Warsaw–St. Petersburg Railway
Train on the Saint Petersburg–Warsaw railway crossing the River Neman on the railway bridge in Grodno before World War I
Overview
Termini	Saint Petersburg Warsaw
History
Opened	15 December 1862; 163 years ago (1862-12-15)
Technical
Line length	1,333 km (828 mi)
Track gauge	(Warsaw–Hrodna) 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge (Czarna Białostocka–Saint Petersburg) 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in)
Route map Legend km 0.062 1,046 Warszawa Wileńska 000.000 000.000 I. Kosmowskiej to Warszawa Wschodnia  9  to Gdańsk Główny Radzymińska 2.718 Warszawa Wileńska Marki  503  to Warszawa Wschodnia Goods Yards gen. Rozwadowskiego Bródnowski Canal Bukowiecka 3.953 Warszawa Zacisze Wilno DW 634 Łodygowa 6.746 Ząbki DW 625 Wojska Polskiego Kolejowa DW 631 Piłsudskiego Ave. to Zielonka Bankowa Ząbki Rozjazd Junction  449  to Warszawa Rembertów   Kolejowa 9.942 14.472 Zielonka 000.000 000.000 Długa 17.438 Kobyłka Ossów 19.339 Kobyłka 21.410 Wołomin 23.053 Wołomin Słoneczna DW 635 Niepodległości Ave. Czarna 25.082 Zagościniec 27.750 Dobczyn Rządza 31.044 Klembów to Pilawa  13  to Krusze 34.838 Jasienica Mazowiecka Cienka  513  to Jasienica Mazowiecka Junction  10  to Legionowo DW 634 Norwida 37.912 Tłuszcz 000.000 000.000  29  to Ostrołęka 41.020 Chrzęsne 42.084 Mokra Wieś DW 636 Główna 47.587 Szewnica Fiszor 53.001 Urle Liwiec 55.235 Barchów DK 62 Wyszkowska 58.479 Łochów 63.689 Ostrówek Węgrowski 68.680 Topór DK 50 Ugoszcz 72.978 Sadowne Węgrowskie Kaca Canal 81.762 Prostyń  514  to Treblinka Bug DW 627 DW 694  34  to Siedlce 87.969 Małkinia Górna  34  to Ostrołęka 000.000 096.270 Zaręby Kościelne 99.260 Kietlanka 102.964 Szulborze Koty 105.700 Mazovia Province Podlasie Province DK 63 Nurska DW 690 Szkolna 111.838 Czyżew 118.077 Kity 120.800 Dąbrowa Łazy DK 66 Mazowiecka 127.379 Szepietowo 000.000 000.000 Mień 132.363 Szymbory 135.825 Jabłoń Kościelna 140.474 Racibory 146.107 Zdrody Nowe 150.575 Łapy Osse DW 681 Brańska  36  to Ostrołęka 154.035 Łapy 177.305 882 Białystok 000.000 Narew 156.265 Uhowo DW 682 Kościelna 160.117 Bojary 163.251 Baciuty DW 678 167.107 Trypucie 168.996 Niewodnica Kościelna 172.222 Klepacze Horodnianka River 172.500 Turczyn Junction 173.570 Białystok Wiadukt  38  to Bartoszyce │  515   516  to Białystok Starosielce DW 669 Trasa Niepodległości Gen. Fieldorfa Nila  32  to Czeremcha 176.300 Białystok Towarowy Junction 