Mobilis, a transport company and independent operator providing public transport services in Krakow, has submitted the best bid to operate six bus lines that will transport passengers of the Agglomeration Railway to Wieliczka. Under the contract, which will be carried out on behalf of Koleje Małopolskie, Mobilis will transport residents of the Wieliczka, Gdów, and Świątniki Górne municipalities to the Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia station. Tourists visiting the Wieliczka Salt Mine will also benefit from this solution. The contract will be in effect from September 1 to the end of December 2017.
Under the agreement, Mobilis will operate a total of 6 feeder lines for the Agglomeration Railway (B1, R1, D1, G1, G2, S1). The first three of these lines (to Byszyce, Raciborsko, and Dobranowice) are already in operation and will be expanded. The next three (to Gdów and Świątniki Górne) will be launched as new routes. The number of vehicle-kilometers planned for implementation under the contract is 275,533.9. The value of the contract will be nearly 1.2 million PLN, and its planned duration is four months.
Integration of buses and trains – to the benefit of residents and tourists
Bus schedules will be coordinated with the train timetables for the SKA1 Agglomeration Railway line: Krakow Airport – Krakow Main Station – Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia. Thanks to this, passengers will easily reach their trains. The new solution will also benefit tourists visiting the Wieliczka Salt Mine, which saw a record number of visitors last year – over 1.5 million people. All feeder lines will be comprehensively operated by Mobilis – from providing the rolling stock and staff (drivers) to traffic supervision, technical inspections, and ongoing vehicle maintenance.
– We are pleased that our bid to operate the six feeder lines to the Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia station has been approved by Koleje Małopolskie. The contract will allow for the integration of different forms of transport – buses and trains, which is important from the point of view of passengers – residents of individual municipalities and districts, as well as tourists. In this way, as part of the contract implementation, we as Mobilis will co-create the public transport network in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship – said Paweł Paruch, Manager of the Mobilis Sp. z o.o. Krakow Depot.
– The contract will be serviced based on our experience, human resources, and technical facilities in Krakow. We are well prepared to begin providing services. At the same time, we are focused on meeting all requirements related to the contract and delivering the expected quality of service to passengers every day – adds Paweł Paruch.
Personnel and buses
Mobilis has a well-established position on the Krakow market, where it has been operating since 2008, as well as all the resources necessary to fulfill the contract. It employs qualified personnel, including over 200 bus drivers. It also has fully equipped technical facilities, including a bus depot with a workshop. The contract will be carried out using 7.7-meter Autosan H7-20.07 Solina City buses. The same fleet will operate on all six routes covered by the contract on behalf of Koleje Małopolskie. The buses will have a low-floor section, i.e., entry to the vehicle without steps and space for a baby stroller or wheelchair, as well as seats accessible from the low floor. Each vehicle will have a total of 44 spaces (seated and standing) for passengers. They will be equipped with directional light boards that will display the line name and the bus’s direction of travel.