PKP hopes to operate Pendolino in neighbouring countries

According to the president of Polish Railways, Marek Kraniuk, Poland could soon be ready to provide passenger rail service on its Pendolino trains to cities in Germany, Czechia and Austria, but obtaining approval in these markets will be necessary. “If the planned liberalization of the rail market extends to Poland’s being able to enter foreign markets, we want to be well-prepared for the delivery of our services abroad,” he said in a report published in Gazeta Prawna on Wednesday. Pendolino trains are presently equipped with the power systems designed to function on lines to Berlin and Prague according to the report. However, under the funding agreement which provided for the trains’ purchase, the trains’ locomotives are restricted from operating outside of Poland until 2025. However, there remains a possibility that PKP can re-negotiate the terms so that it could operate outside of Poland by 2020, in which case the trains will still require testing to ensure their capability of functioning on German, Austrian, and Czech rail lines. It is expected that, within the next few years, the passenger rail market in central Europe will become highly competitive. “Given the size of the market and indicators of GDP and the number of trips per capita, in Poland we have a huge untapped potential for rail. I expect that after the opening of the market a foreign carrier will try to develop this potential,” said Jakub Majewski, president of the Foundation Pro Rail.