The development of high-speed rail in Europe has ushered in a new transformation. Poland has officially launched a large-scale railway upgrade blueprint, abandoning the original low-speed plan and striving to reach the 350km/h high-speed standard. Relying on massive new construction, renovation projects, and train procurement plans, Poland is striving to build Europe's top high-speed rail network and drive regional rail transit acceleration and innovation.

Global Railway Renewal

Polish Prime Minister Tusk has announced a national railway upgrade plan, which includes the construction of 4700 kilometers of new railways throughout the region, of which 2700 kilometers will be built according to the 350km/h high-speed railway standard, and 5600 kilometers of existing railway lines will be renovated. Previously, the design speed of high-speed railways in Poland was mostly 250km/h. This new plan directly refreshes the construction standards, striving to provide high-speed travel services for the public. According to the pace of progress, 1000 kilometers of new railway lines will be put into operation by 2035, greatly optimizing the efficiency of domestic urban traffic and expanding the coverage of railway transportation.

Passenger flow is forcing an upgrade

The continuously increasing railway passenger flow is the core driving force behind Poland's strong investment in high-speed rail construction. By 2025, the total passenger transport volume of Poland's railway network will reach 438 million, a year-on-year increase of 7.7%. Among them, the national long-distance railway operator PKP Intercity had a passenger volume of 89.2 million in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 14% and a 31% increase from 2023, setting a new historical high. In the first half of 2026, the company's passenger volume was 44.7 million, a year-on-year increase of 11%, and an increase of 21% and 45% respectively compared to 2024 and 2023. To adapt to the growth of passenger flow, Poland will launch a bidding process for the procurement of 20 320km/h high-speed trains by the end of 2025, and simultaneously prepare for the layout of 350km/h level trains. Keywords: Poland high-speed rail, European rail transit upgrade

European high-speed rail iteration

For a long time, the commercial operating speeds of mainstream high-speed railways in Europe have been concentrated between 300 and 320 km/h, while high-speed railways in France, Italy, and Spain have not exceeded 350 km/h. Nowadays, Europe is embarking on a wave of high-speed rail acceleration, and Spain is working to speed up some lines to 350km/h. The test speed of new trains has exceeded 360km/h. The EU will release a high-speed rail action plan in 2025 to encourage the promotion of high-speed construction. Poland is keeping up with the trend and upgrading its infrastructure standards comprehensively, becoming the core driving force for the upgrade of Europe's 350km/h high-speed rail, promoting the European rail transit into a new era of high-speed.Editor/Min Jing