Polish Railways Are Attracting Ever More Passengers

Every year, more and more Polish women and men travel by train.

“In July this year, Polish railways transported roughly as many people as there are inhabitants of Poland. More than 36 million people. If we know that next year we will carry more people on Polish trains than live in the entire European Union, this gives you an idea of how much Polish rail has developed and continues to develop,”
– said Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Gdańsk.

In 2024, Polish railways carried over 407 million passengers. Compared to 2023, this is an increase of 33.1 million people.

The ever more frequent choice of the train as a means of transport is also a sign of trust. The Prime Minister reminded that Polish rail and Polish railway workers have long been a symbol of effectiveness, agency and reliability – for almost one hundred years now. Next year, Polish State Railways (PKP) will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Rail is the Most Accessible Means of Transport

The development of rail – restoring connections, renovating stations, building new lines – has accelerated significantly in recent times.

“Not a week goes by without someone from somewhere in Poland calling and saying: ‘Prime Minister, you have to be here, because we are opening, we are starting construction, we have renovated the station, we are launching construction of a new rail line. Another town – small, big, medium-sized – will have its own station, its own railway stop,’”
– said the President of the Council of Ministers.

The head of government referred to his visit to Sierakowice, where, in line with the 2023 promise, passenger trains will return for the residents of Kashubia on the Kartuzy–Lębork line after 25 years.

“Our obsession is to make rail the most accessible means of transport for all Polish women and men. And we will not hesitate to invest all our energy and all the resources at our disposal to achieve this. I can solemnly promise you here – managers, railway workers, local government officials – that rail will be an absolute priority of the Polish government, at least for the next few years,”
– declared the Prime Minister.

Changes on the railways are ongoing – both at the strategic level and at the local level. Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that the government is finalising work that will lead to the Tricity Fast Urban Railway (SKM) being handed over to the regional government.

An Ambitious Plan: High-Speed Rail

The government’s goal is to build High-Speed Rail – and to do so as quickly as possible, with the clear assumption that it will serve all Polish women and men, regardless of which region of the country they live in.

“We will be ambitiously preparing – and I am not talking about a distant perspective, but about today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow – for this ambitious project that is High-Speed Rail, with the highest speeds in Europe, meaning over 300 kilometres per hour,”
– underlined Donald Tusk.

High-Speed Rail will not only increase the comfort of travel and access to this mode of transport, but will also drive industrial development and create new jobs.

Polish Companies Must Build Polish Rail

In addition to PKP, Polish exhibitors at the TRAKO International Railway Fair include the companies PESA and NEWAG. They are showcasing their latest products. The Prime Minister announced that a tender for the construction of High-Speed Rail will be launched soon.

“Poland can be proud of companies such as PESA and NEWAG. So I am issuing a cordial challenge to you, gentlemen presidents (…) fight for this historic contract. Its scale will truly be impressive,”
– appealed the head of government.

Polish companies and Polish specialists can become leaders in the most ambitious investments. That is why the government is consistently implementing the idea of repolonising the national industry and supporting entrepreneurs.

Energy and Transport Security

Rail is not only about passenger comfort and one of the most environmentally friendly means of transport. The country’s security also depends on the development of rail and the use of top-level technologies in this sector.

“Poland can be a model for all of Europe when it comes to a modern, fast rail network. Our future and our transport security will depend on this. Yes, rail also means our energy and transport security,”
– said the head of government.

This is particularly important given that we live in unstable times.

“My dream is that one day people will look back on this difficult period in which we have to live and think of it as the age of rail. Not as a time of war, not a time of internal disputes, not a time of moral decay,”
– emphasised Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The government’s determination, strong Polish companies, upcoming tenders and major investment contracts – we have everything we need for this vision to come true.