Five companies have submitted bids to construct what is claimed to be Poland’s longest railway tunnel on line no. 85 in Lodz, central Poland.

The allocated budget is 2.8bn zlotys ($684.4m) gross. The lowest bid came in at 2.16bn zlotys gross, and the highest at 2.79bn zlotys gross, indicating that all submissions are within the financial scope set by the contracting authority.

This move is said to signify the largest construction tender by Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) to date and is a pivotal step towards enhancing Poland’s rail infrastructure.

PORR, as the leader, and PORR Bau, as a partner, submitted a bid of 2.16bn zlotys gross. Gulermak and China Harbour Engineering each submitted a bid worth 2.58bn zlotys.

With Dogus Insaat Ve Ticaret as a partner, consortium leader NDI proposed 2.59bn zlotys gross. TORPOL, as the leader, alongside MIRBUD as a partner, bid 2.79bn zlotys gross.

The selection of the most advantageous bid will be based on price, carrying a 70% weightage, and personnel qualifications carrying a 30% weightage. The chosen contractor will have 46 months to complete the project once the contract is signed.

Poland Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak said: “The safety of people living in the immediate vicinity of the ongoing investment is a priority. All residents of Lodz must be assured that the project is being conducted responsibly, adhering to the highest technical standards.”

The 4.6km tunnel will primarily accommodate high-speed trains connecting Warsaw, Wrocław, and Poznan.

A key component of the “Y” line high-speed railway route, the CPK long-distance tunnel will traverse the centre of Lodz, necessitating thorough geotechnical analysis and structural safeguards.

The drilling is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2026, with completion expected by the third quarter of 2028.

The entire line between Warsaw and Lodz is set to be operational by 2032, coinciding with the new national airport’s opening.

It is expected to reduce the travel time between the two cities to approximately 40 minutes, marking a milestone in the “100 Minutes Poland” rail project aimed at improving connectivity.

Poland Infrastructure Deputy Minister and CPK Government Commissioner Maciej Lasek said: “This is an exceptionally ambitious undertaking, as the Łódź tunnel will have the largest diameter of any underground structure constructed to date using the TBM method in Poland. It will also become the longest tunnel of its kind built as a single section.”