PKP Intercity will increase daily trains to 600 in December schedule expansion

Schedule expansion and cyclic departures

Starting in December 2026, Polish state passenger rail operator PKP Intercity will increase its service to approximately 600 daily connections, up from 530 in the current regular timetable and 560 operated during the summer peak. Company chief executive Janusz Malinowski announced that the carrier will publish complete schedule specifics later in October 2026. The expanded timetable is designed to implement regular departure cycles, establishing hourly interval departures on high-demand routes while introducing new direct connections across the national network. As part of this rollout, PKP Intercity will introduce six new pairs of trains daily on the corridor connecting Łomża and Warsaw. The total volume of scheduled connections across the carrier's network has expanded by over 30% compared to 2023 figures.

We are aiming for trains to different destinations to depart in cycles, for example every hour.

Passenger growth projections

PKP Intercity forecasts that passenger volume will reach between 96 million and 98 million travelers across 2026. This projection surpasses the company's baseline targets and marks an increase over 2025, when 89.2 million passengers used the carrier's services. Company data indicates that passenger counts have grown by over 40% compared to 2023, driven by service additions and expanded regional reach across Poland's rail corridors.

Infrastructure bottlenecks at Warsaw East

The scheduled December 2026 timetable implementation coincides with rail infrastructure works in the Polish capital. Modernization of the Warszawa Wschodnia railway station is scheduled to start in December 2026, encompassing the rebuilding of passenger platforms and renovations of pedestrian underpasses. Malinowski acknowledged that construction at this eastern Warsaw junction presents operational challenges that could affect overall train punctuality across regional and long-distance lines.

This may affect the punctuality of transport. We foresee difficulties for passengers that are beyond our control.

Rolling stock manufacturing and maintenance contracts

To support expanded operations, PKP Intercity is advancing rolling stock manufacturing contracts and procurement programs. In Chorzów, production of new double-decker passenger trains ordered from Alstom in 2025 will begin in early January 2027 following finalized vehicle design specifications and ongoing component orders. In addition, the first passenger cars from a 300-carriage order placed with manufacturer FPS Cegielski are undergoing testing, with vehicle handovers scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2027. Deliveries will simultaneously incorporate first-class, second-class, compartment, open-plan, and dining carriages configured to operate with Griffin locomotives manufactured by Newag.

High-speed procurement and cross-border routes

PKP Intercity is also preparing maintenance tenders, including level P5 overhauls for Pesa Dart trainsets and level P4 overhauls for ED74 multiple units, adding to an earlier P5 maintenance tender issued for the Pendolino fleet. During the InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin, carrier leadership met with rolling stock manufacturers regarding its active high-speed train procurement. The company currently runs 57 international connections and conducted bilateral talks with Germany's Deutsche Bahn, Austrian Federal Railways, Ukrainian Railways, and Lithuanian Railways to expand international operations, alongside ongoing German tender procedures regarding the potential purchase of 96 second-hand passenger carriages from Deutsche Bahn.