177.305 882.000 Białystok DW 676 Solidarności Avenue  37  to Zubki Sopoćki 000.000 000.000 Biała DK 8 E67 Gen. Maczka DK 8 E67 1000-lecia Państwa Ave. Supraśl 185.155 Wasilków Czarna DK 19 191.278 Czarny Blok 195.280 Wólka Ratowiecka 199.178 Czarna Białostocka 203.118 Machnacz Jałówka 207.525 Rozedranka Sokołda 212.882 Gieniusze  57  to Kuźnica DK 19 Białostocka Road Sokółka 218.527 Sokółka 000.000 000.000  40  to Suwałki DW 674 Kryńska 225.580 Kundzin Łosośna 227.100 Łosośna 228.100 Łosośna passing loop 228.320 Krex Czuprynowo passing loop 230.146 Czuprynowo DK 19 234.349 Kuźnica Białostocka Łosośna Poland Belarus Kuźnica−Hrodna border crossing 000.000 000.000 Bruzhi (Брузгі) Klački (Клачкі) Bakuny (Бакуны) P 99 Niamiejščyna (Нямейшчына) Karobčycy (Каробчыцы) Hibuličy (Гібулічы) Pryharadny (Прыгарадны) to Masty (Масты) Suvorov Street Victory Street Neman Levanaberazhnaya Street Grodna (Гродна) 000.000 000.000 Kochanowski Street to Masty (Масты) Kaplica (Капліца) Bahušoŭka (Багушоўка) Rybnica (Рыбніца) Pierasielcy (Перасельцы) Losieva (Лосева) Parečča (Парэчча) P 41 Salaccie (Салацце) Lichačy (Ліхачы) Uzbieraž (Узбераж) Belarus Lithuania Uzberezh–Senovė border crossing ( closed 2004 ) 000.000 000.000 Senovė Kabeliai Margionys Darželiai 752 Marcinkonys Zervynos 732 Varėna Matuizos Pamerkiai Valkininkai Alytus County Vilnius County Kalviai Klepočiai Rūdiškės Šklėriai Miškiniai  10  to Trakai Senieji Trakai Kariotiškės  1  to Kaunas 675 Lentvaris Vokė to Grigiškės Paneriai to Valčiūnai  3  to Lida 658 Vilnius 000.000 000.649 Naujoji Vilnia Libava–Romny Railway to Kaunas 634 Bezdonys 610 Pabradė 585 Švenčionėliai  5  to Utena 563 Ignalina 540 Dūkštas 520 Turmantas Lithuania Latvia border 000.000 000.516 Kurcums 505 Grīva Radviliškis–Daugavpils Railway Daugava 500 Daugavpils 000.000 000.493 Kūdraine 488 Zaļumi 483 Medupe halt 477 Višķi 470 Vīganti 467 Ārdava halt 462 Aglona 457 Apsāni halt 453 Zalvezers halt 447 Krāce Junction 443 Vainava halt 435 Malta 427 Pūpoli 416 Rēzekne 000.000 000.413 km 322 Junction to Zilupe│to Riga 409 Kleperova 402 Burzava 395 Ilzēni 385 Mežvidi 380 Pureņi 374 Malnava halt 371 Kārsava Latvia Russia border 000.000 000.306 Ostrov (О́стров) to Gulbene, Latvia 257 Pskov (Псков) 129 Luga (Лу́га) to Saint Petersburg Vitebsky Terminal │ Baltic Railway to Narva and Paldiski 42 Gatchina (Га́тчина) to Saint Petersburg Baltiysky Rail Terminal 0 Saint Petersburg Warsaw Rail Terminal km

