Poland Will Build A High-speed Railroad Connecting Warsaw With Europe's Capital Culture

Illustration of train services in Poland. (Wikimedia Commons/Kgbo)

JAKARTA - The Polish government last December announced plans to build high-speed rail lines to connect several major cities.

The Polish government's total allocates around 37 million euros for the project, which will include the construction of a 140-kilometer train line and a four-kilometer-long tunnel.

The Presidentius' plan also includes the construction of a "mega-bandara" located between the capital Warsaw and the city of Lodz which functions as a transit hub.

Polish President Andrzej Duda called the project "one of the most important projects carried out by Poland in the 21st century," reported by Euronews on February 1.

The new 140-kilometer high-speed train route is designed to connect some of the most exciting cities in Poland. This line will connect Warsaw with the cities of Lodz and WroClaw.

Lodz is a former textile manufacturing center that is now the location of the Textile Center Museum, as well as an art and culture center for Manufacturing in factories that have been restored.

Meanwhile in WroClaw, visitors can walk around an elegant pastel colored townhouse and admire the gotik-style city hall. This is the capital of European culture in 2016, often selected as one of the most habitable places in the world.

This train route is part of a wider Solidarity Transport Hub (CPK) project, which will include the construction of an airport between Warsaw and Lodz. The Polish government plans to make the transportation center "one of the largest in Europe".

However, the project was criticized. Initiated before the pandemic, this was criticized by Ryanair CEO Michal O'Leary as "ununderstood".

"To be honest I can say that I don't understand this investment," O'Leary told Polish daily Rzeczpospolita.

"Although taxpayers have spent billions of dollars on this implausible project, there is still a possibility to ignore it and not go any further."

"This airport is not necessary. It was planned in the wrong place and time. Only very stupid politicians can decide to do something like that."

It is known, Warsaw itself already has two airports. However, the Polish government estimates this new hub is still'reasonable economically' given the increase in the number of tourists due to this pandemic.