Changing to the future

As part of the implementation of the "Katowice 2030" urban development plan adopted in 2015, the city administration defined investments of strategic importance. These investments focus mainly on four areas: quality of life, urban planning, economic development, transport and logistics.

New transport hubs for the promotion of sustainable transport

The promotion of sustainable transport plays an important role here. The concept of the "Integrated Interchange System" envisages several new transport hubs in Katowice as an interface between rail, bus, tram, bicycle and motorized individual transport. In addition to Park&Ride and Bike&Ride car parks, new stops will be created to ensure a smooth transition between trams, buses, cars and bicycles. The aim is the optimal intermeshing of the various - as sustainable as possible - means of transport at local, regional, supraregional, national and international level.

Bus station as a link

A new bus station will also play a central role here. It will be located within sight of the main railway station, which will be reopened in 2012, with its shopping center and direct connection to the city center. The bus station is not only the interface to the railway, but also connects Katowice with the airport, which is located about 30 km to the north and not yet connected to the Polish railway network. The importance of the connection can be clearly seen in the number of passengers, which has doubled to five million within eight years. There are now non-stop flights to 36 international destinations, including London, Rome and Frankfurt am Main.

Visiting card of modern Katowice

The new bus station will thus become the representative visiting card of modern Katowice for guests arriving from near and far. On a total area of 4,220 m², 15 covered bus terminals for regional, national and international bus traffic will be built. In addition, there will be around 130 car parking spaces and covered bicycle parking spaces. The two-story service building for travelers offers space for gastronomy, press and a baggage room. Regional traffic is handled on the ground floor, while the service and waiting areas for international long-distance traffic are located on the upper floor.

The possibility of changing the tube lengths up to two weeks before the start of production was decisive for the award of the contract.Patryk Maciejewski, Salzgitter Mannesmann Stahlhandel Sp. z.o.o. at Słupca, Poland

300 t steel tubes for an unusual roof structure

Construction work began in 2018 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019. For the unusual roof structure, Mannesmann Line Pipe supplied around 300 tons of HFI-welded steel tubes via Salzgitter Mannesmann Stahlhandel Sp. z.o.o. at Słupca.

Patryk Maciejewski was the responsible sales employee at Salzgitter Mannesmann Stahlhandel Poland and explains how the order was placed: "Our customer wanted to obtain the steel components required for the entire project from a single source. Via the Salzgitter AG Group, we were also able to supply the corresponding steel girders and the required sheet metal.
However, it was not only the overall package that convinced the customer, but also the flexibility in production. "The possibility of changing the tube lengths up to two weeks before the start of production was decisive for the award of the contract," reports Maciejewski. Mannesmann Line Pipe delivered the 508.0 x 20.0 mm steel tubes to the processing company Kersten Europe in Poland in 2018. There the tubes were bent to the specified radii before being delivered to the construction site in central Katowice at the beginning of 2019. Meanwhile, the foundation work has been completed, the service building is under construction and the first steel columns for the roof structure have already been erected. The bus station is scheduled to open at the end of 2019 as a change to the future for its passengers.