PKP Intercity

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 most operated as independent entities on a commercial basis.[3] Amongst other factors, this reform has the objective of 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.[3]

An early distinctive feature of PKP Intercity over that of other passenger operators was the intentional emphasis on implementing a new standard of service upon Poland's railways.[3] Trains operated under the InterCity brand typically have the highest comfort offered to the traveling public, featuring onboard snacks and air conditioning throughout amongst other amenities. Over time, the range of services operated by PKP Intercity has expanded; in 2005, PKP Intercity launched the TLK (Lowcost Trains) brand, an alternative service level intended for less affluent passengers.[4]

During 2006, PKP Intercity inaugurated its first modern Customer Service Centre at Warsaw Central station; one year later, the second such facility was opened at Poznan.[4] By the late 2000s, it operated the highest segment of passenger traffic services in country; during 2007, PKP Intercity recorded the transportation of 11.6 million passengers for that year, up by almost one million over the 10.7 million passengers recorded for 2006.[3] By 2007, it was drawing up plans to purchase new locomotives and to further upgrade existing rolling stock; furthmore, PKP Intercity reportedly pursues quality levels equivalent to the highest standards in the European Union.[4]

During 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, as well as the provision of all maintenance activities for up to 17 years and the construction of a new maintenance depot.[5][6] These trainsets, each comprising seven cars, were built to PKP Intercity's individual specification; while 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.[7][8]

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).[9] Furthermore, on 24 November 2013, the final day of tests on the CMK Central Rail Line, the Pendolino reached 293 km/h (182 mph).[10] 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).[11][12] 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.[7] 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.[13]

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.[14] One year later, a contract valued at €247 million of the contract 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 distance 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.[15]

The company runs the following train categories:

• Express InterCity Premium (EIP, EIC Premium) – domestic exclusive high-speed trains (ED250 New Pendolino) between major cities with obligatory reservation.
• 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 (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 Przemyślanin and Ustronie provide couchette and sleeper cars. A limited number of shorter-route TLK trains is 2nd-class only. Usually run by locomotive-hauled rakes and more rarely Pesa Bydgostia EMUs.
  • Międzynarodowy (M) – international fast train (lower standard than EuroCity)
  • Międzynarodowy nocny – international night train (lower standard than EuroNight)

• Rail transport in Poland
• Polish locomotives designation

• Official list of all PKP IC trains
• Online timetable