Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) together with PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PLK), under the Ministry of Infrastructure, have initiated a planning stage for Poland’s Integrated Railway Network (ZSK), a long-term strategy to expand and modernise the country’s rail system.
The project has now moved from consultations to detailed analysis. Experts will study around 10 possible scenarios for how Poland’s railway could grow after 2035. Current findings suggest the current network will expand by more than 2,000 km of new lines, with around 1,000 km to be delivered by 2035. This is significantly more than the earlier CPK “spokes” plan, which focused mainly on routes radiating from Warsaw. Final ZSK recommendations will be published in Q1 2026.
The long-term plan includes:
- Around 8,000 km of potential new lines are currently under analysis;
- At least 2,000 km of new rail are planned, with 1,000 km by 2035;
- By 2035, Poland’s network is expected to grow to 20,000 km in total;
- Major projects include the “Y” line Warsaw – CPK – Łódź – Poznań/Wrocław, cross-border links such as Katowice – Ostrava, and upgrades like Rail Baltica (Ełk – Trakiszki);
- After 2035, expansion will continue with high-speed, long-distance, and regional rail.
Poland’s Integrated Railway Network is seen as a “project that unites rather than divides. The previous monocentric ‘spokes’ model would not have been optimal for Poland. What we need are more cross-regional connections that reflect the way people actually live and travel,” said Maciej Lasek, Government Plenipotentiary for CPK.
According to Deputy Infrastructure Minister Piotr Malepszak, the new approach will ensure that by 2035, all subregional and larger cities in Poland will be connected to the rail network: “Regions need connections to each other, not just to Warsaw. Our analyses show at least 2,000 km of new lines are required – half of them by 2035.”
The consultation phase included meetings in all 16 regional capitals, expert workshops and input from over 700 participants – including local officials, transport operators, universities, logistics firms and defence-related institutions.
For the first time, two major government think tanks – the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) and the Institute of Urban and Regional Development (IRMiR) – were also involved.
“We developed several scenarios through wide consultations. Now they are being tested in detail, and we are working closely with PLK to ensure compatibility with the existing network,” Piotr Rachwalski, CPK Board Member for Railway Investments, said.
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