Editing Transport in Poland (section)

== Rail transport ==
[[File:Poland rail map.svg|thumb|280px|Railways in Poland|left]]
[[File:Wrocław Dworzec Główny.jpg|thumb|[[Wrocław Główny railway station]], the busiest train station in [[Poland]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-25 |title=Poznaliśmy najpopularniejsze stacje kolejowe w Polsce. Wrocław Główny z rekordem |url=https://www.portalsamorzadowy.pl/gospodarka-komunalna/poznalismy-najpopularniejsze-stacje-kolejowe-w-polsce-wroclaw-glowny-z-rekordem,553086.html#:~:text=Z%20danych%20UTK%20wynika,%20%C5%BCe%20g%C5%82%C3%B3wna%20stacja%20Wroc%C5%82awia,czyli%203,9%20proc.%20ca%C5%82kowitej%20wymiany%20pasa%C5%BCerskiej%20w%20Polsce. |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=www.portalsamorzadowy.pl |language=pl}}</ref>]]
[[File:Polish Pendolino front 2.JPG|thumb|A [[PKP Intercity]] [[New Pendolino|ED250 Pendolino]] at [[Wrocław Główny railway station|Wrocław Main Station]].]]
[[File:Gdańsk Główny, Blick von Marienkirche.jpg|thumb|[[Gdańsk Główny (PKP station)|Gdańsk Main Station]], one of Poland's most important railway terminals]]
[[File:Bwe loco change rzepin.jpg|thumb|A Polish locomotive takes over haulage duty from a [[Deutsche Bahn]] unit at [[Rzepin]] on a Berlin-Warsaw Express train]]
{{Main|Rail transport in Poland}}
{{see also|High-speed rail in Poland}}
Poland is served by an extensive network of railways. In most cities the main railway station is located near a city centre and is well connected to the local transportation system. The infrastructure is operated by [[Polish State Railways|PKP]] Group. The rail network is very dense in western and northern Poland, while eastern part of the country is less developed. The capital city, [[Warsaw]], has the country's only [[Rapid transit|rapid transit system]]: the [[Warsaw Metro]].

The only high-speed rail line (though by most definitions, real [[high-speed rail]] only includes speeds over 200&nbsp;km/h) in central-eastern Europe is the [[Central Rail Line (Poland)]], ''Centralna Magistrala Kolejowa'' (CMK). It has a length of {{convert|223|km|abbr=on}}, and was built in 1971–1977; it links [[Warsaw]] with [[Kraków]] and [[Katowice]]. Most trains on the CMK operate at speeds up to {{convert|160|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}, but since December 2014 new [[Alstom]] [[Pendolino]] ED250 trains operate on a 90&nbsp;km section of the CMK at {{convert|200|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}, and improvements under way should raise the authorized speed to {{convert|200|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}} on most of the line. In test runs on the CMK in November 2013 a new [[Pendolino]] ED250 train set a new Polish speed record of {{convert|293|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>'Bariera 300&nbsp;km/h nie padła. Na koniec testów 293&nbsp;km/h,' Rynek Kolejowy, 2013 11 24, http://www.rynek-kolejowy.pl/49466/bariera_300_km_h_nie_padla_na_koniec_testow_293_km_h.htm</ref>

Other high-speed lines:

*The Warsaw-Gdańsk-Gdynia railway route is undergoing a major upgrading costing $3 billion, partly funded by the [[European Investment Bank]], including track replacement, realignment of curves and relocation of sections of track to allow speeds up to {{convert|200|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}, modernization of stations, and installation of the most modern [[European Train Control System|ETCS]] signalling system, which is to be completed in June 2015. In December 2014 new [[Alstom]] [[Pendolino]] ED250 high-speed trains were put into service between Gdańsk, Warsaw, [[Katowice]] and [[Kraków]] reducing the rail travel time from Gdańsk to Warsaw to 2 hours 58 minutes,<ref>'Polish Pendolino launches 200&nbsp;km/h operation,' Railway Gazette International, 15 December 2014, http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/passenger/single-view/view/polish-pendolino-launches-200-kmh-operation.html</ref><ref>'Pendolino z Trójmiasta do Warszawy,' http://www.trojmiasto.pl/wiadomosci/Pendolino-z-Trojmiasta-do-Warszawy-Wiecej-pytan-niz-odpowiedzi-n71010.html</ref> to be reduced in late 2015 to 2 hours 37 minutes.<ref>';Jeszcze szybciej z Warszawy do Gdańska,' Kurier Kolejowy 9 01 2015  http://www.kurierkolejowy.eu/aktualnosci/22716/Jeszcze-szybciej-z-Warszawy-do-Gdanska.html</ref>
* Warsaw–[[Kutno]]–[[Poznań]]–(Berlin) (160&nbsp;km/h)
* Warsaw–[[Siedlce]]–[[Terespol]]–([[Minsk]]) (160, 120&nbsp;km/h) – being upgraded to 160&nbsp;km/h
* Warsaw–[[Puławy]]–[[Lublin]] (120, 140&nbsp;km/h)
* [[Opole]]–[[Wrocław]] (160&nbsp;km/h) and further upgraded via [[Legnica]] to Berlin and [[Hamburg]]

''Projects''
The Warsaw–[[Łódź]] line is being upgraded to allow speed up to 160&nbsp;km/h (in order to bind together the Warsaw–Łódź agglomeration).

