Warsaw Wileńska station
Encyclopedia
Warsaw Wileńska is an important railway station in Warsaw
, Poland. Located in the eastern borough of Praga Północ, it was built in 19th century as the westernmost and final terminus
of a Russian gauge
Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway
. Currently it serves mostly local and suburban trains run by Koleje Mazowieckie
.
, the two could not have been connected. To allow passengers travelling from Vienna to St. Petersburg easier access to both terminals a horse-drawn tramway line was opened soon after the railway line's completion, thus giving birth to Warsaw's tramway network. The original train station had been blown up by withdrawing Russian troops in 1915 during World War I
.
After the end of hostilities and the Polish-Bolshevik War parts of the Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway between Warsaw and Vilna were converted to standard gauge while passenger traffic between Warsaw and then-Soviet Leningrad
practically ceased. Because of that the name of the station was changed to the one used currently. The spot initially occupied by the 19th century train station demolished during the war was occupied by a new office building of the headquarters of Polish State Railways
, constructed between 1927 and 1928. At the same time a new provisional Warszawa Wileńska station was constructed across the street, slightly to the south from the original location.
The new provisional building survived World War II
when it was dismantled while old railway depots were converted to a station building. This building was also provisional, but survived in its' role until 2000, when a new station was constructed. The first floor houses a suburban train station operated currently by Koleje Mazowieckie
, while upper floors house a shopping mall
. The building was completed in 2002. A construction of a Warsaw Metro
station Dworzec Wileński
is scheduled some time after 2012.
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...
, Poland. Located in the eastern borough of Praga Północ, it was built in 19th century as the westernmost and final terminus
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
of a Russian gauge
Russian gauge
In railway terminology, Russian gauge refers to railway track with a gauge between 1,520 mm and . In a narrow sense as defined by Russian Railways it refers to gauge....
Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway
Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway
The Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway, Russian "Санкт-Петербурго-Варшавская железная дорога" is a long railway, built in the 19th century by the Russian Empire to connect Russia with Central Europe. At the time the entire railway was within Russia, as Warsaw was under a Russian partition of Poland...
. Currently it serves mostly local and suburban trains run by Koleje Mazowieckie
Koleje Mazowieckie
Koleje Mazowieckie is a regional rail operator in the Masovian Voivodeship of Poland.- History :The company was founded in 2004 as a joint venture of the Masovian Voivodeship, with 51% shares, and the, then government-owned, PKP Przewozy Regionalne, with 49% shares, to handle local passenger...
.
History
The Petersburg Train Station was built in 1863 as the final terminus of a new railroad linking Warsaw with Vilna and St. Petersburg. The building itself was designed by Narcyz Zborzewski. As the line used Russian gauge while another major railway line operating in Warsaw at the time (namely the Warsaw–Vienna Railway) used Standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, the two could not have been connected. To allow passengers travelling from Vienna to St. Petersburg easier access to both terminals a horse-drawn tramway line was opened soon after the railway line's completion, thus giving birth to Warsaw's tramway network. The original train station had been blown up by withdrawing Russian troops in 1915 during 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...
.
After the end of hostilities and the Polish-Bolshevik War parts of the Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway between Warsaw and Vilna were converted to standard gauge while passenger traffic between Warsaw and then-Soviet Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
practically ceased. Because of that the name of the station was changed to the one used currently. The spot initially occupied by the 19th century train station demolished during the war was occupied by a new office building of the headquarters of Polish State Railways
Polish State Railways
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...
, constructed between 1927 and 1928. At the same time a new provisional Warszawa Wileńska station was constructed across the street, slightly to the south from the original location.
The new provisional building survived 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...
when it was dismantled while old railway depots were converted to a station building. This building was also provisional, but survived in its' role until 2000, when a new station was constructed. The first floor houses a suburban train station operated currently by Koleje Mazowieckie
Koleje Mazowieckie
Koleje Mazowieckie is a regional rail operator in the Masovian Voivodeship of Poland.- History :The company was founded in 2004 as a joint venture of the Masovian Voivodeship, with 51% shares, and the, then government-owned, PKP Przewozy Regionalne, with 49% shares, to handle local passenger...
, while upper floors house a shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
. The building was completed in 2002. A construction of a Warsaw Metro
Warsaw Metro
The Warsaw Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. It consists of a single north-south line that links central Warsaw with its densely populated northern and southern suburbs. The first section was opened in 1995, then gradually extended until it...
station Dworzec Wileński
Dworzec Wileński metro station
Dworzec Wilenski will be an underground station on the central part of Line 2 of the Warsaw Metro, which is now under construction. It will not be operational until the whole central part of the line is finished, which is scheduled for the end of 2013....
is scheduled some time after 2012.