PKP Intercity is the subsidiary of the PKP Group responsible for long-distance rail passenger transport in Poland. It operates around 350 trains daily, connecting large agglomerations and smaller towns in Poland. It offers its services under TLK, InterCity, Express Intercity and Express Intercity Premium brands. The company also provides most international rail connections to and from the country. In 2023, the company reported an 18.2% of market share in terms of total number of served passengers in the country.[4]
History
PKP Intercity came into existence as a result of a major restructuring of the state-owned Polish railway operator Polskie Koleje Państwowe which, in 2001, was divided up into several different companies that were operated as independent entities on a commercial basis.[5] This restructuring was aimed at separating railway operating activities from the management of Poland's railway infrastructure. PKP Intercity is a subsidiary of PKP Group, a state-owned holding company for various other railway-orientated subsidiaries.[5]
PKP Intercity introduced a new standard of service in the Polish rail sector.[5] Certain trains operated under the InterCity brand offer onboard snacks and most feature air conditioning. Over time, the range of services provided by PKP Intercity has expanded; in 2005, PKP Intercity launched the TLK (Lowcost Trains) brand, an alternative service level aimed at less affluent passengers.[6]
In 2006, PKP Intercity inaugurated its first modern Customer Service Centre at Warsaw Central station; one year later, the second such facility was opened in Poznan.[6] By the late 2000s, it operated the largest segment of passenger rail services in the country; in 2007, PKP Intercity transported 11.6 million passengers, up by almost one million from 10.7 million passengers in 2006.[5] By 2007, it was drawing up plans to purchase new locomotives and to further upgrade existing rolling stock.
In May 2011, PKP Intercity awarded a contract valued at €665 million to the French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom covering the manufacture and supply of 20 ED250 New Pendolino high speed trains. It additionally covered the provision of all maintenance activities for up to 17 years and the construction of a new maintenance depot.[7][8] These trainsets, each comprising seven cars, were built to PKP Intercity's individual specifications; whilst capable of attaining a maximum speed of 250 km/h, carrying up to 402 passengers, and incorporating various noise minimisation measures, they intentionally excluded the optional tilting mechanism.[9][10]
On 17 November 2013, a new speed record for Polish railways was set when the Pendolino ED250 reached a speed of 291 km/h (181 mph).[11] Furthermore, on 24 November 2013, the final day of tests on the CMK Central Rail Line, the Pendolino reached 293 km/h (182 mph).[12] On 11 September 2014, Polands's Railway Transport Office (UTK) announced that the ED250 had been certified for operation at up to 250km/h in accordance with the relevant Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI).[13][14] They are operated on existing conventional lines between major city groups such as Warsaw-Gdansk-Gdynia, Warsaw-Krakow, and Warsaw-Katowice, delivering significantly shortened journey times over traditional rolling stock, traversing the route between Warsaw and Gdansk in two and a half hours.[9] In the 2020/21 timetable, ED250 routinely operated at a scheduled speed of up to 200 km/h (124 mph) along selected stretches of the Warszawa - Gdynia and Central Rail Line routes.[15]
Various other schemes were underway during the late 2010s, such as the retrofitting of Wi-Fi apparatus throughout the various types of rolling stock to provide passengers with mobile internet access, having completed work on 171 PKP Intercity cars and 40 combined sets by August 2018.[16] One year later, a contract valued at €247 million was issued by PKP Intercity to the Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler Rail for the manufacture and delivery of 12 Stadler FLIRT electric multiple units in an eight-car long configuration as well as a 15-year maintenance period; these feature both first class and second class compartments along with an onboard lounge bar area and accessibility adaptions for persons of reduced mobility.[17]
In 2024, PKP Intercity signed a contract with H. Cegielski – FPS for the delivery of 300 modern railroad carriages. The contract with the Polish rolling stock manufacturer is worth PLN 4.2 billion (ca. EUR 1 billion). It also covers an option for the production of additional 150 carriages, which would increase the total value of the deal to PLN 6.35 billion (EUR 1.47 billion). The new carriages will be designed to reach the speeds of 200 km/h and are expected to be delivered in 2028.[18] They will also be authorised for operation in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania and Slovakia.[19]
Express InterCity (EIC) – high-standard express trains between major cities and popular tourist destinations:
InterCity – affordable high-standard express trains and fast trains with obligatory reservation; higher standard and priority than TLK but the same fare. Exclusive high-standard express trains – Pesa Dart and Stadler Flirt also run under the InterCity brand.
EuroCity (EC) – international high-standard trains, reservation obligatory, on domestic routes runs under InterCity and Express InterCity brand,
EuroNight (EN) – international night trains with obligatory reservation.
Twoje Linie Kolejowe [pl] (TLK, "Your Rail Lines"; formerly called Tanie Linie Kolejowe, "Cheap Rail Lines" from 2005 to 2011) – affordable fast trains with obligatory reservation (with some exceptions); lower standard than InterCity. Some overnight TLK trains such as Rozewie and Ustronie provide couchette and sleeper cars. A limited number of shorter-route TLK trains is 2nd-class only. Usually run by older locomotive-hauled rakes and more rarely Pesa Bydgostia EMUs or SN84 DMUs.
Międzynarodowy (M) – international fast train (lower standard than EuroCity)
Międzynarodowy nocny – international night train (lower standard than EuroNight)
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