Żabno 2026-05-20
PKP Żabno near Tranów.
Żabno.
Żabno is a town in Tarnów County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, and the seat of the Żabno urban-rural commune. In 2025, the town’s population was 4,061. Its area is 11.13 square kilometers. The town lies on the right bank of the Dunajec River.
A stronghold existed here before the 10th century. The town lies in the historical Lesser Poland region. The oldest written mention of Żabno dates back to 1274. In that year, Duke Bolesław the Chaste granted the settlement of Żabno to the knight Świętosław, from the Gryfit dynasty. The town received its first charter of incorporation before 1385. In 1400, the Polish King Władysław II Jagiełło granted charter of incorporation to the Polish towns of Książ, Brzeg, and Żabno, along with adjacent villages. By the mid-15th century, the town had 12 burgher łans, a farm, and a manor house. There were also several craft workshops. From 1487, the town had the right to hold fairs, which continue to this day. Trade in cloth, dairy products, fruit, and, above all, grain was common here. By the 15th century, Żabno already had two Roman Catholic churches: the Holy Spirit and the Holy Cross. Today, it is the Tarnów diocese. The town was plagued by fires and epidemics, and was ravaged by Tatars, Swedes, and Rákóczi’s troops. After the first partition of Poland, the town fell under Austrian rule. By the end of the 19th century, Żabno had 178 houses, housing 1,341 people. There was a six-grade elementary school, a post office, the Żabno district administration office with a tax office, and an inn serving travelers. The first industrial plant in Żabno was a brickyard, which opened in 1905. About 40% of the inhabitants were Jewish citizens of Poland. The Austrians stripped Żabno of its town rights in 1908. It regained its town rights in Free Poland in 1934.
During the Great War, the front ran along the Dunajec River, causing significant destruction to the city. In 1934, the city was inundated by a flood, causing extensive damage to homes and drowning livestock.
On September 1, 1939, the Germans, along with their Muscovite brethren, began the Second World War. In May 1942, the Germans established a ghetto for the Jewish inhabitants, all Polish citizens. The Germans housed approximately 800 Jews here, who were liquidated in September 1942, and deported to the Tarnów ghetto or the Bełżec concentration camp. In April 1943, near Żabno, an armed unit of the “Stacha” People’s Guard clashed with the Germans and the Blue Police. A dozen or so partisans were killed. On January 17, 1945, Soviet troops entered the town, and the communist occupation began.
From 1975 to 1998, Żabno administratively belonged to the Tarnów Voivodeship. The town quickly rebuilt. Today, Żabno is a service center, with small-scale metalworking and fruit and vegetable processing industries. There are also two candle factories. War cemetery No. 253 is located within the town. Voivodeship roads No. 973 and No. 975 run through Żabno. The town has one primary school, a secondary school complex, and preschools.
Powiśle Dąbrowskie is primarily characterized by beautiful rural landscapes, including the unique, one-of-a-kind village of Zalipie, the only one of its kind in Poland. Here, local painters decorate the walls of their homes, farm buildings, and fences with colorful floral ornaments. This unique village attracts many tourists from Poland and abroad, who often travel to Powiśle specifically to see the colorful paintings.
Żabno Railway Station.
Address: Żabno, Kolejowa Street, 33-240 Żabno. Geographic coordinates: 50.127N, 20.900E, elevation 184 m.
In the town of Żabno, there is a railway station closed for passenger traffic, but used occasionally for freight. During the 2019-2022 period, special vintage trains arrived at the station. This was the Tarnów-Żabno-Tarnów vintage train, operated by a Ty42-107 locomotive, with historic carriages borrowed from the Chabówka Open-Air Museum. Trains with an SM30-231 locomotive also operated here. Railway line No. 115 Tarnów-Żabno-Szczucin is located here. The station was previously known as Żabno (1906-1923), Żabno nad Dunajcem (1923-1937), and Żabno (since 1937).
In 1906, railway line No. 115 Tarnów-Żabno-Dąbrowa Tarnowska-Szczucin was opened. In 1914, the Germans started the Great War, which they lost. Then, in 1939, they started World War II, which they also lost. Both wars inflicted enormous losses on Żabno, including civilians and property. Line No. 115, Tarnów – Żabno – Dąbrowa Tarnowska – Szczucin, was built in 1906, known as Szczucinka. The railway station opened on October 15, 1906, on the Tarnów – Szczucin railway line. The station design was approved in 1905 by the then director of the Staatsbahn-Direction in Kraków, engineer Kułakowski. After World War II, the railway was used primarily by residents of Powiśle and employees of large industrial plants in Tarnów. Passenger service in Dąbrowa Tarnowska was suspended on April 2, 2000, during the “joyful” liquidation of Polish railway connections under the communist, Volksdeutsche, and Masonic governments. The official narrative was the line’s unprofitability. The last scheduled passenger (special) train arrived in Żabno in June 2006. The last freight train arrived at the station in September 2007. Officially, the station closed on October 1, 2007.
