The PKP Group has become an official partner of World Youth Day. Representatives of the PKP Group and the Archdiocese of Krakow have signed a cooperation agreement.
World Youth Day, initiated by St. John Paul II and, by the decision of Pope Francis, to be organized in Krakow from July 26 to 31 this year, is an event of great scale. The Polish Church wishes to prepare as well as possible to welcome young people from all over the world. One of the most important challenges related to the celebrations will be the efficient organization of transport. The PKP Group is actively participating in the preparations for the event.
On May 25, a cooperation agreement for the organization of the celebrations was signed at the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Krakow. The official document initiating the cooperation was signed by: Mirosław Pawłowski, President of the Management Board of PKP S.A.; Marek Chraniuk, President of the Management Board of PKP Intercity; and Fr. Wojciech Olszowski, Deputy Bursar of the Archdiocese of Krakow. Thus, the PKP Group has become an official partner of the organizer, supporting it in serving the pilgrims who will arrive in Krakow from practically every corner of the world.
– Participation in the organization of World Youth Day is a great honor for the PKP Group, but also a major challenge. We are intensively preparing to serve passengers during the increased traffic. We are making every effort to ensure that for all pilgrims who decide to travel by train, it will be a pleasant memory – says Mirosław Pawłowski, President of PKP S.A.
Thanks to the partnership, pilgrims will be able to take advantage of a promotional offer dedicated to them. As part of the cooperation, PKP Intercity has prepared special passes – the “WYD Krakow 2016 Ticket”. Thanks to this, a pilgrim, by paying only once (PLN 149), will be able to use a Twoje Linie Kolejowe (TLK) or InterCity (IC) train three times, in any direction or for any length of the route. The pass will be valid from July 16 to August 15, 2016.
– World Youth Day is the most important project for us in the coming months. We are proud that we can be part of this event. We estimate that over 100,000 pilgrims from all over the world will travel on PKP Intercity trains. We are working intensively to ensure a comfortable journey to Krakow for those who choose our offer, whether individual or group – says Marek Chraniuk, President of the Management Board of PKP Intercity.
On the website dedicated to World Youth Day, pilgrims will find information about the PKP Group’s offer and amenities at railway stations. Current news regarding WYD, along with references, will also be available on the websites of the Group’s companies. It is worth noting that as part of the agreement, the PKP Group has obtained the rights to the World Youth Day graphic logo.
PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. is working to ensure the best possible conditions for passengers and railway carriers. Preparations are underway to receive additional trains on Polish tracks. In total, 700 of them will depart. These will be trains from the PKP Group and local government carriers. PLK can increase their number on the Krakow – Katowice route from 56 to 214 per day. It will be possible for 171 trains per day to depart on the route from Warsaw to Krakow – 71 more than currently, and on the Rzeszów – Krakow route, the number of trains can be increased from the current 49 to 150 per day. This means that on these three routes alone, nearly half a million people per day will be able to travel by train. In connection with World Youth Day, a special timetable adjustment is being developed, which will be introduced on July 1. Activities preparing for World Youth Day also include railway stations, where special signage will appear, and mobile information staff will assist travelers. It will be possible to communicate with staff responsible for customer contact in English. From July 20 to August 7, announcements will be made in Polish and English at 56 stations. Comfort and safety will be improved at 60 stations and stops that will serve travelers during World Youth Day. Construction work is already underway at, among others, the Częstochowa Osobowa and Częstochowa Stradom stations.
World Youth Day will be secured by over two and a half thousand Railway Security Guard (SOK) officers supported by state-of-the-art equipment and communication means, including mobile monitoring centers. The PKP CARGO company will secure, according to the needs of PKP PLK, the necessary number of electric and diesel backup locomotives, which can be used in case of possible failures and traffic disruptions. PKP CARGO locomotives, and if necessary also train drivers, will help PKP Intercity in launching additional trains. The infrastructure manager will designate additional teams of employees to ensure the capacity of railway lines. PKP S.A. will make the building of the former Krakow Główny station available for the needs of an information center for pilgrims.