The parks under the railroad overpasses in Krakow have been hours of discussion, projects, public consultations and a piece of history. That story is certainly not over yet - it's probably not even halfway through - but it's finally taking shape in the form of the first phase of Railway Park, greening up along Blich Street. Has the dangerous space under the tracks turned into a cool enclave?
Thousands of kilometers of rail networks bedevil cities. In many of them, to avoid fragmentation of space, the tracks are elevated above street level, running on flyovers. Urban life often takes place underneath them - streets and passageways run between the spans , and in some cases whole volumes of the spans are built up with service and commercial premises. In Cracow, a completely different idea has appeared for a railroad wasteland.
Railroad Park under the flyovers in Cracow almost ready
photo: Przemek Ciępka
Blich in the shadow of the railroad
From the mid-19th century, parallel to today's Blich Street, the Galician Railway line ran towards Lviv, partly leading over a bridge thrown over the Vistula riverbed, and later over Grzegórzecka Street. The remaining portions of the track were on railroad embankments, which divided this part of Krakow into two separate areas. Everything changed in 2023, when the construction of railroad flyovers between Miodowa and Kopernika Streets was completed - huge stretches of space between the massive pillars of the crossing were freed up in the center of Krakow.
Railroad Park under the flyovers in Krakow almost ready
photo: Przemek Ciępka
A wild parking lot in the heart of Krakow
Ever since work began (and that was in 2017), these new spaces, although theoretically accessible, were among the more neglected, dirty and dangerous places in the center of Krakow. Underneath the flyovers were remnants of construction work, garbage piled up, and some of the spans served as canopies over "wild parking lots."
Railroad Park under the flyovers in Krakow almost ready
photo: Przemek Ciępka
From the very beginning, however, it was clear that the space would eventually have to be developed. In 2018, the "New Life Between the Flyovers" competition for the concept of developing the space under the then emerging structures was settled, and shortly afterwards A2P2 Architecture & Planning studio conducted consultations, from which it was clear that under the flyovers there should be places for recreation and shade.
Railroad Park under the flyovers in Krakow almost ready
Photo: Przemek Ciępka
need for change
As a consequence of the research, the concept for the Railway Park, designed by ZZM, which will run under the flyovers, was formed. The project envisaged the realization of the undertaking in three stages - along Blich Street, then between Grzegórzecka and Miodowa Streets, and finally under the railroad coupling on the section from Dekerta Street to Limanowskiego Street. The plans included a division into functional zones, thousands of new plantings, a sensory garden or dining areas and outdoor gyms.
Railroad Park under flyovers in Cracow almost ready
photo: Przemek Ciępka
Officially, work began in the summer of 2023, in practice - until last summer there was still a threshing floor under the flyover, only that it was surrounded by a fence. In the winter, however, work began in earnest and the opening of the new park is imminent.
Railroad Park under the flyover in Cracow almost ready
photo: Przemek Ciępka
What is the Railway Park in Krakow like?
After visiting the park under the flyover on Blich Street, one may ask the question: what is Railway Park like? It is certainly not ready yet. Completing the greening work and cleaning up the park and collecting the fencing will certainly make its layout more legible - at the moment the logic of the space is hardly kept in check by the path running under the pillars on the north-south line. The role of communication is fulfilled by two paths with zigzag courses - one of them, concrete, was delineated directly between the overpass supports, while the other, lined with planks, is located on the western side, closer to Morsztynowska Street.
Railroad Park under flyovers in Krakow almost ready
Photo: Przemek Ciępka
insulation under the tracks
The whole area has been divided into three zones. The first of them, the northern one, located at the intersection of Blich Street and Kopernika Street, is the so-called isolation zone. It will serve primarily for relaxation - it is the most heavily shaded. Greenery grows here densely, it is vain to look for flowers among it - it looks more like forest undergrowth. An intimate character is added by the relief of the area, which rises in a northerly direction, almost touching the structure of the railroad crossing above Kopernika Street.
Railroad Park under the flyovers in Cracow almost ready
Photo: Przemek Ciępka
little Kraków under the flyover
The central part is primarily a playground located on the western side of the flyover. Its leitmotif, in keeping with the location, is Krakow's railroad infrastructure. Among the playground equipment, as we read on the magistrate's website, are, among others:
an amusement multifunctional device resembling in form a train included in the rolling stock of the Małopolska Railways, railroad stations located on the routes of the Małopolska Railways with accompanying elements characteristic of the neighborhoods in which they are located such as the amusement Bronowice hut and Krakus mound.
Structures resembling the mound and the hut are already in place; the train will have to wait until November.
Railroad Park under the flyovers in Krakow almost ready
photo: Przemek Ciępka
enigmatic garden
A dog run, fenced off from the rest of the establishment, and a sensory garden were created on the south side. The latter is the biggest mystery for the moment - work is still underway within it. Ultimately, there are to be a lot of trees here, and it is already apparent that the vegetation - among which flowers play an important role - differs from that growing in the rest of the Railway Park. Trees themselves have also appeared along the borders of Railway Park, and a bike path runs under those planted on its western side.
The Railway Park under the flyovers in Krakow is almost ready
photo: Przemek Ciępka
Shade in Grzegórzki
What is most important in the new space, however, is the shade. It was under the flyovers before - along with wildly parked cars, all sorts of waste and uneven terrain, which made the place in no way deserving of being called accessible. Now the cool space will be used safely and in its entirety. The quality of time spent under the railroad bridge on Blich Street will certainly also be influenced by greenery.
Railroad Park under the flyovers in Krakow almost ready
photo: Przemek Ciępka
krakow park grows in shadow
It was here before, too, both before the construction of the flyovers - in the form of a thicket overgrowing the slopes of the railroad embankment, and fourth nature, already grown after the completion of construction work.... Difficult terrain conditions, primarily shade and heavily trodden and not necessarily fertile soil, meant that the greenery under the flyovers was not very diverse, and occurred in small numbers. Will the lack of adequate lighting not be an obstacle to the development of new plantings? We will find out in the coming years, for the moment the vegetation appearing along Blich Street looks healthy. Its presence will certainly also support the cooling function of the Railway Park.
Railroad Park under the flyovers in Cracow almost ready
photo: Przemek Ciępka
The opening of the Railway Park is just around the corner
According to recent assurances from the Board of Urban Greenery, the Railway Park is expected to open later this fall, even in mid-September. Given the state of progress of the works, this seems a realistic deadline. Will the good weather hold until then, or will we have to wait until next spring to use the park?
