Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) Airport in Poland has officially accepted the construction design for its new passenger terminal and integrated railway station from the master architect, with the first stage of the airport planned to open before 2032.
The project was prepared by the master architect team – a consortium selected via tender comprising British firms Foster + Partners and Buro Happold, supported by over 30 subcontractors from various industries, including NACO, Kuryłowicz & Associates and Cundall. In total, over 400 designers contributed to the development of the design documentation.
The first stage of the passenger terminal at CPK will cover 450,000m2 – almost three times the size of nearby Warsaw Chopin Airport’s 165,000m2 passenger terminal – and will operate across three levels:
- Level 2: Ticket and baggage check-in, security control, arrivals and departures for the Schengen zone and some arrivals from the Non-Schengen zone.
- Level 1: Arrivals and departures for the Non-Schengen zone, transfer centers and passport control.
- Level 0: Coach gates for both Schengen and Non-Schengen zones, baggage reclaim and arrivals hall.
The main building will be connected to piers through which passengers will access aircraft directly. In its first stage, CPK Airport is expected to handle up to 11,000 passengers per hour. On opening, the terminal will feature around 140 ticket and baggage check-in desks, with space reserved for an additional island, enabling the number of check-in desks to be increased to 170.
The terminal design provides for two phases of development: to handle 34 million and then 44 million passengers per year. The target share of transfer passengers – those changing planes at CPK – is 35–40%.
Phased construction of the piers
The initial stage of construction will include the North Pier (B) – for long-haul flights to and from the Non-Schengen zone – and Central Piers (C and D), with flexible functionality for both Schengen and non-Schengen operations.
The South Pier (E) has been designed to enable phased construction – its implementation is planned for the next stage and will depend on updated passenger traffic forecasts, according to CPK. Further stages of airport expansion will include the North-East Pier (A) and South-East Pier (F).
The first phase of the airport will provide 26 dedicated contact stands for narrow-body aircraft and 23 contact stands for wide-body aircraft, including 18 flexible MARS stands (capable of handling either one wide-body or two narrow-body aircraft).
US$8bn in tenders
In May, CPK launched a competitive dialog procedure to select the general contractor for the passenger terminal and in July, bids were opened in the tender for the baggage handling system. By the end of 2025, CPK plans to announce tenders worth approximately PLN 30bn (US$8.2bn) in total.
Construction of the terminal is set to begin in 2026, starting with deep foundation works. According to the schedule, the underground tunnel and railway station will be completed by 2029. CPK Airport is expected to be operational by the end of 2032, together with the first section of the Warsaw–Łódź High-Speed Rail Line, which is currently in the design, land acquisition and permitting phase. Construction is already underway in Łódź.
Read an exclusive interview with Antoinette Nassopoulos-Erickson, senior partner at Foster + Partners, where she reveals the key trends and challenges set to shape the terminals of tomorrow, including CPK Airport.