Currently (2026), the station building is in good condition, closed but not vandalized. The building, for a station on LK No. 115, is unusual. It was built in a “U” shape, with the courtyard facing the tracks. The building is single-story brick, with a developed attic. The roof is covered with red tiles. The station courtyard has been fenced off. The building has few architectural ornaments. There are cornices, ornaments above the windows and around the “Żabno” inscriptions.
The station is crossed by three tracks, each with wooden or reinforced concrete sleepers. Two narrow, single-edged platforms remain: one earthen and one concrete slab. The traffic lights have been removed. The station level area has been fenced. On the western side is a historic concrete fence. On the eastern side is a fence made of wooden posts and sparse wire mesh. There is an unloading ramp and a large storage yard. There is also a coal yard. Nearby is also a large, four-story red brick warehouse. These are likely the buildings of a former brickyard, whose chimney was demolished at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. The site is currently occupied by the SUR-MET trading and service company, a scrap metal collector.
History of the Construction of Railway Line No. 115
In the 1870s, landowners from Powiśle Dąbrowskie requested the Imperial-Royal (C.K.) Austria-Hungary, requesting the construction of a railway line to Tarnobrzeg via Dąbrowa Tarnowska. The request reached the Privileged Galician Railway of Charles Ludwig (CLB). However, the carrier was not interested in building this connection. In 1887, a railway line was constructed: Dębica – Tarnobrzeg – Rozwadów. This led to even less interest in building a line through Dąbrowa Tarnowska. In the 1890s, Prince Andrzej Lubomirski became interested in the railway. His wife, Eleonora née Husarzewski, owned significant landed estates near Szczucin. Other landowners joined the prince. They already had a concrete plan for a railway line: Tarnów – Dąbrowa Tarnowska – Szczucin – Sandomierz. Other individuals connected with the Dąbrowa region contributed to the construction of this line. Jan Franciszek, Baron Konopka (1855–1948), played a significant role. He owned numerous estates. Baron Konopka was also a member of the Galician Parliament from the Tarnów district and a long-time vice-president, and later president, of the Dąbrowa Tarnowska District Council. Thanks to his efforts and in his best interests, the road, instead of a straight line, was curved towards Brno and Olesno.
During the Galician parliamentary sessions, the matter was raised repeatedly. However, due to a lack of funds in the treasury, the project stalled. Furthermore, the landowners lacked the funds to undertake the project themselves. In 1898, the military became involved. The international situation was increasingly tense, and the military wanted to ensure rapid transport to the border with Moscow. The project was approved, but in a shortened form, to Szczucin. This plan was accepted by the landowners. In 1898, a construction committee was established, chaired by Prince Andrzej Lubomirski. The committee included local landowners and entrepreneurs. They purchased shares worth approximately 500,000 crowns, and the investment was estimated at 3,000,000 crowns. The Austrian government purchased shares worth 900,000 crowns, and the Galician government took out a loan for 2,000,000 crowns. In 1900, the Galician parliament approved the construction of a new railway line. The Tarnów-Szczucin Railway Company (Lokalbahn Tarnow-Szczucin AG, LTSz) was established. The company took out a loan of 2,000,000 kroner and issued shares worth 1,400,000 kroner. On October 7, 1905, a concession for the construction of the line was issued. Work began in October 1905, and due to the flat terrain, the work progressed very quickly. The cost of construction was 2,663,257 kroner. Finishing work, which took place after the line’s opening, amounted to 261,449 kroner. Construction of the line took 12 months.
From the Niedomice stop, the line continued straight, northwestward, to the Żabno stop. From the Żabno station, the line turned left, eastward, towards Dąbrowa Tarnowska. The line passed the Żabnica River and several local roads. It reached the Fiuk stop. There were farmland and a few local roads. Next, the line passed under national road no. 73. The line entered the city of Dąbrowa Tarnowska and began a large curve to the west. The tracks passed national road no. 975, Żabieńska Street. The line, now running westward, reached the Dąbrowa Tarnowska station. From there, the line again passed under national road no. 73. The line headed north and made a large curve to the northeast, reaching Szczucin.
