Poland - General Information
Country Name
Poland (Polska)
State railway system
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe SA (PKP) is the controlling entity for the PKP Group.
National Railway Operator
PKP Intercity is responsible for long-distance passenger transport.
Przewozy Regionalne, formerly PKP Przewozy Regionalne, is responsible for local (Regio) and InterRegio services and also InterRegioBus. Przewozy Regionalne was a wholly owned subsidiary of the PKP Group until 22 December 2008, when the shares were transferred to the 16 regional governments. It is gradually losing its importance and being replaced by other operators in some regions.
Infrastructure Authority
PKP, Polskie Linie Kolejowe is responsible for infrastructure maintenance and timetabling.
Language
Polish.
Currency
Złoty.
UIC code
numeric 51; alpha PL.
Timetable
Journey Planner
http://rozklad-pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/en or Private alternative http://rozklad.sitkol.pl/bin/query.exe/en? as the Official English version is sometimes not visible!
Downloadable Timetable
The last printed Timetable was for 2011/12, and in 2012/13 there was not even access to any website PDF’s either. Following on-line petitions etc PDF's were made available from 2013/14 with access via the Sieciowy Rozkład Jazdy Pociągów page. Enter the Table number [Note: some have altered] in section Wyszukiwanie według tablicy. It should load the Destinations served. Click on the chevron to the left of the place names for a prompt to either view or download various by date option PDF’s.
Additionally individual operators and PKP Inter City publish PDFs, plus the Przewozy Regionalne website groups information Region by Region. Links are
By Operator
Intercity: PKP Intercity Rozkład jazdy
International: Rozkład Jazdy Pociągów Międzynarodowych
Przewozy Regionalne: Przewozy Regionalne
Click on map for Region of Departure and select Liniowe rozkłady jazdy. Note that in many cases the PDFs suggest services terminate at Regional Boundaries which is not the case. They offer a link to some but not all local operators
Other Operators: See Other Railways for details of other operators. Some of these are omitted from the Inni przewoźnicy pasażerscy (Other passenger operators) page, for example Arriva.
The others are on the Sinfin railways of Poland page, which supposedly links to all passenger, freight, operational Narrow Gauge, Metro and Trams in Poland although some links [such as Arriva!] are incorrect/broken.
Helpful new options from 2012/13 are an individual station query facility on Wyszukiwania Połączeń Kolejowych, showing the booked arrival or departure platform [Peron] which assists where alternative routes are available, or a search by station or in some instances Junction names which shows booked passing times of all passenger trains forwards from the request and current punctuality. Additionally by drilling down into the train number it shows all timing points for the journey which can confirm use of diversions Infopasazer
Printed Timetable
None, see above paragraph.
Additional Notes on reading the Timetable
| (A) | Working days except Saturdays i.e. SSuX |
| (B) | daily except Saturdays, i.e. SX |
| (C) | Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, i.e. SSuO |
| (D) | Mondays to Fridays except holidays, i.e. SSuX |
| (E) | Mondays to Saturdays except holidays, i.e. SuX |
| (F) | runs when advertised or required |
| (G) | runs until further notice |
| "I" in the middle of the train column | the train passes through this station without stopping |
| "(" in the middle of the train column | the train does not pass through that station but instead takes a different route |
| Codziennie | Daily |
| Do | until or to |
| do odwołania | until further notice |
| Gł., Główny | main station |
| I | And |
| Kursuje | Runs |
| Od | from or since |
| Oprocz | Except |
| Oraz | As well as |
| p (przyjad) | Arrive |
| po, z, ze | from or after |
| po ogłoszeniu | [from] when advertised |
| p.odg. (posterunek odgałęzny) | junction |
| Poza tym | Besides |
| Przez | Via |
| Swiat | Holidays |
| W | On |
| Wąsk. (wąskotorowa) | narrow gauge |
| Na odcinku ……. ruch pociagów zawieszony do odwołania | On the section…. no scheduled trains until further notice |
Train numbers prefixed A are worked by bus.
Engineering Information
www.przewozyregionalne.pl/w-regionach.html. Drill into the part of the country wanted and then select “Aktualności”.
Bus Information
The Rozkład jazdy autobusów PKS website offers a number of options including:
- Ogólny rozkład jazdy autobusów PKS (Bus journey planner)
- Rozkład jazdy autobusów PKS według miast (Bus information by city)
- Rozkład jazdy komunikacji miejskiej według miast (Links to transport authority sites by city)
or the following from the ZTM Warsaw website which gives links to Operators in the majority of towns in Poland
Maps
Printed Maps
- The "Mały Atlas Linii Kolejowych Polski 2011” * is a soft backed very detailed 1:300000 map comprising 102 pages and with notes in Polish, English and German published by Wydawnictwo Eurosprinter (ISBN 978-83-931006-3-7). The unusual lines and future changes sections include references to pages in this atlas e.g. M2011-R14. * A 2014 updated edition is available but it is believed so far only in Hardback.
- European Railway Atlas: Scandinavia and Eastern Europe by M.G. Ball (1993) (ISBN 0-7110-2072-4)
- European Railway Atlas by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards)
- The now discontinued PKP timetable was accompanied by a separate map with enlargements of Warszawa and Katowice. It distinguished electrified, narrow-gauge and broad-gauge lines but some lines and curves with no service for a number of years were still shown.
Web-based Maps
- a countrywide but with zoom facility on-line map unfortunately without line numbers but shows current status, plus detail such as electrication and single/double track etc
- Thorsten Büker's Map of Poland
- Maps and Plans - Poland
- A detailed map of the network is available on the PKP website. However, it should be used with caution as some curves are omitted and it is somewhat out of date, with many lines now impassable, closed or lifted still shown.
Ticketing
PKP offers a number of network tickets which offer good value, although travellers need to take care differentiating between not only PKP Inter City and Przewozy Regionalne (regional) services but even different types of regional service. A particularly valuable guide is the "Rail Pass Guide Continental Europe" published annually by "Today's Railways" magazine. The Polrail travel website provides information in English, although it should be treated with caution as it is out of date. The Świat Podróży Kolejowych website provides useful information in Polish, including:
- Passenger train operators > 2. PRZEWOŹNICY KOLEJOWI
- Types of train > 3. KATEGORIE POCIĄGÓW
- Special offers (network tickets) > 5. OFERTY PROMOCYJNE
Prospective travellers should be aware that some regional operators may accept only their own tickets and should check beforehand. The "Rail Pass Guide Continental Europe" shows which regions accept PKP network tickets. None of them accepts ordinary (non-network) PKP tickets.
- The following operators normally accept PKP network tickets: Arriva RP, KD, KS, KW.
- The following operators do not normally accept PKP network tickets: KM, SKM Warszawie, WKD, SKM Trójmieście.
See Other Railways for details of these operators.
If the boarding station is not staffed or has no machines, it should be possible to buy a ticket on the train and passengers should go immediately to the front of the train where the guard will be located. An additional fee may be charged if they come round the train to find you!
The Koleje Mazowieckie website (the area round Warsaw) gives details of useful network type tickets. However, care should be taken to distinguish between Koleje Mazowieckie (KM) and Szybka Kolej Miejska w Warszawie (SKM) services as they only accept each other's tickets on certain routes, for example between central Warsaw and Warsaw Chopin Airport. ZTM (Zarząd Transportu Miejskiego), the Warsaw Transport Authority, has a useful map showing the tariff zone boundaries in the metropolitan area indicating where KM, SKM Warszawie, WKD have some limited inter-availibility, plus details of daily or weekly zonal tickets covering all but main line and PR services. Additionally KM tickets are accepted by WKD under some conditions; see Honouring of Tickets.
