Wedoany.com Report-Jul. 1, Austrian construction company PORR has signed a contract exceeding €400 million ($468 million) with Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) to build Poland’s longest railway tunnel in the city of Łódź. CPK is a national infrastructure initiative aimed at integrating air, rail, and road transport networks across Poland.

Construction on the tunnel is set to begin later this year.

The tunnel, part of railway line 85—referred to as the ‘Y’ line—will link Warsaw, the planned central airport, and Łódź. Measuring nearly 5 kilometers in length, it will be the widest railway tunnel in Poland, constructed in a single section using a tunnel boring machine (TBM). The TBM will feature a 14-meter diameter cutterhead and weigh approximately 3,200 tonnes.

Construction is scheduled to begin later this year, with completion expected within 48 months. The tunnel will feature two tracks, allowing for train speeds of up to 160 km/h in both directions. The contract also includes related infrastructure such as operational shafts, utility systems, and the railway line itself.

Karl-Heinz Strauss, CEO of PORR, stated: “The high-speed railway line will bring Warsaw closer to Łódź and is therefore an important building block in expanding Poland’s transport infrastructure. The size and technical complexity of this project is unprecedented on the Polish market.”

To reduce the impact on urban areas, the project includes geotechnical reinforcements and protective measures for nearby structures. A geodetic monitoring system will be used to oversee structural conditions, and building assessments along the route will be conducted by specialists.

PORR will be responsible for constructing five supply shafts and for completing the internal structures of the launch and exit shafts. The tunnel will be equipped with advanced railway systems including water and wastewater pipelines, electrical and telecommunications systems, fire protection, and final site development.

The tunnel will incorporate PORR’s Slab Track Austria technology, marking its first use in a Polish railway tunnel. This system is designed to support speeds up to 400 km/h and is noted for its long service life and reduced noise and vibration levels.

PORR has a record of executing complex tunneling projects in Poland. Previous works include the S3 Bolków–Kamienna Góra tunnels, the TS-26 nonurban tunnel using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method, and a tunnel under the Świna Strait. The company also expanded a historic railway tunnel using the tunnel-in-tunnel method.

In addition, PORR recently secured a design-and-build contract worth approximately €428 million for the renovation of a railway line in Romania, further demonstrating its regional expertise in infrastructure development.