Enthusiast's Guide to Travelling the Railways of Europe

POLAND (Polska)

General Information

Last update for this page: 02 July 2010.

State railway system: Polskie Koleje Panstwowe (PKP)

Language: Polish

Currency: Złoty

UIC code: numeric 51; alpha PL

Timetable:

Journey Planner: static.rozklad-pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/en?.
Downloadable Timetable: www.przewozyregionalne.pl/,informacje-biezace,s,0,569.html gives a list from the required table can be selected.
Printed Timetable: Sieciowy Rozkład Jazdy Pociągów published annually. Many amendments are issued during the timetable period so travellers are strongly advised to check updated timings on the Journey Planner.
A separate map with enlargements of the Warszawa and Katowice areas comes with the timetable, showing principal stations. It distinguishes electrified, narrow-gauge and broad-gauge lines plus rivers, canals and lakes. There are also map inserts every one hundred tables in the timetable and although both maps have been updated, some lines and and curves with no service for a number of years are still shown.
Engineering Information: www.przewozyregionalne.pl/w-regionach.html. Drill into the part of the country wanted and then select “Aktualności”.

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 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 but a private Company SKPL, [Stowarzyszenie Kolejowych Przewozów Lokalnych] continues to operate regular services on part of ex PKP line 353 with timetables at www.skpl.kalisz.pl/rjp.shtml. 

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 (above) for details of the "Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa" (Broad-Gauge Steel Line).

Tourist Lines:

A number of ex PKP narrow gauge lines offer tourist or charter services. Those believed to be operating to various degrees are

Ex Forestry Railways at Cisna, Czarna Białostocka, Hajnowka and Płociczno also offer tourist services. Others where services may recommence are:

This list is suspected to be incomplete so any further information would be welcomed.

Metro: Warszawa www.metro.waw.pl. 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 with two branches on the east-side of the city is planned with the route already shown on a website map, 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.

Recent and future changes

The 2009 Timetable period has once again seen closures, [two of which only reopened in December 2008], plus a number of long distance bus substitutions of Posp trains [those in red in the printed timetable] following their transfer to PKP IC on 1 December 2008 with PKP PR also bus substituting some local services, or completely withdrawn others! Conversely PKP PR have introduced a number of long distance Inter-Regio services [shown in Blue in the on-line PDF files] and there have been line re-openings.

Closures

Re-openings

The introduction of Schengen controls from 1 January 2008 lead to the reinstatement of cross border rail services with the Czech Republic and a FSSuO Trutnov [CD] - Lubawka - Sędzisław - Jelenia Gora summer only service duly commenced on 4 July 2008. Kořenov ČD to Szklarska Poręba Górna is also planned to reopen in 2010. In addition PKP/CD/ZSR locomotives now work deeper into neighbouring countries, for example the previous passenger loco changes at Petrovice u Karvine have been relocated to Bohumin in the Czech Republic. In recent years some Regional Authorities have invested in new or second hand Railbuses/EMU’s and line reopenings currently believed to be under consideration are :-

Passenger services are also proposed on previously freight only lines:

With Poland being joint hosts of the 2012 European Football Championships with Ukraine there were plans for Katowice Airport to be connected to the PKP network but this has now been cancelled, and a temporary passenger service on the Broad gauge LHS was suggested but now thought unlikely as the stadium in Katowice was not selected. Many main stations are also planned for refurbishment with Warszawa Centralna requiring closure of the approach tunnels with most long-distance trains diverted to Warszawa Gdanska for two years. Work to adapt Gdanska was planned to be completed by December 2009 but appears delayed.

Public consultation has commenced for the planned KDP (Koleje Duzej Predkosci) “Y” of new High Speed Lines connecting Warsawa, Łodz and Kalisz with Poznan and Wroclaw with a target for completion in 2019. For this Lódz Fabryczna would be rebuilt as an underground station on a cross-city tunnel to Kaliska station for through-running onto the line to Zgierz to the north with tracks going into tunnel from Łódz Widzew.

Changes with the timetable commencing 14 December 2008:

Scheduled steam services in year commencing 14 December 2008:

The world famous daily scheduled steam services from Wolsztyn continue following a 5-year subsidy program agreed in 2008 and these are identified in the timetable by Pictograms. The agreement sees two daily steam powered pairs on table 328 as listed on www.parowozy.com.pl/fahrplan.htm subject to short notice change with daily reports available on this locally run website in Polish and German at www.parowozy.com.pl/newsd.html Steam engine Pictograms appear elsewhere in the timetable on specified dates on 120 on a circuit round Krakow [but these are not thought to have run] and from the steam museum at Chabówka on 135 to Zakopane and 136 to Dobra k. Limanowa, from Wolsztyn via 330 to Wrocław, 340 for the annual train from Poznan to Kołobrzeg on 30 May 2009 [no longer continuing onto the closed non-passenger Harbour branch], 426 for the Jazz festival train to Zakrzewo Złotowskie on 11/12 July 2009, and from Gdynia on 400 on five dates and 440 on eleven dates.

Changes during the 2008 timetable period:

Closures

Re-openings

Other significant changes

Changes during the 2007 timetable period:

Closures

Re-openings

Other significant changes

For details of older changes dating back to the year 2000 go here.

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 available and service cuts occur when contracts are renegotiated.

Previous timetables showed many trains marked with a note “G”, "trains run until further notice only" warning of a possible withdrawal or “F”, “runs when advertised or required” which indicated a potential reopening or service enhancement from a date to be confirmed. 

As a guide to travellers, the following current tables have at some point had their complete service marked “G” so are considered to be the lines most under threat of closure:-

Corridor Trains: None.

Special Notes:

Some observations on PKP timetable notations:

(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
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.

Fully updated 1 November 2009. Subsequent amendments: "Timetable" amended and "Timetable Maps" merged into this (2 July 2010).

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