)
-Lines crossing the station:-External links:* at Google Local- References :*Gdynia Wielki Kack article at , URL accessed at 5 March 2006...
. Another advantage of re-opening this connection would be the fact that no buildings would have to be pulled down, as the remains of an old line are not destroyed anywhere on its path.
SKM electric multiple units parameters
SKM is serviced completely by electric multiple units since 1976, when last BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
S-Bahn
S-Bahn
S-Bahn refers to an often combined city center and suburban railway system metro in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark...
cars were retired. Presently mostly PKP class EN57
PKP class EN57
EN57 is an electric multiple unit used by the Polish railway operator . It was built for suburban and long-distance services. Presently it is used by Przewozy Regionalne, Szybka Kolej Miejska and Koleje Mazowieckie companies.-History:...
and PKP class EN71
PKP class EN71
The EN71 is a four-carriage Polish EMU constructed for the Polish National Railways and is based on the three-carriage EN57, but differs in that it has an additional motor carriage.-History:...
are in use.
| Parameter | EN57 PKP class EN57 EN57 is an electric multiple unit used by the Polish railway operator . It was built for suburban and long-distance services. Presently it is used by Przewozy Regionalne, Szybka Kolej Miejska and Koleje Mazowieckie companies.-History:... |
EN71 PKP class EN71 The EN71 is a four-carriage Polish EMU constructed for the Polish National Railways and is based on the three-carriage EN57, but differs in that it has an additional motor carriage.-History:... |
EW58 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top speed | 110 km/h | 110 km/h | 120 km/h |
| Power (at h) | 740 kW | 1480 kW | 1864 kW |
| Constant power | 608 kW | 1216 kW | 1648 kW |
| Top acceleration | 0,5 m/s² | 0,6 m/s² | 0,9 m/s² |
| Max. axle pressure | 14,3 t | 14,3 t | 13,0 t |
| Car weight | 57 + 2 x 34 t | 2 x 57 + 2 x 34 t | 42 + 2 x 52 t |
| Wheel diameter (driving/non driving) | 1000/940 mm | 1000/940 mm | 1000/920 mm |
| Car length (external + internal) | 20700 + 21570 mm | 20700 + 21570 mm | 21130 + 20940 mm |
| Places (seating/standing) | 212/468 | 288/624 | 212/352 |
| Number of cars in unit | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Traction scheme (m-motor, d-motorman's cabin, n-no cabin/motor) | d-m-d | d-m-m-d | dm-n-dm |
| Number of doors per car per side | 2 | 2 | 3 |
SKM in other Polish cities
There is also an SKMSzybka Kolej Miejska (Warsaw)
Szybka Kolej Miejska is a rail operator providing services in the Warsaw metropolitan area using the national rail network while constituting a part of the cities integrated public transport system organized by the Warsaw Transport Authority.- History :...
in the capital of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. This was launched in 2004 and runs from the neighbouring town of Pruszków
Pruszków
Pruszków is a town in central Poland, situated in the Masovian Voivodeship since 1999. It was previously in Warszawa Voivodeship . Pruszków is the capital of Pruszków County, located along the western edge of the Warsaw urban area...
, through the centre of Warsaw to Sulejówek
Sulejówek
Sulejówek is a town in Poland, about 18 km east of Warsaw city centre and part of its metropolitan area. It is located in Masovian Voivodeship, in Mińsk County...
Miłosna station. This SKM is not operated by PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
and is owned by the Warsaw Transport Authority. It has eight trains of type 14WE
14WE
14WE is an electric multiple unit produced by Newag in Nowy Sącz, Poland. It is a heavily modified version of the PKP class EN57 EMU, of early-1960s vintage....
. In the past, Warsaw SKM borrowed a couple of trains from the Gdansk SKM. Unlike the Gdansk SKM, the Warsaw SKM's services runs less frequently, around every 30 minutes.
See also
- Polskie Koleje PaństwowePolskie Koleje Panstwoweis the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
- PKP GroupPKP GroupPKP Group is a Polish conglomerate founded in 2001 from the former single national rail operator, Polskie Koleje Państwowe. The purpose of this change was to match European Union directives of dividing transport service from rail system management and founding separate companies able to sell their...
- :Category:PKP locomotives
- :Category:PKP electric multiple units
- Polish locomotives designation
- History of rail transport in PolandHistory of rail transport in PolandThe history of rail transport in Poland dates back to the first half of the 19th century when railways were built under Prussian, Russian, and Austrian rule. Of course, "divided Poland" in 19th century was the territory of the former Commonwealth of Poland and not that one of today's Republic of...
External links
- SKM Official Web Site
- Official SKM forum
- SKM sheds in Gdynia Cisowa at Google Local
- Organisational chart of the company