Plans were made to construct a new high-speed line (350&nbsp;km/h) from Warsaw to Poznań and Wrocław with forks in [[Łódź]] and [[Kalisz]].,<ref>[http://en.transport-expertise.org/index.php/2008/06/11/in-brief-high-speed-rail-will-invade-poland-by-2020/ In brief: High Speed Rail will invade Poland by 2020] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201112317/http://en.transport-expertise.org/index.php/2008/06/11/in-brief-high-speed-rail-will-invade-poland-by-2020 |date=1 December 2008 }}, Transport Expertise Association, Matthieu Desiderio, 11 June 2008.</ref> but the project was cancelled in November 2011 due to its high cost.<ref>'Polish High Sped Rail Project Cancelled,' Railway Gazette International, 8 December 2011, http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/infrastructure/single-view/view/polish-high-speed-rail-project-cancelled.html</ref>

The [[PKP Group]] is the fourth largest railway throughout Europe. Trains are run by its different subsidiaries.

=== Passenger transport operators ===
The following companies operate in Poland:
*[[PKP Intercity]] – qualified passengers trains (express, intercity, eurocity, hotel and TLK)
*[[Przewozy Regionalne]] – regional passengers trains (normal and fast train)
*[[Koleje Śląskie]] - regional trains in [[Silesian Voivodeship]]
*[[Koleje Mazowieckie]] – local trains in [[Mazovia]] centered on Warsaw
*[[Szybka Kolej Miejska (Tricity)]] – fast urban railway serving the [[Tricity, Poland|Tricity]] area of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot
*[[Szybka Kolej Miejska (Warsaw)]] –  suburban railway in [[Warsaw]] agglomeration
*[[Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa]] – suburban railway in Warsaw agglomeration
*[[Arriva RP]] (owned by [[Deutsche Bahn]]) – part of the local train traffic in [[Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship]]
*[[Koleje Dolnośląskie]] – part of the local train traffic in [[Lower Silesian Voivodeship]]
*[[Koleje Wielkopolskie]] – part of the local train traffic in [[Greater Poland Voivodeship]]
*[[Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna]] - commuter railway operator in [[Łódź Voivodeship]]

==== Narrow-gauge railways ====
{{Main|Narrow gauge railways in Poland}}
There are hundreds of kilometres of {{RailGauge|600mm}}, {{RailGauge|750mm}}, {{RailGauge|785mm}}, and {{RailGauge|1000mm}} narrow-gauge lines in [[Poland]].
These railways are mostly in decline, some survive as a [[Museum railway|museum]] or [[Heritage railway|tourist]] railways.

=== Freight transport market ===
*[[PKP Cargo]]
*[[PKP LHS]] – [[Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line|Metallurgic broad-gauge line]]
*[[PTK Holding SA]] – The railway transportation holding in [[Zabrze]]
*Przedsiębiorstwo Transportu Kolejowego i Gospodarki Kamieniem Rybnik – The Railway Transport and Stone Management Company in [[Rybnik]]
*[[CTL Logistics]]
*[[PCC Rail Szczakowa]] – Rail Szczakowa website – part of the German concern [[PCC AG]]
*Kopalnia Piasku Kotlarnia – The Kotlarnia sand mine
*Kopalnia Piasku Kuźnica Warężyńska – The [[Kuźnica Warężyńska]] sand mine
*[[Orlen KolTrans]]
*[[Lotos Kolej]]
*Nadwiślanski Zakład Transportu Kolejowego- Vistula Rail Transport Company]

==== Broad-gauge railways ====
[[Image:Mapa LHS.png|thumb|250px|LHS links southern Poland with broad-gauge railways in Ukraine and other eastern countries]]
Except for [[Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line|Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa]], and a few very short stretches near [[Border crossing|border crossings]], Poland uses the [[standard gauge]] for its railways. Therefore, [[Broad Gauge Steelworks Line|Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa]] (known by its acronym ''LHS'', [[English language|English:]] ''Broad-gauge steelworks line'') in [[Sławków]] is the longest [[broad-gauge]] [[Rail tracks|railway line]] in Poland. The line runs on a single track for almost {{convert|400|km|-1|abbr=on}} from the Polish-[[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] border, crossing it just east of [[Hrubieszów]]. It is the westernmost broad-gauge railway line in Europe that is connected to the broad-gauge rail system of the countries of the former [[Soviet Union]].

=== Rail system ===
Total: {{convert|23420|km|-1|abbr=on}}
*standard gauge {{RailGauge|sg}} : {{convert|21639|km|-1|abbr=on}} ({{convert|11626|km|-1|abbr=on}} electrified; {{convert|12236|km|-1|abbr=on}} double track)
*broad gauge {{RailGauge|1520mm}} : {{convert|646|km|abbr=on}}
*narrow gauge (various) : {{convert|1135|km|-1|abbr=on}} various gauges including {{RailGauge|1000mm}}, {{RailGauge|785mm}}, {{RailGauge|750mm}}, and {{RailGauge|600mm}} (1998)

As of December 2002 narrow-gauge railways were no longer owned or operated by PKP. They were transferred to regional authorities or became independent companies.

==== Rail links with adjacent countries ====
* Same gauge:
** [[Transport in the Czech Republic|Czech Republic]]
** [[Transport in Germany|Germany]]
** [[Transport in Slovakia|Slovakia]]
* [[Break-of-gauge]] – {{RailGauge|sg}}/{{RailGauge|1520mm}}
** [[Transport in Lithuania|Lithuania]]
** [[Transport in Belarus|Belarus]]
** [[Transport in Russia|Russia]] ([[Kaliningrad Oblast]])
** [[Transport in Ukraine|Ukraine]]