PKP Intercity Introduces New Metro-Style Schedule with 600 Daily Trains from December 2026

Starting December 13, 2026, PKP Intercity will operate 600 daily long-distance trains, scaling up to 622 during the summer season. The operator is overhauling its scheduling model to run services along fixed, numbered routes at regular, repeatable intervals. The restructuring marks a significant departure from traditional timetables, aiming to simplify trip planning and improve transfer coordination across Poland’s rail network.

Record Train Counts and Greater Service Frequency

The upcoming December timetable delivers a record volume of long-distance connections. Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak announced that the 600 daily trains represent a 50 percent increase compared to the 2022/2023 schedule, according to data cited by Bankier.pl. In the current timetable, the operator runs 530 daily connections. Minister Klimczak also noted that the total number of connections represents a more than 44 percent increase compared to the 2022/2023 schedule.

Passenger numbers have climbed steadily in recent years. PKP Intercity carried nearly 89.2 million passengers last year, and the company projects volume will reach 96 million travelers in 2026, as detailed by Bankier.pl. Across all rail operators in Poland, passenger volume reached nearly 440 million travelers in 2025.

Metro-Style Line Organization Across Poland

The revamped network groups connections into numbered lines with defined frequencies, visualized on a transit-style map reminiscent of urban subway schematics. Express routes carrying EIP and EIC rolling stock bear the Ex designation and red map coloring. For instance, the Ex03 route connecting Kraków, Warsaw, and the Tricity operates hourly, while Ex01 (Warszawa–Poznań–Berlin) and Ex02 (Warszawa–Opole–Wrocław) run every two hours, according to PKP Intercity’s official release. On the routes Ex11 from Warsaw via Poznań to Szczecin and Ex04 from Katowice via Warsaw to the Tricity, trains operate every four hours.

Standard IC and TLK services carry the P designation, with Px marking limited-stop express variants. Where multiple lines overlap, train frequency increases significantly. Interia Biznes and Bankier.pl reported that services between Warsaw and the Tricity will run every 30 minutes for roughly three-quarters of the day, supported by the convergence of lines Ex03, Ex04, P12, and P92. Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak announced on Monday, October 12, 2026, that trains between Warsaw and the Tricity will run every half hour under the new schedule. More frequent departures will also apply to the Warsaw–Poznań route, with 25 connections instead of 16, and the Wrocław–Opole route, with 41 connections instead of 29.

Expanding Regional Access and Correcting Past Gaps

The new framework restores long-distance rail service to smaller towns that lost connections years ago. Działoszyn will receive regular long-distance train service, while Olecko will see long-distance rail return after 16 years, and six pairs of daily trains are scheduled to launch between Warsaw and Łomża via Ostrołęka starting in June 2027. Transfers will be coordinated at major stations including Warsaw, Poznań, Wrocław, Katowice, Kraków, Rzeszów, the Tricity, Olsztyn, Szczecin, Iława, Bydgoszcz, and Toruń, with Chełm and Przemyśl playing key roles for connections involving Ukraine.

PKP Intercity Chief Executive Officer Janusz Malinowski emphasized that the systematic overhaul stems from three years of network consolidation.

To efekt trzech lat systematycznej pracy. Zależało nam, aby każda kolejna zmiana rozkładu jazdy przybliżała nas do stworzenia spójnej sieci połączeń

Janusz Malinowski said Malinowski in company materials.

Infrastructure Constraints and Future Timetable Adjustments

Despite the scheduled regularity, ongoing modernization projects and single-track bottlenecks will temporarily disrupt service patterns. PKP Intercity noted that trackwork can force temporary detours and schedule deviations that will not appear on the static metro-style map. Travelers must consult digital journey planners for real-time updates on active engineering works.