Katowice railway station is a railway station in Katowice, Silesia, Poland, and the largest railway station in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region. Domestic and international trains connect at the station to most major cities in Europe; these are operated primarily by Polskie Koleje Państwowe. During 1972, Katowice railway station was officially completed, having been built as a replacement station for the city's old terminus, Katowice historic train station. It is located in the centre of Katowice city, and forms of the biggest transport interchanges anywhere in Poland. As built, the railway station was located only a few minutes walk away from the city's main bus station. By the twenty-first century, Katowice railway station was reportedly being used by around 12 million passengers per year. The condition of the building had degraded over the course of 30 years, creating to an impetus for its replacement. During July 2009, it was announced that the Polish government had signed an agreement with the Spanish construction firm Neinver for the latter to build a new integrated transportation hub and commercial center in the middle of Katowice, including the redevelopment of the existing railway station. During May 2010, ground was broken at the site, marking the official commencement of phase one of construction, which was focused on the main station building itself; a temporary building was used to host train services while the original hall was demolished and its replacement built. During phase two of the redevelopment programme, the station's platforms were progressively closed for reconstruction. Later phases of the work involved the construction of the retail, hotel, and other on-site facilities. By late 2012, the new main hall of the railway station and its integrated underground bus station had become operational; during the summer of 2013, the entire complex, including the adjoining Galeria Katowicka mall on Szewczyk Square, was officially completed. History 1970s incarnation During the 1960s, work began on the construction of a replacement station for the city's old terminus, Katowice historic train station, which dated back to the nineteenth century. The new complex was designed to serve as a high-profile example of modern architecture; the main railway hall of the building was designed as a collaborative effort between the Polish architects Wacław Kłyszewski, Jerzy Mokrzyński and Eugeniusz Wierzbicki, while the construction of the station was supervised by the noted civil engineer and designer Wacław Zalewski. Beyond its aesthetic qualities, the hall's design