Some major stations are equipped with machines offering an extensive range of tickets (including some network tickets), which accept coins, notes and credit and debit cards. However, many stations have no ticket machines and even major ones only a few and not for all operators, Warszawa Centralna being the classic example where there are no SKM or KM machines. Ticket windows are the norm, often with separate windows for PKP Inter City and Regional services. Queues can be long, especially at peak times, and ample time should be allowed to buy tickets.
Gauge
The main line network is Standard. In addition 394 km of a 1520mm gauge freight-only "Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa" (Broad-Gauge Steel Line) between Sławków near Katowice and Vladimir in Ukraine is in Poland but this is not shown on any timetable map. The LHS has a separate website lhs.pl which includes interactive maps and photographs, was formerly part of PKP and known as the "Steel and Sulphur Railway". A suggested extension into the Czech Republic is mentioned from time to time but at present would not appear to be going ahead. Other broad gauge tracks cross into Poland on routes from the Ukraine, Belarus and Kaliningrad.
Electrification
Main line electrification is 3 kV dc.
Rule of the road
Right.
Other Railways
The last PKP operated Narrow Gauge scheduled passenger trains ran in July 2001 with a private Company SKPL, [Stowarzyszenie Kolejowych Przewozów Lokalnych] SSuX [except school holidays] service lasting until 7 December 2012 on a 4km part of ex PKP line 317 from Pleszew PKP to Pleszew Miasto.
The DB subsidiary Usedomer Bäderbahn opened a 1.5 km extension from Seebad Ahlbeck Grenze to Świnoujście Centrum in Poland on 20 September 2008. Built mainly on a reinstated formation, there are plans to extend back into Germany to Garz Airport. There will be no physical connection to the PKP network which is on the opposite side of the River Odra.
See Gauge for details of the "Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa" (Broad-Gauge Steel Line).
Private operators have franchises to work a number of local passenger services over PKP lines:
- KM Koleje Mazowieckie KM operates local services in Mazowieckie, the area round Warszawa.
- SKM Szybka Kolej Miejska w Warszawie operates local services in the Warsaw conurbation, including services to Warsaw Frederic Chopin airport.
- WKD Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa operates self contained local services from Warszawa Śródmieście to Grodzisk Mazowiecki Radońska and Milanówek Grudów.
- SKM Szybka Kolej Miejska w Trójmieście (Three Cities) operates local services in the Gdansk/Gdynia conurbation, including regional services between Gdynia and Slupsk, as well as some trains to Tczew and Malbork.
- Arriva RP Arriva operates local services in Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province and partly in the Pomorskie and Mazowieckie provinces, based around Bydgoszcz, Toruń and Grudziądz.
- KD Koleje Dolnośląskie operates local services in Lower Silesia, the region around Wrocław.
- KS Koleje Śląskie operates local services in Silesia, the region around Katowice.
- KW Koleje Wielkopolskie operates local services in Wielkopolskie, the region around Poznań.
Tourist Lines
A number of ex PKP narrow gauge lines, and also ex Forestry Railways such at Cisna, Czarna Białostocka, Hajnowka and Płociczno offer tourist or charter services.
The current status of narrow gauge lines in Poland can be ascertained using the interactive map at:-
Rail cycling is possible on a number of lines; see the IG Draisinenfahrten website. Click on 'International', followed by 'Draisinenlinks' to obtain website details under the heading 'Draisinenstrecken in Polen (PL)'.
Any further information on tourist line operations would be welcomed.
Metro
Warszawa. Two extensions opened in 2008, from Marymont to Słodowiec on 23 April, and onwards to Młociny on 27 October so Line 1 is now 23km long. The construction of an East - West line 2, with the first seven station section from Rondo Daszyńskiego [passing under the Vistula river between Powiśle and Stadion stations] to Dworzec Wileński was planned to open on 14 December 2014 but this date was not met. The line will be extended at both ends with two branches on the east-side of the city with possibly a third short line to the south-east inner suburbs later.
