The tender—worth more than PLN 5 billion in local currency (around USD 1.3 billion)—is the largest so far under the delayed Central Transport Hub (CPK) project, a flagship infrastructure initiative aimed at transforming Poland into a regional transport hub.
Maciej Lasek, the government’s commissioner for the CPK project and a deputy infrastructure minister, announced details at a press conference on Thursday.
He said the total value of tenders planned for 2025 under the project would reach around PLN 30 billion.
Lasek told reporters that the terminal tender specifically excludes companies from countries without appropriate agreements with the European Union, such as China and Turkey, effectively narrowing eligibility to EU-aligned bidders.
Dariusz Kuś, deputy CEO of the CPK company, said a shortlist of up to five contractors or consortia will be selected by November.
A months-long negotiation phase will follow, with price bids expected by mid-2026 and the final contractor to be chosen in September next year.
The contract is expected to be signed by the end of 2026.
The new terminal will initially be capable of handling 34 million passengers annually, with the option to expand to 44 million, according to CPK CEO Filip Czernicki.
"We are maintaining flexibility to adjust to increasing passenger traffic,” Czernicki said, adding that the latest forecasts suggest demand may surpass 34 million even before opening day.
“We might already be preparing to handle 38 million by 2032, without major design changes,” he told the news conference.
The Central Transport Hub, a key national infrastructure project, will be sited about half-way between Warsaw and the central city of Łódź and include a major airport and a new high-speed rail network.
The airport is expected to be certified in 2031 and operational by 2032, opening alongside the first high-speed rail segment connecting Warsaw, the airport and Łódź.
The overall project cost through 2032 is projected at PLN 131.7 billion (roughly EUR 30 billion), state news agency PAP reported.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP