A passenger train derailed near Krakow on January 20th due to natural rail dislodging caused by low temperatures; no injuries were reported.
Train Derailment Near Krakow
On Tuesday, January 20th, at approximately 21:10, a Polregio train from Kielce Main Station to Krakow Main Station derailed on the route between Miechów and Słomniki on the railway line between Krakow and Warsaw. Polish National Railways reported that about 20 passengers were on board at the time of the incident. Fortunately, no one was injured. Minister of Infrastructure, Dariusz Klimczak, confirmed this information.
Cause Identified
On Wednesday morning, around 5:00, the Małopolska police announced that the railway commission had determined the cause of the accident. Sabotage was ruled out. “A natural rail dislodging occurred due to the effects of low temperatures. Repair equipment from PKP has been dispatched to the site to restore functionality to the tracks,” read the announcement.
Railway Disruptions
Emergency services are working at the scene, and specialized equipment has been brought in to re-rail the train. Polish National Railways reported that the extent of repairs needs to be assessed. “Changes to the schedule have been introduced, which we are informing passengers about at stations, stops, and on the Passenger Portal website. Trains are being rerouted via Olkusz station on line 62 and Trzebinia station on line 133, as well as via Katowice station through Zawiercie. Alternative bus transportation has also been introduced,” PLK announced shortly after the derailment.
