Football fans have been promised that Poland’s rail network is safe, despite a weekend train crash that killed 16 people.
The assurance came from the Polish government ahead of the summer’s Euro 2012 football tournament when many fans will travel by train.
Two trains collided head-on killing 16 people and injuring dozens more near the southern town of Szczekociny, just north of Krakow on Saturday. Both trains ended up running on the same track.
It was the worst rail tragedy since 16 people were killed in a 1990 collision near Warsaw.
Transport minister Slawomir Nowak insisted that train travel was safe and that the government made safety a priority as it improved the system.
The collision happened on a stretch of track that was recently modernised, but officials said it was too early to talk about a cause.
“I really believe that the train system – not only in Poland but all of Europe – is still very safe,” Nowak said. He said those who planned to use the trains this summer during Euro 2012 should not worry.
Poland is co-hosting the three-week tournament with Ukraine and games will be held in several Polish and Ukrainian cities, which will force some fans to travel large distances.