Gniezno Locomotive Depot to become European hydrogen hub

A coalition of government officials, parliamentarians, EU deputies, energy and railway executives, and scientists gathered in Gniezno for a congress titled “From Steam to Hydrogen”. The meeting discussed converting the 150‑year‑old Parowozownia Gniezno, Poland’s largest historic locomotive depot, into a multifunctional centre that would host a National Railway Museum, a cultural zone, a business‑event hub, and a Centre for Hydrogen Technology Transfer.

The project, coordinated with the Wielkopolska Chamber of Commerce, the Polish Hydrogen Group and the HALO Association, estimates costs of several hundred million zlotys and aims to tap European Green Deal funds. The depot, owned by PKP SA, is slated for sale after the state railway declared insufficient budget for its upkeep. The congress also featured a family festival showcasing modern rolling stock and educational activities for visitors.

Patryk Kuliński, president of the Parowozownia Gniezno Association, said the historic halls are “the ideal place for a pioneering hub where engineering history meets zero‑emission transport research.”