Chociwel 2024-11-07

Chociwel Railway Station.

Geographic coordinates: 53.469N 15.334E. Elevation 78 m (255.91 ft). Address: ulica Maszynistów Kolejowych, Chociwel 73-120.

City of Chociwel.

Chociwel is a city in Poland, in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in Stargard County. Chociwel is a city with the rights of an urban-rural commune. The city was founded in 1338. At that time, it was the property of the Wedel family. Chociwel has a long history, dating back to the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, there was a Slavic settlement here. In medieval times, the city was part of the Duchy of Pomerania. In Germanic times, the city was called Freienwalde. The area of ​​the city is 3.67 km2. The population of the city is 2,991 (2023). In 2009, the population was 3,266 inhabitants. In 2016, the commune was inhabited by 5,903 people. The city is well connected. The city is crossed by; national road No. 20 Stargard – Gdynia, provincial road No. 144 Chociwel – Nowogard, and nearby is provincial road No. 142 Lisowo – direction Szczecin. From the city of Chociwel, the distance to: Stargard is 25 km, Szczecin is 61 km, Szczecinek is 108 km, Poznań 177 km, Warsaw 450 km. Geographically, Chociwel is located in the macroregion of the Pomeranian Lake District, in the Ińskie Lake District, on the Krąpiel River and Lake Chociwel (formerly Starzyca) with a characteristic crescent shape. Chociwel is a center of the food and wood industry. In this area, there are good soils, and thanks to this, there are numerous arable fields. On the northern side, there are forests that belong to the Ińskie Landscape Park. Forest areas cover 34% of the commune’s area, and agricultural land 56%. Tourism plays a small role in the commune’s economy. There is only one tourist facility with 43 beds for year-round accommodation and 24 beds in summer cottages. In the summer, there is a water equipment rental at the lake. The regional culinary product is the village war bread. The commune has a post office: Poczta Polska Chociwel.

On March 3, 1945, the city was occupied by units of the Soviet 61st Army and the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the 1st Belorussian Front. By decision of the greats of this world, Chociwel was annexed to Poland. In the period 1975–1998, the city administratively belonged to the Szczecin Voivodeship. In 2017, the names of the streets were changed; Karola Świerczewskiego to Jana Pawła II and 25 Lecia PRL to Maszynistów Kolejowych.

The most valuable monument and temple in the city is the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, which is a Gothic building from the 15th century. In 1945, the church was taken over again by Catholics. Since then, the pastoral care has been carried out by priests of the OO Christowcy. This is the Archdiocese of Szczecin-Kamień. There are fragments of defensive walls in the city, because the city was fortified.

The railway in Chociwel.

Chociwel station is located at 305.880 km of LK No. 202. To the west, there is a passenger stop in Lisowo (310.930 km of LK No. 202). To the east, there is a passenger stop in Cieszyno Łobeskie (294.420 km of LK No. 202). On this part of the LK, the route is double-track.

Chociwel station received the Germanic name Freienwalde Pommern. The first train departed from the railway station in Chociwel on June 1, 1859. This was related to the opening of the Stargard – Koszalin section of the railway line, which was part of a larger railway network in Pomerania. The construction of this connection was part of the dynamic expansion of the railway network in Prussian lands, which contributed to the economic development of the region, including Chociwel. In 1870, the LK was extended from Koszalin to Gdańsk. In 1986, LK No. 202 was electrified.

A station was built at the station, consisting of two interconnected buildings. The ground floor building housed a waiting room, ticket and baggage offices, and a restaurant. The adjacent three-story building housed apartments for railway employees and the restaurateur. Toilets were located in a separate building. In the following years, a telegraph and a telephone switchboard were installed at the station.

Initially, there were no platforms on the station level. Over time, two earth platforms with stone edges were built. Platform 1 is a single-edge platform and is located on the side of the station building. Trains heading towards Runowo Pomorskie station stop at this platform. Platform 2 is an island platform, but has one edge, although in theory it can serve passengers from Platform 1. Trains heading towards Stargard station stop at Platform 2. Access to the platforms is at the level of the tracks. There was no footbridge for passengers or a tunnel at the station.

Currently (2024), there is a modest station building at the station. There was a ticket office and a waiting room in the building, but the building is closed. There are benches, garbage cans, bus shelters on the platform. There is an unused water tower at the station, no water cranes, a warehouse building, a loading ramp, a storage yard. There is monitoring at Chociwel station. The station has light semaphores that were installed during the electrification of the LK. Without a doubt, the Chociwel station and LK No. 202 require a general renovation.

The station is crossed by LK No. 202 Gdańsk Główny – Stargard, which stretches in the northern part of Poland, in a latitudinal direction and runs through the Pomeranian Voivodeship and the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. LK No. 202 is 334.363 km long. The line is electrified with 3 kV DC. The maximum speed of the train is 140 km/h. The line is single-track and double-track. Launch of the railway line; 1859.06.01 Stargard – Koszalin. 1869.07.01 Koszalin – Słupsk. 1870.09.01 Słupsk – Gdańsk Główny. Construction of the second track; 1909, Lębork – Słupsk. 1909, Białogard – Runowo Pomorskie. 1902, Runowo Pomorskie – Stargard. In 1945, the second track was dismantled by the Soviets. 1953, Runowo Pomorskie – Chociwel. 1955, Chociwel – Ulikowo. By 2024, it had not been possible to rebuild the second track on the entire LK No. 202. Electrification was carried out in stages; 1969.09.13 Gdańsk Główny – Gdynia Główna. 1969.10.19 Rumia – Wejherowo. 1989.09.06 Wejherowo – Słupsk. 1988.12.02 Koszalin – Słupsk. 1988.06.30 Białogard – Koszalin. 1987.12.15 Świdwin – Białogard. 1987.07.15 Runowo Pomorskie – Świdwin. 1986.12.16 Stargard – Runowo Pomorskie.

Over the past 10 years, Chociwel station has served about 300 passengers per day. The collapse occurred only in 2020, due to the Chinese virus pandemic. The ticket office in the station building is closed. Tickets can be purchased on the train or online. The toilet is in the form of a ToyToy cabin. On November 7, 2024, 36 passenger trains departed from Chociwel station. You could go to: Białystok, Gdańsk Główny, Goleniów, Koszalin, Łobez, Miastko, Olsztyn Główny, Słupsk, Szczecin Główny, Szczecinek. PolRegio and InterCity trains stop at the station. InterCity trains: 81104 RYBAK, 85100 ALBATROS, 85108 STAŃCZYK, 85106 GRYF, 85104 BRYZA, 85102 ŻURAW.

Written by Karol Placha Hetman