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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
Poland’s state rail operator has signed the biggest contract for rolling stock in Polish history, ordering 42 double-decker trains – the first of their kind in Poland – in a deal worth 6.9 billion zloty (€1.6 billion).
On Wednesday, PKP Intercity, which is responsible for long-distance rail transport, signed an agreement to purchase the Coradia Max trains from the Polish branch of French manufacturer Alstom.
The trains, which can travel at speeds of up to 200 km/h and each have 550 seats, will be built in the Polish city of Chorzów, with some components produced in Nadarzyn, near Warsaw. The first is set to be ready in 2029, with the rest to follow by 2032.
🚆 Umowa na piętrusy podpisana!
PKP Intercity podpisały kontrakt na 42 piętrowe pociągi.
➡️ 200 km/h
➡️ 550 miejsc
➡️ produkcja: Chorzów i Nadarzyn (2,5 tys. pracowników)
Pierwsze składy pojadą za ok. 3,5 roku!@J_Malinowski @DariuszKlimczak @PiotrMalepszak @MI_GOV_PL… pic.twitter.com/WZ7qHvSNHP— PKP Intercity (@PKPIntercityPDP) November 12, 2025
PKP plans to use the trains on routes between Warsaw and the cities of Gdańsk, Łódź, Olsztyn, Wrocław, Kraków, Białystok, and Terespol. Janusz Malinowski, PKP Intercity’s CEO, says that they will operate in the economy category, offering cheap tickets and stopping in smaller towns.
The agreement with Alstom includes a 30-year maintenance period and the possibility to order an additional 30 units.
Infrastructure minister Dariusz Klimczak notes that the trains will help meet growing demand for long-distance travel in Poland. In 2024, PKP Intercity carried a record 78.5 million passengers, a 15% increase on the previous year.
The first half of this year again saw passenger numbers rise again, and PKP Intercity estimates that they will reach an annual figure of 110 million by 2030.
Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
Main image credit: Alstom press materials
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
