Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK), the transport hub under development in central Poland, has opened a tender to design and build an underground tunnel and a railway station beneath the planned CPK Airport.
The project aims to establish rail links connecting the airport with major Polish cities.
Interested bidders must submit applications for the competitive dialogue procedure by 12 December 2025.
The procurement process is divided into two lots. The first covers the design and construction of the eastern and central tunnel sections, including the station.
The second addresses the western section and junction area. Both lots include optional provisions for track systems and internal transport equipment to facilitate short-distance passenger and cargo movement.
Up to five bidders will be shortlisted for each lot.
CPK expects to award the contract in Q1 2027, with project completion scheduled for 2031.
Poland Infrastructure Deputy Minister and CPK Government Plenipotentiary Maciej Lasek said: “Following the launch of the terminal tender, we’re moving forward with another major procurement – this time for the tunnel and railway station beneath the airport.
“We’re seeking a contractor with proven experience in large-scale tunnelling and infrastructure projects in Poland.”
The proposed tunnel will measure approximately 6km in length and is expected to have a total volume of 3.5 million m3.
This will make it one of the largest tunnels in Poland, with dimensions exceeding those of the Limanowa rail tunnel and S3 road tunnels near Kamienna Góra.
The tunnel will follow an east–west route, providing infrastructure for railway lines 5, 85, and 88. These lines will offer direct connections to Warsaw, Gdańsk, Katowice, and Łódź.
According to CPK’s schedule, the railway station and tunnel beneath the airport are expected to open in late 2032, coinciding with the introduction of a high-speed rail line between Warsaw and Łódź.
Additional sections of Poland’s national high-speed “Y” network, linking Łódź to Wrocław and Sieradz to Poznań, are projected for completion by 2035.
CPK CEO Dr Filip Czernicki said: “The tunnel is an integral part of high-speed line No. 85 linking the CPK Airport with Warsaw and Łódź. The station will form a fully integrated part of the terminal, enabling smooth and rapid transfers between rail and air.”
In July this year, CPK launched a tender to appoint a general contract engineer (GCE) for its new airport project.
The selected contractor will act as both project management consultant (PMC) and construction manager, with proven experience in international greenfield airport projects and major infrastructure developments in Poland.
In April this year, Poland’s CPK awarded a 1.76bn zlotys ($465.7m) contract to a consortium led by PORR for the construction of a high-speed rail tunnel in Łódź.
The CPK investment in Łódź forms part of the trans-European North Sea–Baltic Corridor, a key route within the EU’s core TEN-T network.
In December 2024, five companies bid to build railway tunnel on line no. 85 in Łódź.
The project’s budget is 2.8bn zlotys ($684.4m), with bids ranging from 2.16bn zlotys to 2.79bn zlotys, all within the allocated budget.
In January 2023, RB Rail, the joint venture coordinating Rail Baltica, signed an MoU with Poland's CPK and Czech rail operator Správa železnic, státní organizace (SZCZ) to collaborate on developing a high-speed rail network in North-East Europe.
Rail Baltica aims to link the Baltic states to the European rail network.