Three new series 97 kkStB steam locomotives were purchased to service the route. Interestingly, two of these steam locomotives were transferred to the Polish State Railways (PKP) after the Great War. They were designated TKh12-10 and TKh12-11. The railway was operated by the Imperial-Royal Austrian State Railways (k.k. Österreichische Staatsbahnen, kkStB) and was subordinated to the Kraków-based ED Krakau. Initially, one pair of passenger trains and one freight-passenger train ran on the route. In 1908, another pair of passenger trains was added.
The Great War broke out. In early November 1914, a narrow-gauge railway line from Staszów to Szczucin was built for wartime needs. The track gauge was 715 mm. Traction was horse-drawn. A temporary wooden bridge was built over the Vistula River. A few days later, the Tranów-Szczucin railway line was occupied by the Muscovites. The tracks were converted to broad, Russian-style gauge. But after the battle near Gorlice, the Muscovites began to retreat. During their retreat in February 1915, the Muscovites burned the wooden narrow-gauge railway bridge over the Vistula River. After the Austrians regained control of the line, the line was converted back to standard gauge.
After Poland regained independence, the line became part of the Kraków Railway Company (PKP) management. The bridge over the Vistula River was in very poor condition. Therefore, for several years, Szczucin ceased to be a transfer station from standard gauge to narrow gauge. In 1926, a new wooden bridge with a narrow-gauge track was built, running along the center of the roadway. Narrow-gauge trains once again reached Szczucin Narrow-Gauge Station.
In the 1920s, six pairs of passenger trains ran along the Tarnów-Szczucin route, three of which were operated by a steam passenger car. The global crisis limited the number of pairs on the route. Some trains had shorter routes, only as far as Dąbrowa Tarnowska. Freight trains had fewer wagons. In the second half of the 1930s, due to the construction of the Central Industrial District (COP), the railway lines were expanded. The Kielce-Busko-Zdrój railway line was built. This line was to reach Mędrzechów, where it would connect with the “Szczucinanka” railway line. The planned length of the route was 83 km. The expansion plans were revised in 1938. A Radom-Ostrowiec-Szczucin line was planned. The existing Warsaw-Radom and Tarnów-Szczucin lines were to receive a second track. Electrification of these lines was also planned. The project was never implemented because the Germanic and Muscovite brothers began World War II on September 1, 1939. Even before the outbreak of World War II, in 1939, a new, modern bridge over the Vistula River, with a narrow-gauge railway track, was opened.
Around September 7, 1939, the Germanic forces occupied the Tarnów-Szczucin railway line. The line was not destroyed, but the Vistula crossing was damaged and inoperable. The Germanic forces incorporated the lines into the Eastern Railways (Ostbahn) and placed them under the Kraków Directorate (Ostbahn Direktion Krakau). The bridge over the Vistula River was rebuilt, and the transshipment station in Szczucin reopened. The railway was used primarily for the plundering of trees in the Sandomierz Forest and the removal of war loot. In 1945, the Vistula bridge was damaged again. In January 1945, railway line No. 115 was dismantled by the Muscovites. In August 1945, the Muscovites officially handed over the line to the Polish administration, but did not return the tracks. The lines were incorporated into the Kraków Railway District. Reconstruction of the line lasted until October 1946. Residents of nearby towns worked on its reconstruction. In 1953, after the reconstruction of the bridge over the Vistula, Szczucin once again became a transshipment station. The narrow-gauge railway received a new gauge of 750 mm. In 1953, construction of a standard-gauge line from Kielce to Busko-Zdrój station was completed. There were plans to build the Busko-Zdrój-Żabno section, which would have significantly shortened the distance between Tarnów and central Poland. Lack of funds for the construction of a new bridge over the Vistula near Nowy Korczyn prevented this.
