Poland’s railway infrastructure manager, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PKP PLK), will soon complete the installation of the GSM-R system on the Central Railway Line (CMK).
PKP PLK has begun erecting the final radio mast for the GSM-R system, installing the telecommunications tower in Secemin, in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, marking the completion of the digital radio communications infrastructure on one of the country’s most important railway lines.
The GSM-R system contractor, a consortium consisting of Nokia Solutions and Networks, Fonon, and SPC-2, has begun installing the final base station on the Central Railway Line (Railway Line No. 4). The work included the installation of the telecommunications tower and the construction of 35 radio communication sites that will complete the digital radio network along the line.
Commissioning and the start of GSM-R testing on the Central Railway Line are scheduled for August 2026.
“The construction of a unified GSM-R network is one of the most important modernization projects for the Polish railways. The installation of the final facility on the CMK demonstrates that we are constantly enhancing the safety and reliability of train operations on Poland’s most important lines,” stated Piotr Malepszak, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure.
Digitization of the Central Railway Line
The completion of the installation of the final GSM-R elements in Secemin brings us closer to a modern digital communications system that enhances the safety and reliability of train operations. At the same time, the ETCS Level 2 system, together with GSM-R, is essential for trains to operate on the Central Railway Line at speeds of 250 km/h.
The ETCS Level 2 system, using GSM-R as the transmission medium, continuously monitors the driver’s actions, reacts if messages and warnings are ignored, and automatically stops the train if it exceeds the permitted speed. This requires data transmission between the control center and the train—a function provided by GSM-R digital radio communication.
“The completion of radio infrastructure construction on the CMK represents a major milestone in the creation of the national GSM-R network. It is also a technology that will allow us to raise safety standards and prepare the infrastructure of Line 4 for the implementation of ETCS Level 2, so that we can fully utilize the speed of Pendolino trains,” said Krzysztof Drozdowski, Director of Digital Transformation at PKP PLK.
GSM-R ensures stable communication between locomotive engineers and traffic control personnel, as well as with safety services. It also forms the basis for the implementation of ERTMS, which must be deployed on the European Union’s main transport corridors. Thanks to the standardization of systems across the EU, trains will be able to circulate freely between member states.
The project implemented on the CMK line is part of the initiative “Construction of the ERTMS/GSM-R system infrastructure on PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe railway lines,” which covers approximately 14,000 km of track and is the largest telecommunications project in the history of the PLK network. Its value exceeds 3 billion zlotys (710 million EUR) and it receives European funding under the Infrastructure, Climate, and Environment program.
One of the most modern lines in Poland
The Central Railway Line (CMK) is one of the most important and modern railway lines in Poland, with a length of 224 km and originally designed for high-speed passenger and freight traffic.
The line connects Warsaw to the south of the country, providing fast connections to major urban centers such as Katowice, Kraków, and, indirectly, Wrocław. Traffic on the CMK is dominated by high-speed trains, including those operated by PKP Intercity (such as the Pendolino), but the line is also used for freight transport due to its high technical specifications.
Thanks to recent modernizations and the implementation of ERTMS/ETCS, the CMK allows speeds of up to 200–250 km/h, making it essential for national mobility and the integration of the Polish railway network into European transport corridors.
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