Trams
Bydgoszcz, Częstochowa, Elbląg, Gdańsk, Gorzów, Grudziądz, Katowice area [no longer including Gliwice as this part of the system was closed on 31 August 2009], Kraków, Łódź, Poznań, Szczecin, Toruń, Warszawa, Wrocław.
See also Tram services over obscure routes - Poland
Recent and future changes
Future Changes
151 It has been suggested the Tychy Lodowisko service may be extended 8km to Bierun Stary to assist Car plant workers commute.
The Kraków Airport branch services were suspended with effect from 1 February 2014 for an unspecified period as the line is being electrified and a further 500m reopened to passenger services so as to be nearer the Terminal Building.
A Kraków Plasów avoiding curve is to be built allowing direct access from Kraków Glówny towards T135 Zakopane
The freight branch serving Warsaw Modlin Airport is being improved to commence a passenger service [in 2016?] once an underground station at the Terminal is built.
Work is under way to serve Gdańsk Airport potentially by 1 September 2015 by reinstating an old formation from Gdańsk Wrzeszcz along with new construction on viaduct approaching the Terminals, continuing [via line 229?] to a junction with the Koscierzyna line, with plans to link this with the existing freight route to Gdańsk Osowa, plus from Rębiechowo/p.odg Glincz to Kartuzy and a regular service from Kartuzy to Somonino.
There is also talk of a 5km branch serving Rzeszow Airport leading off Table 126 by 2017 and reinstatement of a ZTM service to Zegrze.
Changes with the Timetable Period commencing 15 December 2014
Pending although the PKP fleet of Pendelinos entered service on Premium IC services from this date.
Changes with the Timetable Period commencing 15 December 2013
- Part 230 Polanica Zdroj - Kudowa Zdrój reopened although there are periods when services are bustituted.
- 552 Late Summer weekend Chełm – Włodawa service from 28 June - 28 September 2014
- 832 Bohumín ČD - Chałupki PKP withdrawn
- 335 Rzepin - Międzyrzecz withdrawn
Changes during 2012/13 Timetable Period
- 551a Lublin - Lubartów services were extended a further 30 km to Parczew from 30 September 2013
- 440 Summer only trains from Somonino to Kartuzy again between 29 June to 1 September 2013
- 382 Koszalin - Mielno Koszalinskie and 451 Lebork - Leba have summer only services again from 29 June to 1 September 2013
- 403 Arriva show Summer only trains to Nowy Dwor Gdanski in their Journey plannner
- Part 230 Kłodsko Miasto to Polanica Zdroj opened on 9 June 2013 [see above for the remainder of the branch to Kudowa Zdrój]
- Part 520 Szczytno - Wielbark closed on 9 June 2013 after only a 5 month re-opening.
- The Szczecin Goleniow Airport branch opened on 9 June 2013. It comprises 4.34 km of new track with a triangular junction with line 375:- line 464: P odg. Mosty - Port Lotniczy (3.867 km) and line 465: P.odg. Mosty R1 - P odg. Mosty R2 (0.473 km).
- A new 2.625 km long curve connecting line 355 from Zielona Góra with line 333 to Zbaszynek opened on 9 June 2013. Direct services between Zielona Gora and Poznan no longer need to reverse at Czerwiensk. Some local services still run via Czerwiensk
- Part 321 Gniezno - Wrzesnia - Jarocin: temporary restoration of a two pair weekdays train service between 13 May and 28 June 2013 caused by emergency closure of the road bridge at Nowe Miasto nad Warta on National road 11.
