The announcement of Poland’s first tender for the construction of a high-speed rail (HSR) section, along with plans to launch procurement procedures worth tens of billions of zlotys in 2026, marks a clear shift of the Port Polska project from the planning stage toward execution. Although the airport itself attracts the most public attention, rail infrastructure remains the most critical—and most expensive—component of the investment.
“This year alone, we have planned tenders, preparatory procedures, and construction processes worth tens of billions of zlotys within the Port Polska project,” said Piotr Rachwalski, Management Board Member of Centralny Port Komunikacyjny, in an interview with Newseria.
“This includes the airport itself and its surroundings—covering underground works, preparations for the terminal building, energy, water and sewage infrastructure, as well as a complete redesign of the road network.”
Airport and first HSR section by 2032
The opening of the new airport is scheduled for the end of 2032, together with the first high-speed rail section connecting Warsaw and Łódź. The remaining railway connections within the so-called Y-line—leading to Wrocław and Poznań—are expected to be completed three years later.
In December 2025, CPK submitted 19 applications for construction permits to the Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki. These cover key elements of the new infrastructure, including the airport passenger terminal, the railway station, and the bus terminal—signaling the transition from design to construction. This year is expected to see the signing of the terminal construction contract and the launch of works.
“The most important issue is land acquisition and starting works on road and rail systems. These are the factors that will determine whether we can meet the ambitious but realistic 2032 deadline,” Rachwalski emphasized.
Land acquisition enables construction start
According to CPK, the commencement of construction works this year has been made possible in part by the resumption of the Voluntary Acquisition Program in 2024. The majority of property owners within the airport’s location decision area opted for voluntary land sales. The program continues in other areas designated for current and future investments, including rail corridors connecting the airport with Warsaw and Łódź.
First high-speed rail section tendered
At the same time, the rail component of Port Polska has entered the execution phase. At the end of December, CPK announced its first tender for the construction of a 13-kilometer section of railway line No. 85 between Kotowice (Brwinów municipality) and the airport junction. This segment will form part of Poland’s new high-speed rail network, designed for passenger trains operating at speeds of at least 250 km/h—a standard widely adopted in Western Europe and Asia as the backbone of modern, low-emission long-distance transport.
“This is the first high-speed rail section of this kind in this part of Europe,” noted Rachwalski.
Contractors may submit applications to participate until 2 March 2026. CPK has opted for a competitive dialogue procedure, enabling contractors’ expertise to be incorporated at the stage of refining technical and organizational solutions. A shortlist of bidders will advance to the next phase, from which the contractor for the pilot section will be selected.
Tens of billions for rail by 2032
“This year will primarily bring further tenders for the first high-speed rail line linking Warsaw and Łódź via the Central Transport Hub,” Rachwalski said.
“We plan to announce at least seven additional sections this year alone. The total cost will run into tens of billions of zlotys. Our rail budget amounts to PLN 77 billion through 2032, enabling us to complete the line to Łódź via the hub and begin further works toward Poznań and Wrocław.”
The Warsaw–Łódź section is set to become the backbone of the Y-line, which is expected to account for up to 20% of Poland’s long-distance rail passenger traffic by 2035—around 21 million passengers annually.
“This investment will fundamentally transform interregional mobility in Poland,” the expert assessed.
“High-speed rail will dramatically shorten travel times and open up entirely new opportunities for work, leisure, and living across the country. Travel to Wrocław will drop from around four hours or more to just 1 hour and 40 minutes—competitive not only with highways but also with domestic flights.”
A new transport hub for central Poland
Travel time from Warsaw to the new airport is expected to be under 20 minutes, while the journey between Warsaw and Łódź will take about 40 minutes, compared with roughly 70 minutes today. Łódź, in particular, is poised to play a pivotal role in the new transport system, becoming— for the first time—a central hub integrating rail, road, and air transport, with long-term economic and social benefits.
“The rail component accounts for roughly two-thirds—almost three-quarters—of both the workload and the financing of our project,” Rachwalski concluded.
“Although the airport is the most visible element, the rail infrastructure is by far the most expensive and challenging. This year we also plan to initiate tenders for the road system around the airport, which will first support construction logistics—tens of millions of tons of materials—and later serve passengers and the thousands of employees who will work in Port Polska and its surroundings.”
