Poland implements an unprecedented rail development program. The bulk of resources comes from the €17 billion-worth National Railway Program underpinned by the EU funds. It encompasses roughly 230 projects, with the refurbishment of approx. 9 000 km of rails. This report offers an insight into the list of railroads’ modernization programs and major ongoing investments. The future of Poland’s railway sector depends largely on the implementation of the “Solidarity” mega-airport project, which is set to provide an enormous boost to the expansion of the railway infrastructure. Polish carriers see opportunities in the development of: intermodal transportation, new high-speed connections between agglomerations and logistic hubs, autonomous vehicles, smart grid solutions as well as use of batteries and hydrogen. Poland perceives railway investments as a tool for reducing the overall carbon footprint of transport (85% of Polish traction electricity should be renewable by 2030).
PKP PLK is the Polish railway infrastructure manager, which performs its statutory duty to construct, develop and upgrade the railway network in Poland. Its task is to create a favorable environment for providing transportation services for the country. The 2021 Investment Program of PKP PLK sets a framework for upgrading Polish railways up to 2030 – for both passenger and cargo traffic. Only in 2022, the company intends to launch new tenders worth around CHF 4 billion. In July 2022, the government provided a substantial increase in financing of the Railway Plus Program – doubling it to CHF 2.3 billion. This will help to accommodate the huge hike in prices of construction materials and creates great opportunities for the construction industry.
