National rail line network operator's investment to grow 30 pct in 2020

PKP PLK, the Polish railway infrastructure manager, plans to increase the value of its investments by 30 percent in 2020 to some PLN 14-15 billion (EUR 3.28-3.52 billion), the company's CEO, Ireneusz Merchel, has told PAP.

"Next year will be a year of continuation of the investments already launched," said Merchel listing such important project as the modernisation of the Krakow-Katowice line and the conclusion of the modernisation of the Warsaw-Poznan line. Both investments are to significantly increase comfort, shorten travel time and further raise safety standards.

Merchel also announced next year's conclusion of the modernisation of a crucial rail link between Warsaw and Radom south of the capital and the continuation of work aimed at improving rail accessibility to Poland's biggest Baltic ports - Gdansk, Gdynia, Szczecin and Swinoujscie.

The company is also planning to start a large-scale modernisation project of Warszawa Zachodnia rail station, one of the three largest railway stations in Poland's capital.

Polish State Railways - Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PKP PLK) is a company with majority stock held by the State Treasury.