In the 1960s, LK No. 115 operated steam locomotives of the Ol49, TKt48, and Ty2 types. They used type 43A passenger cars, one of the most distinctive post-war PKP cars, with Class 1 or Class 2 compartments. Type 101A passenger cars, manufactured from the late 1950s and widely used in the 1960s, were also used. There were also cars dating back to the pre-war years, such as the “boczniak” type and cars with open platforms, two- and three-axle. Around 1975, SM42 and SP42 locomotives were assigned to LK No. 115, the latter in winter, as they had a passenger car heating system. Around 1980, Bipa (Bhp) double-decker cars began to be used on passenger trains. In 1975, seven pairs of passenger trains ran on the line. The travel time for the entire line was approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes. In May 1978, narrow-gauge railway service was suspended, and the line was subsequently closed. The tracks on the bridge were removed, and the rail holes were filled with asphalt. Passenger trains on Line No. 115 primarily transported employees of Tarnów factories: the Nitrogen Plant, Mechanical Plant, and the “Tamel” Electric Engine Factory. Niedomice housed a cellulose factory. Dąbrowa Tarnowska housed a district hospital, specialized health centers, offices, schools, and agricultural processing plants. Szczucin housed asbestos plants. In 1989, Poland experienced economic and social changes. Communists transformed into businessmen, and many factories went bankrupt or were sold to foreign capital to close them down and eliminate competition. Asbestos and cellulose plants were closed. The Nitrogen Works significantly reduced production and staff numbers. Passenger capacity plummeted. In 1991, only six pairs of trains operated on the line, and in 1994, only five pairs. The double-decker cars were replaced with 120A type open-top cars. Interestingly, in 1997, the journey time along the entire route was approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes, a very good result. The benefits included shorter stops at stops.
Rail transport was no longer competitive with individual and bus transport. Furthermore, rail transport was already unprofitable. To save the day, automatic passing loops were installed at the stations in Żabno and Dąbrowa Tarnowska. These were experimental and were in the testing phase. Scheduled passenger services were suspended on April 3, 2000, and freight services on the Żabno–Szczucin section were suspended in 2006. The last passenger train ran from Tarnów to Szczucin in June 2006, and the line was officially closed in 2007. Since then, rail traffic has operated through a siding on the Tarnów–Żabno section or occasional special trains.
From 2007 to 2011, talks were held between PKP (Polish State Railways) and local governments for the latter to take over the line. The takeover did not take place because the ownership of the plots on which the railway tracks lie had not been regulated. This is a legacy of communism, where land ownership rights were not regulated, and some communists exploited these situations to make quick money.
Railway line No. 115 was opened in 1906, during the partition period. The line was never electrified. It is a single-track line. The line includes four railway stations, 11 passenger stops, and some also have loading bays. There are over 100 level crossings along the route. The Tarnów – Żabno section is in sporadic use. The passable section of the line is class C3; it has an axle load of 196 kN/axle, 20 t/axle, and a maximum linear load of 71 kN/m, 7.2 t/m. The line begins at Tarnów station, turning right and north of LK No. 91 at km 76. The route then runs north through Tarnów and the Tarnów County, then Dąbrowa County. In Żabno, the line turns northeast towards Dąbrowa Tarnowska. In Dąbrowa, the route turns again, this time towards Olesno, from where the line heads north and then east towards Szczucin. The tracks are constructed of S-49 rails and reinforced concrete and wooden sleepers. The existing trackage dates from 1981-1983. As of 2026, a significant portion of the line is impassable from Żabno station. Most of the track is overgrown with self-seeding weeds, preventing traffic. There are also sections of the line where the rails have been dismantled.
Railway line No. 115 Tarnów – Szczucin is 48.80 km long. It begins in Tarnów. Tarnów station (0.00 km, elevation 205 m). The LCS and railway lines No. 91 and 96 are located here. Tarnów Północ passenger stop (1.26 km, elevation 200 m). There is one track and one platform here. The ticket office was closed, and the station building was demolished. Klikowa passenger stop (3.81 km, elevation 197 m). Tarnów Klikowa siding station (4.20 km, elevation 198 m). One track, one platform. The station was closed. Łukowa Tarnowska station (9.86 km, elevation 190 m). One track, one platform. The station building was closed. It was the “Łk” switchboard. Łęg Tarnowski passenger stop (12.02 km, elevation 188 m). One track, one platform. The station building was closed. Niedomice passenger stop (14.21 km, elevation 185 m). One track, one platform. The station building has been demolished. There is a siding to the ZUH Niedomice chemical plant (km 14.38, elevation 185 m). Żabno passenger stop and cargo hold (km 16.04, elevation 184 m). Three tracks, one platform, the building is closed. Former “Żb” switchboard. Fiuk passenger stop (km 20.01, elevation 210 m). One track, one platform, the building was demolished. Dąbrowa Tarnowska passenger stop and cargo hold (km 24.76, elevation 192 m). Two platforms, four tracks, the station building is occupied. Olesno Tarnowskie passenger stop and cargo hold (km 29.93, elevation 177 m). One track, one platform, the building was closed. Dąbrówki Breńskie passenger stop (km 34.38, elevation 170 m). One track, one platform, the building was demolished. Mędrzechów passenger stop and loading bay (km 37.90, elevation 171 m). One track, one platform. Kupienin passenger stop (km 40.73, elevation 170 m). One track, one platform. Delastowice passenger stop (km 43.26, elevation 169 m). One track, one platform. Szczucin near Tarnów station (km 48.80, elevation 166 m). The station building is inhabited. Narrow-gauge railway line No. 2013 was located here.
