Koszalin - on the Hanseatic Trail

The freedom of flow of people, goods and services as well as of the capital are among fundamental principles of the European Union. These were extended, following the last extension of EU accomplished in May 2004, onto a significant part of the south and east Baltic Sea coast. Therefore, a good opportunity for development of the whole Baltic Sea Region, which can be compared only with the period of Hansa days, has appeared and the region has been counted among the fastest developing regions in Europe.

According to the European Commission forecast until 2015 a 75% cargo transport and 60% people transport increase will occur in this part of the continent. Such dynamic development of transport should be accompanied by development of technical infrastructure i.e. roads and waterways, airports, railway lines and seaports. This pertains particularly to the poorly developed, in that respect, area of the Polish Baltic coast. As of 1996 many people talk more and more frequently about creation of a trans-European transport corridor called Via Hanseatica. The assumptions are that Polish National Route No 6 would be its backbone; once it is linked with A20 German motorway Lübeck-Rostock, it will create the lacking south part of the Baltic Sea bypass. The corridor will be supplemented by railway lines, seaports and airports located along the whole route. According to the German forecast approx. 20000 vehicles per day should move along that corridor on weekdays. The expectations are that the traffic rate would increase by 50% on free days. Approximately 40% of the vehicles will bypass Szczecin and move further east to Gdansk and Mazury and also, towards Kaliningrad, thus making a link with the Baltic States transport corridor that has been linking Vilnius with St. Petersburg. Via Hanseatica should contribute to the integration of the south, east and north coast of the Baltic Sea. Its appearance will allow for linking the seaports and will facilitate cooperation having provided convenient access from the landside.

National Route No 11 from Kolobrzeg to Poznan, and further on to Katowice, runs across Koszalin thus linking the Polish Baltic coast with central Poland and the rest of the country. If you consider the crossing roads, railway lines, both seaports and the airport you will see clearly that Koszalin will make an important road and rail hub on the trans-European transport corridor Via Hanseatica.