Poland opens final 40 km of S6 Kashubian Route, Gdańsk–Szczecin drive shorter by up to two hours

The final piece opens

The newly opened 40.3 km stretch comprises three sub-sections (Słupsk–Bobrowniki, Bobrowniki–Skórowo, Skórowo–Leśnice) built under contracts worth a combined 1.27 billion PLN. Five road junctions (Budy, Bobrowniki, Rzechcino, Skórowo, Leśnice) and 44 engineering structures were delivered, including a 245-metre viaduct over the Łupawa river valley, the largest structure on the new fragment. Two of the three sub-sections used concrete surfacing rather than asphalt, with GDDKiA noting that only bridges and viaducts received bituminous layers. A temporary 100 km/h speed limit will apply for the first week while signage works are completed.

Travel time transformed

With the entire 330 km of the S6 now continuous from the Goleniów Północ junction to Gdańsk Południe, journey times between Gdańsk and Szczecin have fallen sharply. GDDKiA estimates a reduction of roughly 1.5 hours (from about five hours to three and a half). One early report from the road's first users, cited by Radio Gdańsk, puts the new travel time closer to three hours, a saving of two hours. The route, officially named the Kashubian Route (Kaszëbskô Darga), forms part of the international Via Hanseatica corridor connecting Lübeck in Germany with Riga in Latvia.

Before opening5

After (GDDKiA estimate)3.5

After (first driver report, Radio Gdańsk)3

Before opening

5 hours

After (GDDKiA estimate)

3.5 hours

After (first driver report, Radio Gdańsk)

3 hours

Data from the article text

Political and strategic weight

Prime Minister Donald Tusk held a press conference on the nearly finished road on Wednesday and later posted on X: "The Kashubian Route, or as we say, Kaszëbskô Darga, is complete. It links the Tri-City with Szczecin, covering the entire historic Kashubia. Although I started major road investments as prime minister nearly 20 years ago, the opening of another road always fills me with pride. Once Poland was famous for its bad roads, today we enjoy the most modern network of motorways and expressways in Europe!" He stressed the route's role in connecting European ports and its importance for state security.

“We have long waited for the completion of the Kashubian Route. It's worth remembering that it is a road of great international importance. This section confirms our aspirations and we can feel proud today of what we have achieved as a country.”

EU money behind the asphalt

The Słupsk–Bożepole Wielkie section, of which the just-opened fragment is a part, cost almost 2.9 billion PLN and received over 1.4 billion PLN in EU support from the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, Environment (FEnIKS) programme.

A second gap closes the same day

Friday also brought the opening of a nearly 30 km missing stretch of the A2 motorway between Siedlce Wschód and Łukowisko, filling a long-standing gap on the Warsaw–Biała Podlaska axis. The A2 opening, reported alongside the S6 by several outlets, completes another puzzle piece for Poland's express road network.

Local gains and what remains

Adam Gawrylik, a member of the Pomorskie Voivodeship board, told Radio Gdańsk that development around the route is accelerating:

“A lot is also being built around the route. Wind farms, a nuclear power plant – all of this is connected and clearly shows that Pomerania is experiencing a renaissance.”

The S6 provides direct access for the future nuclear plant via the Łęczyce junction and shortens journeys for residents commuting between the Tri-City and western Poland. The last missing link of the entire artery remains the tunnel section of the Western Szczecin Bypass, which GDDKiA plans to complete in 2033.