Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work!
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.
A Polish Pendolino high-speed train has begun running in the Czech Republic for the first time. The development is part of a certification process that could allow Polish long-distance operator PKP Intercity to deploy the trains on international routes in the future.
The train started operating between the Czech capital of Prague and the town of Bohumín near the Polish border on 9 March, and will continue running that route until 17 June 2026.
Under the arrangement, the trains are operated by PKP Intercity with Czech conductors handling passenger service on the route and Poland’s famous train catering company WARS providing onboard food and drink.
O 4:58 Pendolino PKP Intercity wyruszyło w pierwszą komercyjną trasę po Czechach – i jednocześnie pierwszą zagraniczną podróż z pasażerami na pokładzie 🚄🇵🇱🇨🇿
Skład kursuje z Bohumína przez Ostrawę, Ołomuniec i Pardubice do Pragi (ok. 3,5 h). Pendolino będzie obsługiwać tę trasę… pic.twitter.com/3x87xWpxsu— PKP Intercity (@PKPIntercityPDP) March 9, 2026
The runs form part of a certification process required for the trains to operate commercially outside Poland. During the trial period, the trains are expected to travel at least 60,000 kilometres on lines in the Czech Republic, with one daily service from Bohumín to Prague and back.
The train is scheduled to depart Bohumín at 4.58 a.m. and arrive at Prague, around 350 km (217 miles) away, at 8.28 a.m. The return service leaves Prague at 3.31 p.m. and arrives in Bohumín at 6.54 p.m.
Reservations are required and can be obtained when purchasing a ticket online via the website of the Czech Republic’s main railway operator, České dráhy.
PKP Intercity ultimately aims to deploy Pendolino trains on the Warsaw-Prague route, although it has not announced a timeline, reports Polish state broadcaster TVP Info.
The carrier operates a fleet of 20 Pendolino ED250 trains built by France’s Alstom between 2011 and 2014. Each seven-car trainset is 187.4 metres long and has 402 seats.
The trains are designed to run at speeds of up to 250 km/h (155 mph), but currently operate at a maximum of 200 km/h (124 mph) in Poland and run on routes connecting Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and the Tricity area.
PKP Intercity is, however, preparing for faster services as infrastructure upgrades across Poland pave the way for higher speeds. In December, the company launched a tender to purchase trains capable of reaching speeds of up to 320 km/h (199 mph), which would be the fastest ever to run on Polish tracks.
Poland has launched a tender to buy 20 trains that can reach speeds of 320 km/h (199 mph), making them the fastest ever to travel on Polish tracks.
Currently, Poland's fastest trains, Pendolinos, can reach maximum speeds of 200 km/h https://t.co/XcGdJJggkx
— Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) December 31, 2025
Rail travel in Poland has grown rapidly in recent years, with passenger numbers reaching record levels as operators expand services and modernise their fleets. To meet rising demand, PKP Intercity has been expanding its timetable and adding new destinations, including international routes.
Last year, the operator launched its first direct train service from Poland to Croatia. Including Croatia, PKP currently offers connections to seven European countries: Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania and Austria.
Last week, PKP announced the launch of a weekend service using historic, refurbished trains styled after 1980s rolling stock. The “unhurried” journeys are aimed at railway enthusiasts and travellers looking to discover “new regions of the country at a leisurely pace”.
Polish state rail operator @PKPIntercityPDP is launching a series of special "unhurried" weekend journeys along picturesque routes in restored 1980s carriages with historical locomotives to celebrate its anniversary https://t.co/4CQD12NjXY
— Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) March 6, 2026
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: PKP Intercity
Alicja Ptak is deputy editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland and a multimedia journalist. She has written for Clean Energy Wire and The Times, and she hosts her own podcast, The Warsaw Wire, on Poland’s economy and energy sector. She previously worked for Reuters.
