Kraków 2023-09-18
Brzeźnica railway station near Skawina.
Geographic coordinates: 49.967N 19.628E.
The Brzeźnica railway station near Skawina was built during the construction of the Oświęcim - Kraków railway line in 1884, when the Republic of Poland was partitioned. At that time, the town of Brzeźnica belonged to Galicia, i.e. it was under the rule of Austria-Hungary.
Brzeźnica is a commune in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Wadowice County. The Brzeźnica commune has an area of 66.43 square kilometers and its population is 10,196 people (2021), and according to data from 2017, 10,285 people lived here. Brzeźnica is located south of the Vistula River in its upper reaches. These are areas known for breeding ponds and wickerwork. National Road No. 44 runs through Brzeźnica, connecting Oświęcim with Krakow. From Brzeźnica to Krakow it is 28 km, to Oświęcim is 35 km, to Wadowice is 25 km.
When the Germanic army, together with its Muscovite allies, attacked the Republic of Poland, Brzeźnica found itself in the General Government. After World War II, the pre-war Polish administrative division was restored. The Brzeźnica commune was abolished on September 29, 1954, along with the reform introducing communes in place of communes. In 1973, the communes were reactivated and the Brzeźnica Commune was restored. However, new borders were created. The reason was the significant development of the city of Skawina and its industrial plants. In 2006 and 2007, there were minor adjustments to the commune areas.
Railway history.
The highest passenger traffic at the Brzeźnica station was recorded in the 1960s and 1970s. Many workers in industrial plants; Kraków, Skawina and Oświęcim used trains to commute to work. During these years, platforms at stations and passenger stops were standardized. The platforms were raised and their surface was made of asphalt. At that time, yellow warning lines also began to be painted, and platform edges were painted white. Two or three shelters were placed on the platforms to protect travelers from rain and snow. The shelters had wooden benches. There were also waste bins. All platforms were equipped with megaphones through which railway information was provided to passengers. Timetables were placed in display cases, and paintings were placed on platforms in station buildings.
The main users of railway line No. 94 were mines and industrial plants, especially the Skawina power plant, a plant which, according to 60-year plans, was to be one of the largest hard coal-fired power plants in Poland. Currently it is a power plant.
For 90 years, the number of passenger connections on railway line No. 94 has been systematically decreasing. At the beginning of December 2012, the then Management Board of the Małopolska Voivodeship decided that, given the low frequency, maintaining passenger trains on the Oświęcim - Skawina - Kraków line was unprofitable. We should not be surprised that passengers did not use these connections, because the trains rarely exceeded the speed of 30 km/h. The Oświęcim - Kraków Płaszów route took 2 hours and 45 minutes. The timetables were also wrong; two trains at 4:00 and 5:00, then a break until 14:00.
Since 2014, Małopolska has been restoring railway connections to make it easier for employees and students to get to work and schools. The offer is also addressed to residents so that they can get to offices, hospitals and other places in major urban centers more conveniently and quickly. The offer can also be used by tourists and cyclists to take advantage of the charms of nature in Małopolska. More and more bicycle routes are available for cyclists. The railway line also provides access to the largest amusement park in Małopolska in Zator.
SKA2 trains (Szybka Kolej Aglomeracyjna line 2) were directed to railway line No. 94. Due to the ongoing modernization and reconstruction of the railway line, the train schedule is changing. From October 1, 2022, the SKA2 route was extended from the Podbory Skawińskie station to the Przeciszów station. Koleje Małopolskie plans to extend the route to Oświęcim. The intention is to launch further routes to Oświęcim. The new connection is the result of a compromise reached between the expectations of the inhabitants of towns located along the discussed route and the plans of PKP PLK S.A. The plans of PKP PLK are important because many old platforms need to be renovated and new ones need to be built in places favorable to residents. Platforms must take into account the needs of disabled people.
