Biznes Fakty
By train directly to Croatia. Minister's announcement
The Minister of Infrastructure, Dariusz Klimczak, announced on social media that efforts are underway to establish a direct train link to Croatia. In 2024, Polish tourists ranked fourth in terms of visitors to Croatia, following Germans, Slovenians, and Austrians.
„I can confirm that we are working to create a direct rail service to Croatia. The initial travel itinerary is set: lunch in Warsaw, breakfast in Rijeka!” – the head of the Ministry of Infrastructure shared on the X platform.
PKP Intercity President discusses the new route
Janusz Malinowski, the president of PKP Intercity, addressed the merger at the Sejm Infrastructure Committee.
– Our goal is to initiate train service to Rijeka based on the Sobieski train that travels to Vienna. Considering this, the Polish side will not incur any additional expenses when establishing the Rijeka connection – Malinowski highlighted.
The President of PKP Intercity emphasized that the operator is fully prepared in terms of rolling stock.
Read more: Boycott of stores and products. „A destination more expensive than Spain or Greece” >>>
– The issue does not lie with the Czech side, as they have already included this train in the PSC agreement (a framework for public service provision – ed.). The complication does not pertain to the section towards Vienna, but rather from Vienna to the Slovenian border and within Slovenia. These nations would need to incorporate this train into their PSC agreements in that direction – Janusz Malinowski clarified.
– On the Slovenian side, there’s an additional challenge – the ongoing modernization, which poses the greatest obstacle at present. There isn’t a significant business risk for us; we merely need to persuade the Austrian side to add these trains to their PSC contracts for the route from Vienna through Graz to the border, as well as the Slovenian side.
A popular destination for Poles
According to Małgorzata Kowalska, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board’s office in Poland, the influx of tourists from Poland to Croatia is increasing annually.
„Last year, we recorded 1 million 170 thousand arrivals. These visitors spent over 7 million nights,” Kowalska stated. She mentioned that in 2024, there was an 8 percent increase in arrivals and a 6 percent rise in nights compared to 2023. She noted that Poles primarily visit Croatia during the summer months of July and August.
Kowalska indicated that in 2024, Poles ranked fourth among visitors to Croatia. The top three spots were held by Germans, Slovenians, and Austrians. Furthermore, when including Croatians vacationing within their own country, Poles were placed fifth.
She also mentioned that visitors from Poland typically arrive in their own vehicles, but there has recently been a significant interest in utilizing direct flights. According to her, the regions in Croatia that attract the most attention from Poles include Split-Dalmatia, Istria, Zadar, and notably, the Dubrovnik-Neretva region has seen a substantial rise in popularity.
