For the return of pilgrims from World Youth Day, railway workers will create special buffer zones at Krakow Glowny and Krakow Plaszow stations. During peak hours, long-distance trains will depart from the stations at a frequency of up to every 7 minutes.
According to railway estimates, a total of over 200,000 travelers will appear at Krakow’s railway stations during World Youth Day. Arrivals for the ceremonies in Brzegi will be spread over several days. Ensuring efficient service will be the biggest challenge for railway workers.
Special buffer zones on the return journey from WYD
On July 31 from 2:00 PM to August 1 at 2:00 PM, special buffer zones will be established at Krakow Glowny and Krakow Plaszow stations. Free movement around the stations and platforms before train departures will not be possible during this time for logistical and safety reasons. The passenger boarding process will take into account large groups of pilgrims and the increased frequency of trains, running as often as every 7 minutes. Passenger boarding will be divided into stages, which will take place in several zones.
Gates and passenger counting mats
There will be two entrances to Krakow Glowny station – one from the Nowak Jezioranski Square side and the other from the square by the Ibis hotel. The first passenger service zone will be organized in both locations. Information with the train schedule will be displayed on specially prepared large screens. After the information about the selected train appears, travelers will head to the appropriate gate, marked as A, B, C, D, or E.
Second zone
After passing through the gate, travelers will find themselves in the railway area – in the second passenger boarding zone. There, they will wait for the appropriate number of people to gather. Counting mats will be installed at the gates to count incoming people. Thanks to this, the size of the group will be matched to the number of seats available on a given train. Once the group has gathered, pilgrims will be directed and escorted by Railway Security (SOK) officers to the platform, directly to the train. This will ensure that passengers safely reach the train heading in the right direction, and trains will be able to depart on time. The danger of excessive crowding in underground tunnels and on platforms will also be eliminated.
No direct transfers
During the period of changed traffic organization, there will also be no possibility of direct transfers at Krakow Glowny station. Travelers arriving at the station to continue their journey will be directed outside the railway premises and then to the buffer zones – the first passenger boarding zone.
Information support
Railway workers will be supported in the efficient organization of passenger movement and full information by mobile information staff and volunteers speaking Polish and English. Multimedia screens will operate in the buffer zones. In the areas where travelers gather, railway workers will be equipped with additional portable sound systems.
Arrival in Krakow. Stations prepared for pilgrims
Nearly 280,000 seats have been provided on PKP Intercity trains on routes to and from Krakow. From July 20 to 25, trains will bring pilgrims from all over Poland to Krakow.
The special timetable provides that trains with pilgrims will arrive at stations located as close as possible to the ceremony sites. To this end, the train schedule in the Krakow agglomeration has been changed, and stations have been designated specifically for pilgrims to board and disembark.
Stops for pilgrims
Trains with pilgrims heading to the opening ceremony on July 26 and to meetings with the Pope at Blonia on July 28 and 29 will stop at six stations. Trains running from the direction of Zakopane will enter Krakow Swoszowice station, and Mydlniki station will serve trains entering from the direction of Myslowice, Trzebinia, Krzeszowice, and Zabierzow, as well as from the direction of Oswiecim, Libiaz, and Miechow. Krakow Plaszow will be the station dedicated to trains coming from the direction of Mielec, Tarnow, and Krynica. PKP IC trains will arrive at Krakow Glowny and Krakow Plaszow stations throughout the entire arrival period.
On July 30, for the vigil with the Pope in Brzegi, pilgrims will be able to reach stops located closest to the event site: Krakow Swoszowice, Krakow Biezanow or Krakow Plaszow, and Podleze.
Special traffic organization
The timetable prepared for the needs of WYD assumes the temporary exclusion of selected stations from train service. From July 30 to August 1 at 12:00 PM, Kokotow and Wegrzce Wielkie stations will be temporarily excluded from train service. On July 26, 28, and 29, trains towards Trzebinia and Katowice will bypass Krakow Lobzow station, and from July 25 to August 1, trains will not stop at the Krakow Krzemionki stop.
Krakow Zablocie station will also be temporarily out of use on July 31 and August 1.
Station parking lots – temporary closures
For the time of increased passenger traffic related to departures for World Youth Day celebrations, at the end of July and in the first days of August, parking areas at 16 railway stations will be temporarily closed. Parking lots will be closed for logistical and safety reasons. Ambulances and fire department vehicles will be able to stop at the stations. It will also be possible to use taxis.
From July 27 to August 1, parking lots located at the following stations will be temporarily closed: Czestochowa Glowna, Czestochowa Stradom, Katowice Glowne, Warszawa Wschodnia, Warszawa Zachodnia, Warszawa Centralna, Kielce Glowne, Krakow Glowny, Krakow Plaszow, Gdansk Glowny, Olsztyn Glowny.
Temporary closures will also include parking lots at the stations: Wroclaw Glowny (parking will be closed from July 23 to 25 and from July 29 to August 1), Poznan Glowny (July 23, 24, 28, 29, 30, and August 1), Rzeszow Glowny (July 24, 25, 26, 30, 31, and August 1), Przemysl Glowny (from July 24 to 26 and from July 31 to August 2), Lublin Glowny (July 25 and from July 29 to August 2).