Wieliczka 2022-08-06
Wieliczka Rynek - Mine railway station.
Geographic coordinates: 49.986N 20.056E.
Currently (2022) there are three railway stations (passenger stops) in Wieliczka: Wieliczka Rynek - Mine (final stop), Wieliczka Park and Wieliczka Bogucice. There used to be the final stop at Wieliczka Rynek. This chapter is about the Wieliczka Rynek - Mine station.
Description of the photo: Wieliczka Station Rynek - Mine. Passenger train Newag EN78-001 = 31WE-029A.
Wieliczka Rynek - Mine railway station.
The Wieliczka Rynek - Mine railway station was built in the period 2010-2012, along with the reconstruction of the No. 109 railway line. The railway stop is the final stop, and the support trestle was placed in front of Adama Mickiewicza Street, i.e. the previous track was shortened by 260 m. The platform is 200 m long and 0.60 m high from the rail head. The platform is equipped with a red non-slip surface with a warning line. Four stop-type shelters with benches were installed on the platform. Lighting, audio system (megaphones) and railway information boards were installed.
The first trains departed from the train stop in August 2012. Mainly operated trains of the carrier PolRegio type EN57 and EN71, in gray and red colors. Since 2014, the line No. 109 has been served by Koleje Małopolskie. In 2014, the first route was launched, designated SKM1; Wieliczka - Kraków Płaszów - Kraków Główny - Airport (Balice Airport). The journey along the entire route takes approximately 42 minutes. Trains leave every hour. Two modern EZT trains Newag and Pesa run on the route. In 2021, the Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia passenger stop served approximately 3,500 passengers per day. There were 19 pairs of trains daily on the SKA1 Airport - Wieliczka route.
Description of the photo: View towards the Wieliczka Rynek - Mine station, from the former Wieliczka Rynek railway station.
New bus and train station.
In the period 2020-2021, a new station building was built on the part of the bus terminus at Dembowski Street to serve passengers both by bus and rail. In the facility with a usable area of about 600 square meters, on the ground floor of the building there are: waiting room, toilets, a tourist information point, and on the first floor there are administrative rooms related to the service of the station and intended for drivers.
The station is modeled on the 19th century railway station buildings, with a colorful roof and the Wieliczka coat of arms. The building is the culmination of a new communication system in the Wieliczka Poviat. The provincial conservator of monuments supervised the project of the new station. Admittedly, the building is very nice. The roof of the station was covered with tiles. It is arranged in geometric patterns and the dominant colors are black, yellow, green and brown. Additionally, the roof has the coat of arms of Wieliczka, also made of tiles in the appropriate colors: blue and yellow. As the whole building is situated in a low ground, it is visible from many places in Wieliczka. Especially the colorful, original and nice roof. This station is unique in Poland and is already featured on many postcards from Wieliczka.
Of course, bus lines support newly purchased public transport buses. Buses started operating in September 2019. The public transport operator in the Wieliczka Commune is the Wielicka Spółka Transportowa company established for this task.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman