Oława 2024-10-03

Railway station in Oława.

Oława is a railway station on the Wrocław-Opole route, on the railway line No. 132 Wrocław-Bytom. Geographic coordinates 50.927N 17.305E. Elevation 134 m. Address: Kolejowa Street 1, 55-200 Oława.

The railway symbol of the city of Oława is that the Wrocław – Oława railway line was the first railway line in Lower Silesia. The first train ran along this route on May 22, 1842. The route was built by the Upper Silesian Railway Company. The line was then led through Gliwice to Mysłowice and then to the Austrian partition, through Trzebinia to Kraków. The Wrocław (Upper Silesian Railway station) – Oława section was exactly 24.100 km long.

The Oława PKP station is located on the north-eastern side of the tracks. Address Oława, Spacerowa Street 2. The station has two platforms. Platform 1 is single-edged and located next to the station building. Platform 1 has a roof next to the building, which is about 66 m long. The roof structure is made of steel. Platform 1 is 380 m long and allows for the service of any passenger train. Platform 2 is an island platform and is 295 m long. The platform is roofed. The shelter is 75 m long and has a wooden structure covered with roofing felt. Access to the platforms is provided by a tunnel under the platforms. Three tracks run through the passenger station. During the last renovation, the station was fenced with a sound-absorbing fence.

Behind the platforms, on the south-east side, there is a culvert along Małodworcowa Street. In the south-east part of the station is part of the freight station, with storage yards, warehouses and six tracks. Here was the locomotive shed and equipment for coaling steam locomotives. Several sidings led from the freight station to the north and south to numerous workplaces. Until the 1990s, there were about 15 factories and plants that had railway sidings. After the social changes, many of these plants were liquidated and the railway sidings became overgrown or were dismantled. At the turn of the century, the situation began to improve. Currently (2022), the railway sidings are used by the following plants: “Wagon Świdnica Oddział w Oławie”, “Electrolux Poland”, “Centrozłom”, “Zm Silesia SA” (formerly Huta Oława S.A.).

On November 10, 1989, the station was entered into the register of monuments with registration number A/3999/628/W.

In the period 2007-2009, the Oława station underwent a major renovation. This was related to the modernization of the E30 railway route, on the Opole-Wrocław-Legnica section. Over 40 km of railway tracks and electric traction were replaced. About 60 straight turnouts and 10 English-type turnouts were replaced. The rail traffic control system was modernized. In the vicinity of the Oława station, the railway bridge over the Oława River was renovated. In front of the Oława station, from the north-west, there is a viaduct over the county road. A road viaduct with 1 Maja Street (national road No. 94) runs over the eastern part of the platforms. The viaduct was maintained in 2009. Railway investments in Oława cost PLN 66 million. The contractor was: Przedsiębiorstwo Robót Kolejowych i Inżynieryjne we Wrocławiu S.A., DOLKOM Dolnośląskie Przedsiębiorstwo Napraw Infrastruktury Komunikacyjnych, Przedsiębiorstwo Robót Komunikacyjnych w Krakowie S.A.

In 2022, PKP PLK undertook to renovate the station in Oława, provided that the local government rents the premises after the completion of the project. The historic building will be rebuilt and adapted to the needs of the local community. Ticket offices will be eliminated, and instead there will be ticket machines. The station’s functions will be preserved in the form of a railway information point, waiting room and toilets. The building is planned to house a Municipal Guard station, a blood donation point or a pharmacy. There will be no architectural barriers for disabled people in the facility. The works will be carried out under the supervision of a conservator. The works are planned to be completed in 2026.

According to the PKP classification, it has the category of a regional station. In 2019, the station served approximately 1,900 passengers per day. Currently, the InterCity train from PKP Oława to Wrocław Główny PKP takes 24 minutes. Trains run every 60 minutes.

Written by Karol Placha Hetman