CPK (Centralny Port Komunikacyjny) and the EU Transport Projects Centre (CEUPT) have signed an agreement to develop 15 joint projects aimed at supporting the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure in opening the long-distance PSO rail market.
This will come into force in December 2030, when the public service contract between the state and incumbent operator PKP Intercity expires. The agreement defines which long-distance routes fall under the PSO framework and which operate on an open access basis.
At present, only Leo Express competes with PKP Intercity in the long-distance segment, having entered the high-demand Warsaw–Kraków corridor three months ago. This is a commercial service with strong profitability potential.
Following the contract’s expiry, the EU Fourth Railway Package will require competitive tendering processes open to both domestic and international operators.
Key workstreams include fare and timetable integration between operators, traffic planning on the future Y line linking Warsaw, Łódź, Wrocław and Poznań, and AeroExpress services to the new airport. Service organisation will ultimately be overseen by a new National Transport Authority.
In parallel, CEUPT has launched preliminary market consultations to prepare tender documentation, gathering technical input from prospective operators. High-speed services between Warsaw and Łódź are expected to be operational before the end of 2032.