Küstrin Rail Bridges

A new rail crossing designed by Knight Architects and Schüßler-Plan Berlin will soon contribute to the pan-European network by providing a vital link across the Polish-German border in Kostyrzyn/Küstrin.

Won in 2015, following a two-stage international design competition, the major bridge will be the central part of the Berlin-Kostrzyn-Gorzów railway modernisation programme. The River Odra crossing will revive the once famous Berlin-Königsberg-Eydtkuhnen rail line, breathing new life to an important East-West trade corridor which declined during the Cold War.

The 266m-long main crossing will replace a derelict, single-track truss built before World War 2 with a distinctive, 130m network arch spanning the River Odra. The elegant steel structure, with its crown positioned above the demarcation line of the border, will be a landmark that will not only highlight the importance of the location but will also be a welcoming gesture to everyone travelling between the two countries.

A less dramatic, but equally important, 176m-long Odervorflut-bridge, will cross a flood-relief canal located 500m west of the main crossing. It will use similar architectural features as the main bridge, unifying both into a family of slender and elegant structures.

The 1.3km-long corridor scheme has been successfully navigated through the lengthy planning application process (Planfeststellungsverfahren) with planning approval granted in March 2020.

Knight Architects is proud to contribute to a project that will help strengthen the friendship between Poland and Germany, stimulating growth and improving connections on both a local and an EU-wide level.