Faster than the highway or plane. „Travel time will be shorter”

CPK. There is a location decision TVN24

Following the introduction of high-speed trains, the duration of travel will be significantly reduced for both motorway and domestic air links – stated Piotr Rachwalski, a member of the board of the Central Communication Port. This pertains to routes connecting Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań, and Wrocław.

Rachwalski discussed the plans for managing passenger traffic once the High-Speed Rail (HSR) becomes operational on the initial planned segment from Warsaw through CPK to Łódź (in 2032) and subsequently on the routes to Wrocław and Poznań three years later.

– The „Y” project will facilitate the connection of four out of the five largest Polish cities via a highly efficient railway system. Once high-speed trains commence operations on the line from Warsaw through Łódź to Wrocław and Poznań, travel times will be remarkably reduced for both the motorway and domestic air travel – explained Piotr Rachwalski.

He highlighted that the „Y” railway will represent the first „high-speed” rail network in Central and Eastern Europe, and it will be the most significant and costly component of the entire CPK initiative, rather than the Central Communication Port itself.

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„100 minutes between major cities”

High-speed trains are expected to traverse the distance between the largest Polish cities in approximately 100 minutes, while the journey between Warsaw and Łódź is projected to take about 40 minutes.

According to Rachwalski, the „Y” railway line aims to provide access from major cities to the airport in Baranów, but it is also intended to facilitate long-distance connections beyond just „Igrek.” For instance, it will enable travel from Lublin to Szczecin or from Białystok to Jelenia Góra or Zielona Góra, and in the future, to international destinations that were previously inaccessible on these routes.

This includes connections to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia via the Rail Baltica line, and to the south, the government has approved a project to link with the Czech Republic, both through the Katowice-Ostrava line and potentially through Wrocław in the future.

– KDP will not be a series of isolated high-speed lines disconnected from the overall infrastructure, serving solely as a communication tool between the largest cities, without integration with the broader railway network. At nearly every junction of our rail lines, we will connect with the PKP PLK network to maximize infrastructure use, enabling travel across the entire country in roughly three hours, and within 100 minutes between the largest cities – stated Rachwalski.

The „Y” line from Warsaw through CPK to Łódź, and later to Poznań and Wrocław, is expected to be constructed using the latest rail traffic control technologies with an anticipated design speed of 350 km/h. The fastest trains will operate at a speed of 300-320 km/h.

CPK between Warsaw and Łódź PAP Infographics; Maciej Zieliński, Adam Ziemienowicz

What about suitable rolling stock?

Participants in the discussion noted that a potential challenge for the planned investment may be the unavailability of suitable rolling stock for HSR. Trains capable of achieving high speeds are costly, and manufacturing them can take up to 5-6 years from the order date. As a result, not every carrier may meet the so-called entry threshold requirements to operate on the HSR line. In response, CPK is considering establishing a rolling stock pool. This initiative means that instead of carriers purchasing trains, CPK will acquire them and lease them to transport companies for extended periods. A similar system is already in place within the rail cargo transport market.

– The goal is to prevent a scenario where we construct a very expensive high-speed line without having trains capable of utilizing its full capabilities. We are in discussions with carriers that operate or plan to operate in Poland. We are formulating a business plan and aim to begin placing orders for trains soon, ensuring deliveries by 2032 – Rachwalski emphasized, noting that CPK will not function as a carrier but will only supply a portion of the rolling stock to be utilized by rail companies.

According to estimates, CPK anticipates needing over PLN 8 billion for the procurement and maintenance of rolling stock. It has earmarked a fifth of this amount in its budget as its own contribution to initiate purchases as early as possible. The entire process from order placement to train delivery may take 5-6 years.

About CPK

CPK is a State Treasury company established to prepare and implement the Multiannual Program of the Central Communication Port, which encompasses the construction of a new central airport for Poland and the coordination and execution of related investments, including a new network of railway lines, expressways, motorways,

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