Sat Apr 12 12:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Century-Old Railway Line Gets a Modern Makeover

**Krakow, Poland** – A historic railway line connecting Chabówka and Nowy Sącz, originally built during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is undergoing a significant modernization. The 77-kilometer stretch, part of the 1884 Galician Transversal Railway, will be almost entirely rebuilt, replacing its winding, 19th-century route with a straighter path allowing for speeds up to 160 km/h.

The original line, built for primarily military purposes to provide an alternative route to Lwów (present-day Lviv) in case of war with Russia, was characterized by its circuitous design, limiting train speeds to 60-70 km/h. Its construction spurred economic development in previously underdeveloped mountain regions. Passenger service on this section ceased in 2006, with only occasional tourist excursions utilizing steam trains.

This revitalization project is more than just an upgrade; it’s part of a larger initiative. A new 58-kilometer line connecting Podłęże (near Krakow) to Piekiełko (near Tymbark) will be built, creating a significantly shorter route from Krakow to Podhale, Sądecczyzna, and onward to Slovakia. This new network will dramatically improve travel times and efficiency for the region. The modernization of the Chabówka-Nowy Sącz line, therefore, represents a crucial element of this broader infrastructure enhancement. The project highlights the evolution of a railway system originally built to serve the strategic interests of a bygone empire now adapted to meet the modern transportation needs of the region.

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