Railway investment in Poland is gathering pace. Under the Integrated Railway Network plan, developed by Port Polska and PKP Polish Railway Lines, the country is expected to build approximately 4,700 kilometres of new railway lines over the coming decades, while a further 5,600 kilometres of existing infrastructure will undergo extensive modernisation.
Experts warn, however, that the lack of stable financing remains one of the main barriers to the development of Poland’s railway network. In particular, the sector continues to be affected by the cyclical availability of external funding. Planned changes to the Railway Fund are intended to make it easier to prepare and implement long-term infrastructure projects.
“There are still many challenges ahead when it comes to the development of Poland’s railway network. A great deal has already been achieved, but there is still a long way to go before rail infrastructure catches up with the country’s road network,” Renata Mordak, President of Egis Poland, told the Newseria news agency.
“The most important issue is proper planning. Investments must be prepared in a way that allows them to be completed on time and deliver the expected benefits, whether through shorter journey times between cities or increased passenger numbers,” she said.
According to Mordak, successful implementation requires a carefully prepared investment plan and comprehensive project documentation. Investors must also navigate complicated procedures related to obtaining permits and administrative decisions, including environmental approvals.
Rail passenger numbers continue to increase
Figures cited in the Integrated Railway Network project show that 439 million passengers travelled by rail in Poland in 2025, an increase of 7.7% compared with 2024.
The average Polish resident makes approximately 11 railway journeys per year. This remains significantly below the European Union average, which stood at 19.5 journeys per person in 2024.
Reaching and eventually exceeding the EU average will require coordinated and systematic measures to develop Poland’s railway infrastructure and improve the attractiveness of rail travel.
“In my opinion, the greatest obstacle to the development of Poland’s railway network is the lack of stable financing,” Mordak said.
“We have highly ambitious plans, experienced contracting authorities, qualified project teams and capable construction companies. Nevertheless, the cyclical nature of external funding, particularly European Union funds, means that the market repeatedly experiences periods of investment peaks followed by sharp declines,” she explained.
As a result, the railway industry must cope with periods in which projects accumulate and workloads increase significantly, followed by years marked by a substantial fall in the number of new contracts.
Railway sector needs a more predictable financing model
According to Mordak, railway investment should be financed through a model similar to the system used for road infrastructure.
Contracting authorities should be able to use their own funds to prepare investments for future EU financing periods, with those costs later reimbursed once external funding becomes available.
“This would ensure continuity in the implementation of projects. Investments would not be concentrated within just a few years, followed by lean periods that are particularly difficult for the industry,” she said.
“Poland is now preparing for some of the largest railway investment projects in its history. However, we are not using this period to prepare project documentation for future financing cycles. The reason is that funding is unavailable, so we are waiting for EU resources. Very little preparatory work is currently financed from domestic funds,” Mordak added.
Government plans changes to the Railway Fund
The Polish government is working on an amendment to the Railway Fund Act that would change the way the fund operates.
The reform is intended to reduce the railway sector’s dependence on EU financing cycles and provide a more predictable source of domestic funding for infrastructure projects.
Under the proposal, all PKP Polish Railway Lines projects would be financed through the Railway Fund. This would also include domestic co-financing for investments supported by EU funds.
To finance the new system, the government plans to adjust excise duty rates on motor fuels and the fuel surcharge.
The Ministry of Infrastructure says the changes will create permanent and transparent financing rules for the railway sector. The reform is expected to provide PKP Polish Railway Lines with a stable, multiannual source of infrastructure funding.
It should also make it easier to plan and implement long-term projects while reducing the risk of interruptions in investment activity and the concentration of expenditure within short periods.
Poland has Europe’s third-longest railway network
Poland currently has the third-longest railway network in Europe, with a total length of approximately 19,600 kilometres.
Under the Integrated Railway Network plan, a further 4,700 kilometres of railway lines are to be constructed over the coming decades. Approximately 2,700 kilometres of the planned infrastructure will meet high-speed railway standards.
Twenty-seven small and medium-sized cities are expected to gain access to the railway network, while 19 major railway corridors will connect different regions of the country.
Around PLN 180 billion has been allocated to railway infrastructure investment between 2024 and 2032.
This includes PLN 76.8 billion under the Port Polska Multiannual Programme, covering projects such as the construction of high-speed railway lines.
A further PLN 93.5 billion has been allocated under the National Railway Programme for 2024–2030, including funding from the European Union and Poland’s National Recovery Plan.
The estimated total cost of projects included in the Integrated Railway Network programme after 2035 amounts to approximately PLN 610 billion. Of this, around PLN 410 billion will be spent on constructing new railway lines, while approximately PLN 200 billion will be allocated to modernising the existing network.
Port Polska to focus on strategic railway projects
According to Mordak, establishing Port Polska as a separate organisation responsible in part for railway investment is a positive development.
“The creation of Port Polska is, in my opinion, a good idea because it allows the organisation to focus primarily on delivering its objectives,” she said.
“Planning, preparing and subsequently implementing investments can take place independently of the day-to-day infrastructure management responsibilities faced by PKP Polish Railway Lines.”
Both Port Polska and PKP Polish Railway Lines must still deal with administrative challenges caused by the lack of stable financing.
However, Mordak believes that the creation of a separate entity that actively promotes rail as a green, environmentally friendly and safe mode of transport has been positively received by the industry.
High-speed railway line to connect Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań and Wrocław
The main railway priority under the Port Polska programme remains the Y-shaped high-speed railway network connecting Warsaw and Łódź with Poznań and Wrocław.
Trains operating on the new line are expected to reach speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour.
The entire project will cover approximately 480 kilometres and will be constructed in stages.
The first section, connecting Warsaw with the new national airport and Łódź, is scheduled to open in 2032, at the same time as the planned launch of the airport located approximately 37 kilometres from the Polish capital.
