Gdańsk Główny (lit.'Gdańsk main') is the chief railway station serving the city of Gdańsk, in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. The station opened in 1900 and is located on the Warsaw–Gdańsk railway, Gdańsk–Stargard railway, the parallel Gdańsk Śródmieście–Rumia railway, Gdańsk Główny–Gdańsk Zaspa Towarowa railway and Gdańsk Główny–Gdańsk Nowy Port railway. The train services are operated by PKP, Polregio and SKM Tricity. Koleje Mazowieckie trains operate here during the summer.
The first railway line in Gdańsk opened in 1852.[1] Around 1867, in the area of today's main railway station (Główny) a small, temporary passenger terminal Danzig Hohes Tor (Gdańsk Brama Wyżynna) was built. Access to it was only from the west, from the so-called. "Promenade" (ul. 3 Maja). To the east of the station the city separated because of the modern fortifications and moat of Gdańsk. The station could begin to expand after filling up the old moat and demolishing the western bastions.
The existing station was built between 1894 and 1900, with the official opening on 30 October 1900. The station shares its design with Colmar station in Alsace, France, which was part of the German Empire at the time as well.[2]
In 1945 the station was set on fire and was restored after World War II. The tower escaped the fire.
On 2 January 1952 the SKM Trojmiasto suburban railway was opened, parallel to the existing line between Gdańsk and Gdynia.[3]
The station features five island platforms, of which three function for the regional commuter SKM services and the other two for long-distance services and regional services. Access to the platforms is via subways from the east and west sides of the city. On the east side, the subway ends on the other side of Podwale Grodzkie street, and on the west side, it goes directly into the PKS (long-distance bus) station. Connecting tunnels enable access to the station building and tram stops, and contain shops, fast food bars, newsagents, and other kiosks.
Nowadays there is a small shopping centre on the patio, and a McDonald's and KFC inside the terminal. Ticket offices are open all day, and the station sells international as well as domestic tickets.
A copy of the Gdańsk main railway station is located in Imari on the island of Kiusiu, Japan. It was built in 1984 by a Japanese businessman Shigemi Joshida and now serves as a wedding palace.[4]
In the early 1990s, during the general overhaul of the train station, a two-level hall was built for shops. This did not prove popular and was demolished in 2013.
Modernisation work took place in early 2017. The work aimed to remove changes made to the northern part of the building, replace windows and doors, update the passenger information system, security systems, introduce escalators, renewed lifts and an extension of the tunnel located to the east of the station. The project also included the restoration and reintroduction of the details that had been lost or damaged as a result of World War II. In 2023, the reconstruction of the railway station was completed and cost a total of PLN 120 million.[5]
In terms of the reconstruction of the railway infrastructure, PKP PLK plans to overhaul long-distance platforms 1 and 2 and the tunnels, replace lighting (preserving their historical shapes) and installation of passenger information systems, elevators and escalators.
Media related to Gdańsk Główny at Wikimedia Commons