Saint Petersburg–Warsaw Railway (Russian: Санкт-Петербурго-Варшавская железная дорога, Sankt-Peterburgo–Varshavskaya zheleznaya doroga) is a 1,333 km (828 mi) long and partly defunct railway line between Saint Petersburg and Warsaw, built in the 19th century by the Russian Empire to connect the Russian capital with Central and Western Europe.

In 1851 the Tsarist Government of Russia made a decision to build the St. Petersburg–Warsaw railway line. It was built to Russian gauge. Construction of the main line between Saint Petersburg and Warsaw was completed and operations began in 1862.^[1] A separate branch line from Vilnius to the Prussian border connected Saint Petersburg with Western Europe via Königsberg and Berlin.

At the time of opening the entire railway line was within the Russian Empire: Warsaw was under the Russian partition of Poland. Due to territorial changes, the line now lies within five countries and crosses the eastern border of the European Union three times. Therefore, no passenger trains follow the entire route. Passenger trains between Saint Petersburg and Warsaw used to travel through Brest instead and a new line called Rail Baltica is under development to improve the direct connection between Poland and Lithuania.

In 1851, the Imperial Russian Government made the decision to build a railway line between Saint Petersburg, then capital of the Russian Empire, and Warsaw, then the administrative centre of Russian Poland. On 15 February 1851, the Russian Emperor Nicholas I signed a decree on conducting surveys for the construction of the railway line, and on 23 November 1851, the Emperor signed the order for the construction of the railway as a strategically important line, which was to be built using state funds from the russian government.^[2]

Construction began in 1852 under the supervision of the Russian engineer Eduard Gerstfeld [ru] with the Polish railway engineer Stanisław Kierbedź as deputy chief of construction.^[3] In 1853, the first section of the railway with a length of 41 versts (45 km (28 mi)) was completed between Saint Petersburg and the residential city of Gatchina.^[4] Daily scheduled train service on the section started on 31 October 1853.^[5] This was a double-track section, the only one on the otherwise single-track railway until the 1870s, when other sections were expanded to double track.

However, with the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1853, the work on other sections, where only earthworks had begun, was interrupted, as the war exhausted state funds.^[6] After the disastrous outcome of the Crimean War in 1856, which was considered as an effect of the backwardness of the Russian transport system, the Russian government decided in October 1856 to abandon its protectionist policy and try to attract foreign capital for the further expansion of the railway network.^[7] On 26 January 1857, the Main Society of Russian Railways [ru] (Russian: Главное общество российских железных дорог), of which the main capital was French, was founded.^[8] The construction work was transferred to the newly formed society.^[9]

After the railway was transferred to the Main Society of Russian Railways, the construction was resumed under the supervision of the French engineer Édouard Collignon.^[10] The rest of the railway was subsequently opened in sections. Already in December 1857 the section from Gatchina to Luga was opened. On 19 July 1858, a first special train with members of the company's board of directors arrived in Pskov,^[11] On 22 September, the Emperor "deigned to arrive from Pskov to Tsarskoye Selo", although it took until February 1859 before daily train service on the route from Luga to Pskov was opened.^[12]

In May 1858, construction started near Vilnius on the first section of 19 kilometers. On 1 May 1859 the ground works started along the entire route Daugavpils–Vilnius–Lentvaris–Kaunas–Kybartai. The end of summer of 1860 marked the end of the construction of the Ostrov-Daugavpils–Vilnius railway. The first train from Daugavpils arrived in Vilnius on 16 September [O.S. 4 September] 1860.^[13] The construction of the section from Lentvaris to Warsaw was completed on 15 December 1862.

Already the year before, in 1861, the branch line was completed from Vilnius to the Prussian border, and between Verzhbolovo Station in Kybartai and Eydtkuhnen in Prussia (now Chernyshevskoye in Russian Kaliningrad Oblast) the first junction between Russian gauge and standard gauge railway systems was built, with rails in both gauges between the border stations.

The first locomotives for the St. Petersburg–Warsaw railway were bought in England, France, and Belgium. They were “G” class 0-6-0s with two cylinders. They were produced in Manchester in 1857, in Paris in 1860, and in Belgium in 1862. Their weight was 30–32 tons.

In 1895, the Saint Petersburg–Warsaw Railway Company was nationalized. On 1 January 1907, the Saint Petersburg–Warsaw Railway, along with the Baltic and Pskov–Riga Railway companies, became part of the North-Western Railways.^[14]

The portion between Vilnius and Warsaw was rebuilt in the standard gauge in the 1920s when that area belonged to Poland.

The railway was partly destroyed during both world wars.

