Upgraded line (Ausbaustrecke) Poznań – Sovetsk
This proposal is complementary to the earlier proposed high-speed lines Berlin – Riga – Tallinn, and Warsaw – Kaunas – Riga. It would provide a third high-speed route into the Baltic States region. It is not included in the official EU project, Priority Axis 27.
The proposal consists of upgrading of existing lines (Ausbaustrecke), with some new sections, over 500 km between Poznań and Sovetsk. This is the former German main line, from Berlin to the Memelland, via the historical territory of East Prussia. It was originally entirely inside the Reich (see the map of the regional network in 1895), but it was cut after both World Wars. The line east of the Oder now runs through Poland and the Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian Federation exclave). Sovetsk, formerly Tilsit, is now on the border with Lithuania, which annexed the Memelland in 1923.
Most of the line was opened in 1871-1873. The 290-km section from Toruń (Thorn) to Chernyakhovsk (Insterburg) built as part of Preussische Ostbahn network. The section from Poznan (Posen) to Toruń, was built separately by the Oberschlesische Eisenbahn. The whole 392-km section in Poland is today numbered as Polish line 353, up to the border station at Zheleznodorozhny, just inside Kaliningrad Oblast. From there, it is another 45 km to Chernyakhovsk. The remaining 54-km section from Chernyakhovsk to Sovetsk was built in 1865, as the Tilsit-Insterburger Eisenbahn. The line carries freight, and regional and local services. Upgrading should provide sufficient capacity for these, if necessary with extra tracks, and raise the line speed for fast trains.
Poznań (formerly Posen, population 567 000), is on the main rail line from Berlin to Warsaw. (Berlin, rather than Poznań, would be the start of most high-speed services over the upgraded line). Although the traffic flow is east-west, Poznań station is oriented north-south, and the line from Berlin enters it from the south. The station itself needs an upgrade.
From Poznań, the line runs 135 km north-east to Toruń (population around 200 000). It crosses the Vistula here: the river is the only major natural barrier on the whole route (there are no hills). Toruń station is on the south bank, although the Old Town and most of the city is on the north bank. After the main station, the existing line turns north, to cross the river at right angles, and then serves the simple Miasto (Town) Station, immediately after the bridge. Rather than doubling this line, a new bridge or tunnel crossing, further east, would be simpler (shown in red).
95 km further, the line crosses line 9 Warsaw – Gdańsk, at Iława (formerly Deutsch Eylau). Most high-speed trains would therefore stop here, although the town has only 40 000 inhabitants.
From there, it is 69 km to Olsztyn, formerly Allenstein (population 175 000, agglomeration 270 000). This is the regional centre for a large area, approximately the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship with 1,4 million inhabitants. The upgraded line would connect here, with a possible new HSL from Warsaw, (including a new route from Mława to Olsztyn).
67 km further, at Korsze, the line crosses the former main line from Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) to Białystok in the Russian Empire. This was one of the major lines of the former East Prussia or Ostpreussen.
The East Prussian context of Korschen junction
The station at Korschen was a classic rural junction station – important for travellers but otherwise isolated. Despite the proposed high-quality inter-regional line Kaliningrad – Ełk – Białystok, there is no reason for trains on the Sovetsk route to stop here. There are alternative rail routes, for all possible interchanges. A new bypass of the station at Korsze would avoid two right-angle curves: a new south-to-west curve would allow direct Kaliningrad – Olsztyn trains. (A cut-off line from Bartoszyce via Bisztynek would however be shorter).
With a Korsze by-pass, the line Olsztyn – Chernyakhovsk would be about 135 km long. Fast inter-regional trains could serve one intermediate station at Zheleznodorozhny (formerly Gerdauen), on a reopened regional line from Kaliningrad via Pravdinsk to Masuria.
Chernyakhovsk / Черняхо́вск, formerly Insterburg, has a population of 44 000. Unlike Korsze, it is still an active rail junction (mainly for freight, with break-of-gauge). The upgrading would include a standard-gauge by-pass of the town for through services. Via the existing station, trains could access the proposed east-west HSL Kaliningrad – Kaunas – Vilnius. Passenger could also transfer to a reopened line to Ełk.
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From Chernyakhovsk a new standard-gauge line would be needed, parallel to the existing line (most of it is straight). Approaching Sovetsk, it would join the alignment of the proposed Berlin – Riga – Tallinn HSL. The town of Sovetsk / Сове́тск, formerly Tilsit (population 43 000) would not be the terminus for most trains. They would continue northwards over the HSL toward Riga, or over a new standard-gauge line to Klaipėda and Liepāja. Passenger could also change for intermediate stations, on the proposed HSL Kaunas – Šakiai – Sovetsk. The alignment through the town is dead straight, and there is room for expansion of the lines and station.
The line proposed here would form a second main route between Berlin and Sovetsk – as it was until the First World War. It is not a fully new line, but with upgrading to a general line speed of 200 km/h, the journey time Poznań – Sovetsk would be about 3 hours.
