Żegiestowie Tunnel
| Żegiestów Tunnel | |
|---|---|
Portal of the tunnel | |
Interactive map of Żegiestów Tunnel | |
| Overview | |
| Other name | Żegiestowski Tunnel |
| Line | Tarnów–Leluchów railway |
| Location | Żegiestów, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland |
| Status | Active[1] |
| Crosses | Łopata Polska, Poprad Valley |
| Start | Żegiestów-Zdrój side |
| End | Andrzejówka side |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 18 August 1876[1][2] |
| Owner | PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe |
| Operator | PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe |
| Traffic | Railway |
| Character | Single-track railway tunnel |
| Technical | |
| Length | 513 m (1,683 ft)[1][2] |
The Żegiestów Tunnel (Tunel w Żegiestowie), also known as the Żegiestowski Tunnel, is a railway tunnel near Żegiestów in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of southern Poland. It carries the Tarnów–Leluchów railway through the Poprad Valley between Żegiestów-Zdrój and Andrzejówka.[1][2]
At 513 m (1,683 ft) in length, it is the longest historic railway tunnel on line no. 96 and one of the best-known railway tunnels in Lesser Poland.[1][2]
Description
The tunnel lies at km 129.623–130.136 of railway line no. 96 between Żegiestów-Zdrój and Andrzejówka.[1] It was driven through the slope of Łopata Polska above the gorge-like section of the Poprad river near Żegiestów.[2][3]
Wojciech Preidl describes the structure as 513 m (1,683 ft) long in its present form, while also noting that earlier sources gave a length of 680 m (2,230 ft).[2] He states that the tunnel is straight in plan for most of its length, with only the end section on the Andrzejówka side curving at a radius of 300 m.[2]
According to Preidl, the tunnel has a horseshoe-shaped cross-section approximately 5.4 m wide and 6.0 m high.[2] The lining was built of local sandstone voussoirs, but repeated wartime damage and later repairs mean that these dimensions should be treated as approximate.[2]
Atlas Kolejowy describes the tunnel as a single-track electrified structure that remains in regular railway use.[1]
History
The tunnel was constructed as part of the Preszów–Tarnów Railway, the line linking Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Żegiestów and Leluchów with the railway network beyond the Carpathians.[2] The difficult topography of the Poprad breakthrough near Żegiestów made a tunnel the only practical way to carry the railway through this section of the valley.[3]
A local historical account states that the tunnel works were entrusted to the Vienna firm Koller und Gregersen and that the original design envisaged a tunnel wide enough for two tracks.[3] During construction, however, the route through the mountain was altered, and the finished structure entered service as a single-track tunnel.[3][2]
The tunnel was opened on 18 August 1876 together with the railway line through the area.[1][2]
Atlas Kolejowy states that the portals were partly destroyed in 1946–1947 and subsequently rebuilt.[1] It also notes that the tunnel lining was strengthened with reinforced concrete in 1951–1952.[1]
Repairs and present-day operation
Preidl wrote in 2009 that the tunnel was undergoing repairs because of the technical condition of its lining.[2] The structure remains part of the active infrastructure of line no. 96.[1]
In 2025, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe reported broader track, traction and engineering works on the Stary Sącz–state border section of line 96, which includes the Żegiestów area.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Żegiestowski (tunel)" (in Polish). Atlas Kolejowy Europy Środkowej. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Preidl, Wojciech (2009). "Tunele kolejowe w Małopolsce" (PDF). Nowoczesne Budownictwo Inżynieryjne (in Polish) (2): 302–305. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Tunel kolejowy" (in Polish). Żegiestów.pl. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ^ "Kryniczanka zmienia się na lepsze zgodnie z planem" (in Polish). PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 9 March 2026.