A 224 km section of the line between Zielonka, some 13km north-east of Warsaw and Kuźnica Białostocka on the Polish-Belarusian border, some 54km north-east Białystok is today designated by the Polish National Railways PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe as PKP rail line 6. It is one of the country's major trunk lines. Since 2014 the line is being modernized to ultimately allow passenger trains to run at 200 km/h (125 mph) and freight trains at 120 km/h (75 mph), works include renewal of tracks and overhead lines, replacing level crossings with tunnels or overpasses and installation of ETCS level 2.^[15] The line is electrified along its entire length, and has two tracks up to Białystok.

In Zielonka a 9km long line built in 1933, today designated PKP rail line 449 branches of from the former Warsaw-Sankt Petersburg railway south to the former Warsaw–Terespol railway and through it to the Warsaw Cross-City Line and the other trunk lines of the Warsaw Railway Junction. The original route continues south-west as PKP rail line 21 terminating at the Warszawa Wileńska station in Warsaw Praga district, without reaching the city center. This segment is used only for local passenger traffic in the Warsaw metropolitan area, however due to large passenger volumes it is designated as a primary line. Line 21 also extends north-east from Zielonka to Wołomin along line 6, giving a total of four tracks on this segment.

From Białystok to Kuźnica Białostocka line 6 has only one track, which shortly before the Polish-Belarusian border is joined by a broad gauge track designated PKP rail line 57, with several transshipment facilities along its route. Both lines extend across the border and continue from Bruzhi into Hrodna, with the standard gauge line electrified at 3 kV DC which is commonly used by the Polish railways, rather than 25 kV AC used on the two Belarusian trunk lines. This allows Polish trains to reach Hrodna without the need for time consuming break of gauge operations and replacing traction power, and before 2020 Polish companies offered regular connections there.

From Hrodna however only the broad gauge track continues to Uzbieraž on the Belarusian–Lithuanian border. The track from the border to Marcinkonys in Lithuania has been dismantled at some point at the beginning of the 21st century, from Marcinkonys to Vilnius and further north-east the line remains in use for local regional traffic, although there have been some sporadic connections between Vilnius and Daugavpils.

Trains traveling between Warsaw and Vilnius today have to take a long detour through Ełk and Kaunas. It appears extremely unlikely a direct connection through Hrodna might be restored in the foreseeable future. Instead a project called Rail Baltica is underway to upgrade existing infrastructure and build new standard gauge lines in order to improve the rail connection from Poland to Lithuania, Latvia, further to Estonia and eventually to Finland, running entirely within EU territory.

• History of rail transport in Belarus
• History of rail transport in Latvia
• History of rail transport in Lithuania
• History of rail transport in Poland
• History of rail transport in Russia

• Altbergs, T.; Augustāne, K.; Pētersone, I. (2009). Dzelzceļi Latvijā [Railways in Latvia] (in Latvian). Jumava. ISBN 978-9984-38-698-0.
• Fadejev, G. M., ed. (1994). История железнодорожного транспорта России [The history of rail transport in Russia] (in Russian). Vol. 1: 1836–1917. Saint Petersburg & Moscow.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Kosakovskis, Gerasimas (1975). Железные дороги Литвы [Railways of Lithuania] (in Russian). Vilnius: Mokslas.
• Rakov, V. A. (Vitaliĭ Aleksandrovich) (1995). Lokomotivy otechestvennykh zheleznykh dorog 1845-1955 Локомотивы отечественных железных дорог 1845-1955 [National railways locomotives 1845–1955] (in Russian). Moscow: Transport. ISBN 5-277-00821-7.
• Vergara, Juan Camilo (2015). La Grande Société des Chemins de Fer Russes (1856-1862) : coopération ferroviaire franco-russe, administration de l'espace impérial et réformes de l'Etat en Russie au XIXe siècle [The Main Russian Railway Company (1856-1862) : Franco-Russian railway cooperation, administration of the imperial space and state reforms in Russia in the 19th century] (Doctorate thesis) (in French). Paris: École des hautes études en sciences sociales.
• Westwood, J. N. (1964). A History of Russian Railways. London: Allen & Unwin. OCLC 612838.

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