In 2010, it was reported that train service would not return to the Dąbrowa Tarnowska – Szczucin section near Tarnów. A bicycle path is planned for this location. Repeated attempts by the local governments of the Dąbrowa and Tarnów districts to save the line were unsuccessful. PKP PLK (Polish State Railways) designated Line No. 115 as suspended, slated for closure. In March 2015, representatives of the six local governments through which the railway line runs signed an agreement to jointly build a bicycle path along the route of the disused line. It was fashionable in Poland to replace tracks with bicycle paths. Most of these completed paths lead nowhere, ending abruptly in forests or open fields. However, the controversial project never came to fruition, as in early August 2016, following protests from residents living near the railway line and the efforts of the Kraków Railway Enthusiasts’ Association, the decision to close the disused railway line was successfully blocked.
In August 2016, the private rail operator SKPL submitted an offer to the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Voivodeship and the municipalities through which LK No. 115 runs to resume service on the line, initially on the Tarnów – Dąbrowa Tarnowska section, for passenger and freight traffic. Despite positive discussions, the plans were never implemented. Without conducting an audit, someone estimated that interest in the service would be low. The operator supported local governments in obtaining ownership of LK No. 115. If this were to happen, SKPL declared that it would carry out the necessary renovations using its own funds.
In 2018, the United Right Government raised hopes. This was related to the implementation of the grand plan to create the Central Communication Port (CPK). A connection between LK No. 115 and Busko-Zdrój station was planned. In this situation, Tanów would have a direct connection to CPK via Kielce. The plans went very far and were recorded in the Journal of Laws, coming into effect on May 29, 2019. The entire Sitkówka Nowiny – Busko Zdrój – Szczucin – Tarnów railway line would be designated LK No. 73. Unfortunately, as a result of the parliamentary elections on October 15, 2023, the Volksdeutsche, communists, and Freemasons came to power again. The entire CPK program was first curtailed and then eliminated. Spoke No. 7, Nowy Sącz – Tarnów – Busko Zdrój – Kielce – Opoczno – CPK, was never built.
However, there are occasional discussions regarding the restoration of passenger traffic on the Tarnów-Dąbrowa Tarnowska section. The Marshal’s Office periodically considers this possibility. In September 2019, the first passenger journeys in many years took place on LK No. 115, organized as part of the Małopolska Railway Tourism Trails. Steam-hauled trains then traversed the route from Tarnów to Żabno. This event was repeated in subsequent years, and the journeys were very popular. Due to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, tourist services were suspended in 2021.
In 2026, news of the modernization of LK No. 115 Tarnów-Szczucin resurfaced again. This time, the information was provided by Poland’s ruling circles. It was announced that the line would be modernized by 2029. The estimated investment value is PLN 500 million. The work will include track replacement, platform repairs, modernization of level crossings, and repairs to culverts and small bridges. Passenger train speeds are expected to increase to 120 km/h. The tender is scheduled to be announced in 2026, and the contract is expected to be signed in the first quarter of 2027. The project is planned to be divided into two stages: Tarnów-Żabno and Żabno-Szczucin. The first stage is valued at PLN 200-250 million. This section is still open to freight traffic, although traffic is light. The maximum speed for freight trains is 40 km/h. The Żabno-Szczucin section is in much worse condition and requires virtually complete reconstruction. However, the current government has no plans to extend the line from Szczucin to Busko-Zdrój station, despite pressure from local government officials. However, let’s remember that the current government is known for lies and the slogan “What harm can a promise do?” and, above all, it is destroying Poland, not building it. Their plans, declarations, and grandiose announcements are worthless. PLK PKP representatives stated that financing for this investment appears uncertain. There is no document that has been submitted from the Ministry of Infrastructure to the Ministry of Finance. The conclusion is this: Under this government, rail service to Szczucin will not return. Currently, overgrown tracks are being cleared in some locations along LK No. 115.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman