Trains in Poland will travel at a speed of 250 km/h

25.08.2026, 12:33 visitukraine.today

Poland is preparing to launch trains traveling at speeds of up to 250 km/h on the Central Railway Line. Learn more about when high-speed service will begin and how much travel time will be reduced between Warsaw, Kraków, and other cities

In Poland, preparations are underway to increase the maximum speed of trains on the Central Railway Line to 250 km/h. In August 2026, a Pendolino train already reached this speed during a test run, and regular service at this speed is scheduled to begin in 2027. As a result, travel time between Warsaw and Kraków could be reduced to approximately 1 hour and 55 minutes.

Poland’s railway infrastructure is gradually transitioning to a new high-speed standard. Tests of Pendolino trains at 250 km/h have already been conducted on the Central Railway Line (CMK), and regular service at this speed is scheduled to begin in 2027.

One of the key stages of preparation was testing the GSM-R system—a digital radio communication standard used on European railways for the safe exchange of information between train operators and dispatchers. Together with the ETCS Level 2 system, it is designed to ensure traffic control at high speeds and allow trains to safely travel faster than the current 200 km/h.

The Central Railway Line is one of Poland’s main high-speed lines and connects Warsaw with the south of the country, specifically with Kraków and Katowice. According to PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe, approximately 1.8 billion zlotys have been allocated for the modernization of the CMK and the preparation of the infrastructure for speeds of 250 km/h.

The new high-speed service is expected to begin as early as December 2027. This will mark the first time that regular passenger trains in Poland will operate at speeds of up to 250 km/h.

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The most noticeable change will be the reduction in travel time between Warsaw and Kraków. Once the new high-speed service launches, the fastest trains will be able to cover the route in approximately 1 hour and 55 minutes. By comparison, a Pendolino trip currently takes about 2.5 hours, depending on the specific train.

This will make rail travel an even more convenient alternative to driving and domestic flights. Passengers won’t have to spend extra time traveling to the airport, going through security, and waiting to board, and the train stations in Warsaw and Kraków are directly integrated into the city’s public transportation system.

Tourists and business travelers will particularly benefit from the faster connection. A distance that currently takes a significant portion of the day will be covered in less than two hours, making even day trips between Warsaw and Kraków much more feasible.

For those who value their time and are used to planning trips without any hassle, a convenient ticket booking system is available on the Visit Ukraine portal. With just a few clicks, you can check the current schedule, compare routes, and purchase tickets for trains and buses both within Ukraine and abroad, from anywhere in the world.

We remind you! It has become much easier for residents of the Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions to travel to the capital thanks to the launch of modern, air-conditioned trains. Find out the exact schedule for the new commuter trains to Korostya and Malyn.

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