Europe’s high-speed rail landscape is evolving – and Poland is set to become one of its key hubs. Over the next decade, the Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) programme will deliver one of the continent’s most ambitious rail investments, reshaping national mobility and strengthening the European transport area.
For the first time, Poland will gain a fully interoperable high-speed system built to EU standards, directly linked to the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). With CPK as both catalyst and connector, Poland’s rail system is being redefined as a European gateway, linking the Baltic region with Central and Western Europe through sustainable, high-speed mobility.
A vision aligned with Europe’s priorities
At the heart of this transformation lies the CPK Rail Programme — a new Y-shaped high-speed line connecting Warsaw, Łódź, CPK Airport, Poznań and Wrocław. Trains will reach up to 350 km/h, cutting travel times between major cities to under 100 minutes, fulfilling the vision of “Poland in 100 Minutes.”
The Warsaw–Łódź section, currently the most advanced, is due to open in 2032 alongside the new CPK Airport, with the full 480 km network operational by 2035. Construction tenders for the Łódż-Warsaw section are approaching and are expected to be announced in the coming months. Designed to meet European TSIs and ERTMS standards, the project symbolises the Europeanisation of Poland’s transport policy — focused on integration, digitalisation and sustainability.
European funding and policy integration
In early 2025, CPK submitted three major funding applications under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF2) 2021–2027, the EU’s key programme for infrastructure co-financing. Approved by Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, the projects have a total value of PLN 1.18 billion, with nearly PLN 1 billion in requested EU support. Each reflects the EU’s priorities: strengthening TEN-T connectivity, improving interoperability, and advancing the green transition.
Łódź Fabryczna – Łódź Retkinia section of the High-Speed tunnel (PLN 845.5 million)
This technically demanding 4.6 km tunnel will improve rail- way connections on the core TEN-T network. The scope of the project includes preparatory works necessary for the construction of five underground chambers, the boring of the high-speed rail (HSR) tunnel, as well as construction and finishing works for the five chambers and finishing works for the Retkinia Chamber.
CPK railway junction – design documentation (PLN 75.4 million)
The project concerns the preparation of design documentation for the Katowice–state border section. In this case, the requested co-financing amounts to PLN 79.1 million. The section forms part of the extend- ed TEN-T Core Network Baltic–Adriatic Corridor, and the project involves the development of a complete construction design.
Katowice – state border section – design documentation (PLN 79.1 million)
Part of the Baltic–Adriatic Corridor, this project prepares design documentation for a cross- border high-speed line between Poland and Czechia, enhancing North–South freight and passenger flows and integrating Central Eu- rope’s economies.
The European Commission’s evaluation results are expected in summer 2025. CPK has already secured over PLN 500 million in EU grants, demonstrating Brussels’ confidence in the programme’s strategic importance.
For Europe’s engineering community, the CPK programme is a reference model for building a digitally native high-speed network from scratch — not as an upgrade, but as a system designed for the future.
International expertise and shared knowledge
From the start, CPK has integrated global best practices through strategic partnerships:
- ADIF (Spain) – Spain’s infrastructure manager, with over 4,000 km of AVE lines, advises CPK on capacity planning, liberalisation and infrastructure management. In March 2025, Polish engineers visited Madrid to study Spain’s multi- operator model and HSR maintenance practices.
- INECO (Spain) – The Spanish consultancy supports de- sign of the Y-line, advising on tunnelling, traction systems, ERTMS deployment, and certification to ensure top European standards.
- Korea National Railway (KNR) – Cooperation especially in the areas of tunnel and turnout maintenance, as well as rail- way diagnostic, bringing proven high-speed expertise from Asia to Central Europe.
These partnerships form a shared European knowledge base, positioning Poland not only as a learner but as a future contributor to the continent’s rail innovation ecosystem.
TEN-T Integration
CPK’s network is a cornerstone of the EU’s TEN-T system, connecting directly to the North Sea–Baltic and Baltic– Adriatic Corridors. The alignment ensures full interoperability with the European HSR system, seamless cross-border connections, and eligibility for EU co-financing under CEF.
The Katowice–border line strengthens TEN-T coverage and enables links to Ostrava, and further Vienna and Budapest, ensuring technical and operational compatibility.
CPK also contributes to the EU’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, promoting cleaner journeys and multimodal hubs that combine high-speed rail, regional lines and air transport — the very model of integrated European mobility.
The multimodal heart: CPK Airport
Designed for 34 million passengers annually on its first day of operation, it will be seamlessly linked with the high-speed rail system. This integration of air and rail, still rare even in Western Europe, makes CPK a multimodal hub of Central Europe and a prime example of the EU’s goal to develop smart, inter- connected transport ecosystems.
A European project for a shared future
For the European Union, CPK is more than a national venture — it is a continental project aligned with EU principles of cohesion and connectivity. It will bring Central and Eastern Europe fully into the high-speed era, balancing mobility opportunities while advancing sustainability and innovation.
From its funding structure to its international partnerships, CPK exemplifies what European cooperation can achieve: infrastructure that unites regions, technology that harmonises standards, and a vision shared across borders.
As the programme moves from planning to implementation, it sends a clear message to the European rail community: the next great leap in Europe’s high-speed development is al- ready taking shape — in the heart of Central Europe.
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