- Part 551 Lublin - Lubartów reopened on 10 February 2013 [see Pending for future extension]
- 166 Gliwice - Bytom local services resumed once more on 1 February 2013 but ceased again on 1 June 2013, leaving only the very limited IR and overnight TLK pair running via this route
- Part 315 Herby Nowe - Kłobuck passenger use resumed but ended on 31 May 2013
Changes with the Timetable Period commencing 9 December 2012
Closures
- 105/140 The IR pair that in 2012 ran via the link between these two lines via Mackzki to call at Sosnowiec Pld are booked to call on the main line at Myslowice
- 122 Broad Gauge line between Przemyśl Gl. - Medyka - Mostiska-II has no service as the daytime Kiev - Przemyśl is withdrawn as the daily overnight Wroclaw - Kiev runs via the separate Standard Gauge line to the SUW 2000 gauge changer at Mostiska-II
- 141 Skawina – Oświęcim
- 149 Imielin- Oświęcim [bustituted]
- 155 Wodzislaw Śł. - Chałupki
- 173/315 Zdunska Wola - Chorzew Siemkowice - Czestochowa to local services. TLK Summer use likely
- 175 Fosowskie - Lubliniec
- 230 Already buses only but these are withdrawn Kłodzko Gł. - Kudowa Zdrój [see 2013 for reopening]
- 255 Węgliniec - Lubań Słąski.
- 321 Jarocin - Września - Gniezno
- 440 Bąk - Czersk
- 440 Kościerzyna - Bąk - Lipowa Tucholska as Arriva Summer only SSuO pair not scheduled in 2013
- 540/608 p.odg Jagiellonka - p.odg Targówek in Warsaw with the withdrawal of in service depot runs from Tluszcz - Warsawa Gdanska
On 31 December 2012
- 505 Bogaczewo - Braniewo as the daily TLK was withdrawn. At that time it was thought the dated use by the Gdynia – Braniewo – Kaliningrad service would resume later in 2013 but it did not so no Service
- 536 Ełk - Olecko
Planned for closure on 28 February 2013 were 385 Chojnice - Szczecinek and 424 Chojnice – Kościerzyna but these were firstly deferred and have continued
Openings
From 9 December 2012:
- Part 112 [Kielce] Sitkówka Nowiny - Staszów - Ocice, this approx 85km line reopens with an IR Wrocław – Przemyśl shown stopping at Staszow. Eastbound Friday, returning Sunday.
- Part 114 Tomaszów Maz. - Opoczno
- Part 170 Fosowskie - Zawadzkie
- Part 315 Klobuck - Herby Nowe
- Part 365 Kalisz Pomorski – Kalisz Pomorski Miasto but only a 23.41 SX arrival and 05.40 SuX departure
From 17 December 2012
- 2.2km Lublin Airport branch to Swidnik Port Lotniczy.
From 1 January 2013
- Part 520 Szczytno - Wielbark but closed in June 2013
Older Changes
For details of older changes dating back to the year 2001 see Poland - Older General Information.
Special Notes
Overview
The funding of local services has transferred to Regional Authorities. Some are pro-Rail to the extent of paying for new stock and re-opening lines, but others have reduced funding and service cuts occur when contracts are renegotiated.
Previous printed Timetables showed services marked with note “G”, "trains run until further notice only", which in many cases turned out to be prior warning of a service withdrawal. This annotation fell into disuse but then a Consultants Report Commissioned by PKP was published in September 2012. This recommended drastic service cuts, looking at overheads by passenger route which meant that lines with heavy freight use but sparse passenger traffic such as 173 & 315 were not listed even though passenger services using part of this line were seriously threatened, as evidenced when they were withdrawn in December 2012!
After examaning the Consultants report in conjunction with traffic data from the last seven years, on 15th February 2013 PKP with Ministry of Transport approval presented a list of 2,000 Km’s which would be closed in December 2013 with the intention of saving between 60 to 80 million zł per year. The announcement spin was that none would be totally abolished, all would be kept to minimal maintenance standards to deter scrap metal thieves etc so they can be restored if a demand reappears, quoting line 403 to Nowy Dwor Gdanski which reopened after 12 years with no trains. That list of 2,000km includes current passenger services of:-
- 114 Tomaszów Mazowiecki - Opoczno
- 123 Hrebenne - Munina
- 137 Sucha Beskidszka – Źywiec
- 139 Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Lanckorona – Wadowice – Bielsko Biała
- 148 Bielsko Biała - Skoczów
- 250 Jelenia Góra – Lwówek Śląski
- 515 Szczytno – Pisz - Elk
- 554 Zwierzynec - Bełźec
Plus the recent summer only services on
- 552 Line 81 Chelm – Włodawa
- 446 Line 214 Somonino – Kartuzy
- 503a Line 254 Elbąg – Braniewo
- 403 Line 256 Szymankowo - Nowy Dwor Gdański
As an additional guide to travellers, the remaining list is a combination of those mentioned in the original Consultants Report but not now imminently threatened, or those where the complete service was marked “G” in a previous Printed Timetable which apart from those above are thought to be the passenger services under most threat of closure:-
- 105 Tunel - Sosnowiec
- 109 Kozłów - Koniecpol
- 111 Dęblin - Radom
- 113 Tomaszów Mazowieki - Radom
- 114 Koluszki - Tomaszów Mazowieki
- 115 Skarżysko Kamienna - Stalowa Wola Rozwadów
- 122 Przemyśl – Mostiska II (UZ)
- 126 Ocice - Rzeszów Głowny
- 131 Jasło - Zagórz
- 132 Rzeszów – Jasło
- 141 Skawina – Oświęcim
- 151 Tychy - Tychy Miasto
- 154 Żory - Chybie
- 175 Fosowskie - Opole
- 201 Opole – Kluczbork
- 202 Opole – Nysa
- 204 Wrocław Psie Pole – Trzebnica
- 225 Nysa – Brzeg – Kedzierzyn Kozle
- 235 Legnica – Jaworzyna Śląska – Kamieniec Ząbkowicki
- 245 Kłodsko Gł. - Wałbrzych Gł
- 255 Lubań Śląski – Wegliniec
- 320 Herby Nowe – Weiluń Dąbrowa - Kępno
- 321 Gniezno – Jarocin – Krotoszyn – Grabowno Wielkie
- 328 Leszno - Wolsztyn - Zbąszyń
- 332 Luboń K. Poznania - Wolsztyn
- 340 Piła - Szczecinek
- 343 Zbąszynek – Międzyrzecz - Gorzów Wielkolpolski
- 350 Ostrów – Krotoszyn
- 356 Zielona Góra – Żary
- 365 Piła - Ulikowo
- 370 Wysoka Kamieńska - Kamień Pomorski
- 375 Kołobrzeg – Goleniów
- 381 Słupsk - Ustka
- 382 Kosalin - Kołobrzeg
- 382 Mśice - Mielno Kosaliński [summer only service]
- 383 Szczecinek - Słupsk
- 385 Chojnice – Szczecinek – Runowo Pomorskie
- 390 Poznań Wschod - Gołańcz
- 410 Toruń Wschodni - Sierpc – Nasielsk
- 416 Bydgoszcz Wschód - Chełmża
- 418 Kutno – Płock - Sierpc
- 424 Chojnice – Kościerzyna
- 429 Laskowice Pomorskie – Szlachta – Czersk – Bąk
- 429 Szlachta – Lipowa Tucholska
- 431 Chojnice - Wierzchuchin - Laskowice Pomorskie – Grudziądz – Jablonowo Pomorskie – Brodnica
- 440 Wierzchuchin – Kościerzyna
- 451 Lębork – Łeba [summer only service]
- 500 Działdowo - Olsztyn
- 503 Gutkowo – Braniewo
- 505 Braniewo – Bogaczewo
- 510 Ełk - Korsze
- 530 Sokółka - Suwalki
- 530 Kuźnica Białostocka – Grodno [Belarus]
- 535 Bialystok - Ełk
- 540 Terespol - Brest (Belarus)
- 543 Czeremcha – Białystock
- 550 Dorohusk - Chelm
- 553 Luków – Dęblin
- 554 Rejowiec - Zawada
- 554 Zamosc – Zawada
- 555 Lublin – Stalowa Wola Rozwadów
- 556 Zwierzynec – Stalowa Wola Rozwadów