Koleje Małopolskie provided information on the current (September 2023) travel times of the SKA2 train; Kraków Główny - Kraków Podgórze 6 minutes, - Kraków Sanctuary 13 minutes, - Skawina 26 minutes, - Brzeźnica 49 minutes, - Spytkowice 63 minutes, - Zator 68 minutes, - Przeciszów 72 minutes. Currently (2023) the travel time from Oświęcim to Kraków Główny is 1 hour 30 minutes. In 2023, 20-22 pairs of trains ran on route No. 94. Some of them (8-10 pairs) as far as Przeciszów.
Train ticket prices are also acceptable: for example, on the Kraków Główny - Zator section, a normal ticket costs PLN 12, a 37% school ticket costs PLN 7m56, a student ticket costs PLN 5.88, and a senior ticket costs PLN 8.40. Monthly tickets are also available, which also include discounts. The most expensive monthly ticket Kraków Główny - Zator costs PLN 242.97. There is a great opportunity to buy these tickets; At the ticket office of "Koleje Małopolskie" sp. z o. o. (Krakow main station). At the ticket offices of "POLREGIO" S.A. (Nowy Sącz, Sędziszów, Tarnów, Krzeszowice). At the ticket offices of "PKP InterCity" S.A. (Kraków Główny, Kraków Płaszów, Tarnów, Bochnia). In the iMKA application and in machines operating as part of the Małopolska Agglomeration Card (MKA). In the iMKA application and in machines operating as part of the Małopolska Agglomeration Card (MKA). Via the BILKOM system. Via the E-PODRÓŻNIK TICKETS system. Via the mPay system. At the train attendant's.Stacja Brzeźnica.
The station building was built in 1884. It is a typical Austrian design. The ground floor is occupied by a waiting room, a ticket and baggage counter, a restaurant and waiting rooms. The upper floor is intended for housing for railway workers. In the period 2020-2022, the station was renovated. The roof and façade of the building were renovated. The station in Brzeźnica is owned by the commune.
The station is small. It has a basement. It has two floors. It is covered with a hipped roof and covered with tiles. The wooden roof structure and wooden parts of the walls are covered with brown stain. The front of the building is symmetrical, with a projection in the middle, topped with a window in the attic. Two single-leaf doors lead into the interior. The corners of the building have simple stucco that imitates cut stones. On the ground floor, the door and window edges were made in the same way. The windows on the first floor have simpler frames with protruding window sills and cornices above them. The building is plastered straw-colored, the stucco is white and the woodwork is green.
Currently, there are 4 tracks running through the Brzeźnica station, all of them are electrified and in operation. Side tracks are used for trains to pass each other during track works and to stop freight trains from being overtaken by passenger trains. The station is equipped with traffic lights.
Parking lots in the P+R system and bicycle shelters were built at the station. In 2022, along with the construction of the transfer center, a ticket machine for the Małopolska Agglomeration Card was installed. An electronic railway information board was installed outside the station building.
There is only one platform at the station, which is of the island type, with two edges. Currently (September 2023), the platform is undergoing renovation, which involves raising it and equipping it with a new surface. Bus shelters with benches will be installed on the platform. The renovation is being carried out in such a way that one edge of the platform is constantly accessible to passengers.
There has never been an underpass at the Brzeźnica station, nor a footbridge on Dorami. Access to the platform is by crossing two tracks. Therefore, you need to be very careful.
Railway line No. 94.
The Brzeźnica railway station near Skawina is located on the railway line No. 94 Kraków Płaszów - Oświęcim, at 29.945 km of the trail. Currently (2023) modernization works are still underway on the trail. Once completed, passenger trains will run at a speed of 100 km/h and freight trains at a speed of 80 km/h. Line No. 94 was electrified: On October 30, 1970, the Kraków Płaszczów - Spytkowice section was electrified, and the traction network was launched on November 12, 1970. On September 9, 1971, the Spytkowice - Oświęcim section was electrified. Line No. 94 is 64,502 m long, double-track, electrified.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman