Poland and Germany Sign Agreement on Development of Strategic Railway Connections

On Monday, February 16, 2026, Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak and German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder formalized cooperation that is set to transform the face of rail transport between Poland and Germany. The agreement signed in Warsaw forms the foundation for a long-term strategy to develop connections aimed at radically shortening travel times on key routes. The document focuses on modernizing existing lines, such as Warsaw–Berlin and Kraków–Wrocław, as well as planning new corridors for High-Speed Rail. The cooperation also has a European dimension, encompassing coordination of activities within the EU's TEN-T network. The Polish-German railway plans refer to long-standing efforts to integrate the transport systems of both countries, initiated even before Poland's accession to the European Union in 2004.An important element of the agreement is dual use investments. This means that the new infrastructure will be designed to allow rapid military mobility, which in the current geopolitical situation is of priority importance for the security of the eastern flank of NATO. Patrick Schnieder emphasized that rail must become one of the pillars of mutual economic relations, which in turn will translate into greater passenger comfort and more efficient freight transport between the largest industrial centers of both countries. „This agreement concerns issues of new investments, modernization of existing lines, but also cooperation in civilian and defense areas.” — Dariusz KlimczakIn the last two decades, freight transport between Poland and Germany has almost tripled, making the current border infrastructure insufficient.The parties declared the creation of a detailed roadmap of actions, which will define the work schedule for the coming years. It includes not only technical aspects but also rolling stock coordination and digitization of traffic management systems. 250 km/h — is the planned speed on new high-speed rail routesModernization Goals for Connections: Number of international connections: Limited capacity → Increased frequency of services; Infrastructure purpose: Mainly civilian → Integrated civil-military; Travel time to Berlin: Current standard → Reduction thanks to HSR networkLiberal media emphasize the pro-environmental aspect of investments in rail and strengthening ties with the European Union as an alternative to road transport. | Conservative media focus on the military aspect of dual use and the need to maintain sovereignty within TEN-T investment planning.