Due to modernisation works carried out by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PLK), freight train services are faster across Poland, with journey times being significantly improved. In 2025, freight services on the Poznań – Szczecin route are completing journeys on average 112 minutes quicker than a year earlier.
In 2025, freight train services on the Poznań – Szczecin route are completing journeys on average 112 minutes quicker than a year earlier. Meanwhile, on the Brzeg Dolny – Stara Wieś near Kutno line, the fastest intermodal freight train services are running up to 60 minutes faster. These improvements enhance transport fluidity and increase the competitiveness of rail freight.
According to PLK data from early 2025, freight train services are moving faster than in the previous year. Noticeable reductions in journey times have been recorded on many routes, both for bulk cargo (such as coal, aggregates, and ores) and intermodal traffic. The largest gains are seen on bulk freight routes, with time savings of several dozen minutes, and in some cases exceeding 110 minutes.
Journey times on major freight corridors have shortened significantly. The most remarkable improvement was on the Smardzów Wrocławski – Kłodzko Główne route, where the average journey time in 2025 is 2 hours and 29 minutes — an astonishing 2 hours and 28 minutes faster than the previous year, when the average was nearly 5 hours. Significant improvements were also noted on the Poznań Franowo – Szczecin Central Port line, with an average reduction of 1 hour and 52 minutes, and on the Warszawa Wschodnia Towarowa – Białystok route, where journey times have been cut by 40 minutes. Even on shorter routes such as Poznań Franowo – Inowrocław, a 9-minute reduction is crucial, especially where train turnaround and precise logistics planning are vital.
Intermodal freight train services have also improved on several routes. The greatest time saving was on the Brzeg Dolny – Stara Wieś near Kutno line, where average freight train service times have been reduced by 60 minutes. Other notable reductions include Pruszków – Poznań Franowo (50 minutes), Gdańsk North Port – Stara Wieś near Kutno (24 minutes), and Swarzędz – Mockava (35 minutes). For logistics operators, these cuts are highly significant, as shorter delivery times from ports improve synchronisation across entire supply chains.
“Every few minutes shaved off a journey means faster train turnaround, better utilisation of rolling stock and driver working hours, which leads to cost optimisation and a buffer for unforeseen delays. These are not cosmetic changes but real improvements in rail line capacity and the efficiency of rail transport operations,” said Ireneusz Kluczyk, Managing Director of Metrans Rail.
Compared to the 2023/2024 timetable, the 2024/2025 railway timetable has seen a significant increase in operational parameters for both passenger and freight train services.
Maximum speeds have been raised on 1,709 km of track for passenger trains and 1,542 km for freight trains. At the same time, permitted axle loads have increased on 690 km of track.
These upgrades enable faster and heavier trains, resulting in greater network capacity, shorter journey times, and improved overall efficiency of the railway system. Data is sourced from Network Servicing Planning System (POS) reports.
According to PKP Cargo, Poland’s largest freight operator, improvements on not only main routes but also regional and local lines for freight train services are key.
“We’re seeing better journey times not only on major corridors but also regional lines. On routes where even a few minutes made a difference, we’re now gaining up to half an hour. On our scale, that translates into thousands of hours saved annually,” said Sebastian Miller, Management Board Member for Operations at PKP Cargo.
These time savings result from modernisation works by Polskie Linie Kolejowe, including track replacement, freight hub upgrades, and installation of modern traffic control systems.
“The results of our efforts are reflected in hard data — shorter freight journey times are a direct outcome of the consistently implemented railway infrastructure modernisation programme. We’re replacing track, redeveloping key junctions, and introducing modern traffic control systems. These measures increase capacity and improve operating conditions,” said Krzysztof Waszkiewicz, Director for Infrastructure Maintenance at PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe.
Route capacity is also increasing, allowing better utilisation of existing rolling stock and terminal resources.
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