Get on the train and go to Wisła

Integration of bus and train stops as well as combination of public and regional transport is today the fastest growing communication trend as well as an increasingly effective remedy for car traffic which grows year by year. We encourage citizens to switch to public transport rather than spend time in traffic jams. That is why we developed a transfer node in Wisła. In the first place, we had to renovate the railway station building, which had long ceased to perform its function. The lobby and ticket office were closed. The technical condition of the building left a lot to be desired and its location in the city centre had a negative impact on the aesthetics of its vicinity. We wanted to change it and at the same time encourage travellers to use railway transport.

Soon after the commune took over the station building, the design works and the search for new sources of funds for the whole investment started. Already in 2016, we commissioned the development of documentation covering the construction of a transfer node nearby the existing railway building. A year later, we got a permit to start the works. We could commence the modernisation of the station when we received the EU donation.

The investment was complicated already at the design stage. The historical nature of the facility required agreements with the monuments’ conservator, and the vicinity of railway area – continuous contact with the manager of railway property. Within the project, we renovated the external section of the railway building as well as part of its interior where the transfer node was created. We managed to combine interesting architectural elements from the early 20th century with the modern function of such facility. The revitalisation also covered the station’s surroundings. Area for buses and a taxi lot were designated nearby. Likewise, the townscape elements, such as benches, waste bins, parking lot for bikes, appeared. Trees and shrubs were planted.

Today, the travellers have access to the lobby, ticket office, toilets, and luggage storage. The facility is multi-functional and accessible for the disabled. The investment translated into a significant increase in the number of passengers in our town. Today, the transfer node is eagerly used by the citizens as well as tourists, who appreciate the advantages of integrating various forms of public transport.

Railway station building, which was commissioned in 1929, is one of the most important facilities in our town. Sadly, it has been systematically deteriorating in recent years. Due to its central location in our town, it was not the best showcase of Wisła, which is known as the Pearl of the Beskidy and visited by thousands of tourists. It was hard to watch the once beautiful station turn into ruin and defaced our town.

Thanks to the renovation, the old building regained its lost splendour. Newspapers write that today it is the most beautiful historical railway station in the region. It has several functions these days, not all of which are related to communication. It is worth seeing because there are old, historical elements preserved inside.

I often use the means of public transport. Nearby, there is an intercity bus stop and a taxi parking. This is very convenient. Most often, I travel by train to Katowice. It is quiet, clean and comfortable on the train. These are very good travelling conditions. I sometimes take grandchildren for railway trips to see historical bridges in Wisła Dziechcinka and Łabajowa. I am convinced that if there are more trains on the schedule, citizens and tourists will use this form of transport even more eagerly.

I hope that the creation of the transfer node will serve to reduce the number of cars entering Wisła in summer and winter seasons, especially when the necessary renovation of the railway line is completed. It will help us at least partly solve the communication problems that have been affecting the town for years. If more tourists opt to travel by train, it will be a great success of the project. A reduced number of cars on the Wisła road will be beneficial for both the environment and our health. Smog, which is so troublesome in winter, will decrease. With our current air pollution level, eliminating even slight quantities of dust is very important for us.

I am happy that the transfer node building and its vicinity have acquired a new quality not only in terms of aesthetics but mainly as regards functionality. The renovated railway station is finally a good symbol of Wisła.