PKP Intercity has launched a series of new international train routes linking major Polish cities like Gdańsk, Poznań, and Wrocław with Prague.
The expanded offer includes the Baltic Express, a connection between the Tricity and Prague, via the Polish cities of Poznań and Wrocław and the Czech city of Pardubice.
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The service will also stop in smaller towns such as Tczew, Gniezno, and Bystrzyca Kłodzka, offering morning, afternoon, and evening departures to the Czech Republic
The first train on the new route left Prague on Monday morning.
“This is another opportunity to connect two neighboring countries and two closely related nations,” said Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka.
“More and more Poles are coming to the Czech Republic. We’ve seen an almost 10% year-on-year increase, and in the first three quarters of 2024 alone, we’ve already had around 700,000 Polish tourists visit the Czech Republic. The trend is growing,” said František Reismüller, head of the Czech tourism board CzechTourism, in an interview with PAP.
He added that the goal of his organization is to showcase regions beyond Prague, which remains the most popular destination for Polish visitors.
The Polish side shares a similar perspective on the Prague-Gdynia connection.
“The Baltic Express route, agreed upon by the Czech and Polish state railways, running through cities such as Wrocław, Poznań, and Bydgoszcz to the Tricity area, enables better and faster access for Czechs interested in Poland and its regions, particularly to less obvious tourist destinations,” said Jacek Gajewski, chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Polish embassy in Prague.
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According to the Czech Transport Minister, Czechs can find much inspiration in Poland. “What I think is truly inspiring is the way Poland presents 20th-century history. What Polish museums have managed to do—showcasing the key, transformative events of the 20th century—is something Czechs should definitely experience,” said Kupka.
Poland’s Intercity rail firm spends €800 mln domestically on hybrid trains.
More domestic connections
Another key addition, the IC Galicja, will connect Przemyśl and Kraków to Berlin. This marks the third train on the route, allowing for departures every four hours between Kraków, Katowice, Wrocław, and the German capital.
The updated 2024 timetable, effective December 15, introduces 505 total connections, 51 more than last year, including 34 seasonal services.
Faster travel times on major domestic routes, such as Warsaw to Szczecin and Kraków to Zakopane.
High-speed Pendolino trains now serve a new route from Szczecin through Poznań to Warsaw.
Popular routes will see improved service intervals, with hourly trains between Wrocław and Kraków, and at least bi-hourly trains on routes like Poznań–Kraków and Gdynia–Wrocław.
New weekend and daily trains will connect major tourist hubs like Zakopane.
PKP Intercity is also modernizing infrastructure, with 15 new stations opening across the country.
By 2030, PKP Intercity plans to double its train services, targeting 90 million annual passengers under its 27-billion-złoty (€ 6,3 billion) modernization strategy.
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