ABSTRACT
The first proposals of the construction of HSR system in Poland emerged in the late 80s and 90s. This was the period in which the first effects of the construction of HSL in Europe appeared. The project of Polish HSR network was developed in subsequent years on a base of several studies prepared, and in 2011 reached its final shape.
In this chapter there are presented:
– the history of a transit corridor through Poland – starting with the corridor in east-west axis till the idea of two lines joined together by the line Lodz – Opoczno: Warsaw – Lodz – Poznan/ Wroclaw and Warsaw – Katowice/Cracow,
– basic technical parameters of new or upgraded for HSL,
– the development of the idea of integrating Poland into the European HSR system in the framework of the EU regulation 1315/2013 and existing international agreements,
– the idea of further development of HSR in Poland based on the Railway Research Institute study of 2010 and the concept of the country spatial development till 2030,
– costs of the HSR project and effects of shortening the travel time between the largest cities in Poland.
In the summary there is described the state of project realization in Poland. Main studies were done in 2015 and in next years it is possible to start preparatory works on the new line Warsaw – Lodz – Poznan/Wroclaw construction.