Starting June 25, 2026, the private Czech operator Leo Express will launch a new long-distance international rail connection linking Germany, the Czech Republic, and Poland to the Ukrainian border via the Polish city of Przemyśl. The service will operate daily on a commercial basis without public subsidies.
Trans-European connection of over 1,300 km
The new route will start in Przemyśl, a city near the Polish-Ukrainian border, and will pass through Krakow, Ostrava, Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, and Erfurt, ending in Frankfurt and Frankfurt Airport. With a length of over 1,300 km, the service is one of the longest direct passenger trains in Europe.
According to the operator, trains will run once a day in each direction, arriving at Frankfurt Airport at 07:53, providing fast connections to European and intercontinental flights. The return journey will depart at 08:27.
Leo Express CEO Peter Köhler said the new service represents a major trans-European rail link connecting major economic, administrative, and cultural centers in Western and Central Europe.
“Leo Express is introducing a new comprehensive trans-European connection linking administrative, financial, and industrial centers such as Frankfurt—home to one of Europe’s largest airports—with cultural hubs such as Krakow, Prague, and Weimar. At over 1,300 km, this is one of the longest direct rail links in Europe,” said Köhler.
He emphasized that the new route contributes to improving connectivity between Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe and provides rail access to the Ukrainian border:
“With this new line, we are removing the historical barriers between Western and Eastern Europe, connecting important European centers, and providing rail access to Ukraine. In Germany, we are also creating an alternative to existing operators.”
Travel and operating conditions
The trains will be equipped with Wi-Fi, power outlets at the seats, air conditioning, and on-board catering services. Prices for travel between the ends of the route start at EUR 10. Initially, tickets will be sold without seat reservations, but from January 2026, the operator will introduce reserved tickets and a Business class.
Due to construction and maintenance work in Germany, the schedule will undergo some adjustments on certain days of the week, and on some segments the train will run partially.
ALLRAIL: an example of “functional” Open Access
The new rail link has also been welcomed by ALLRAIL, the alliance of Open Access passenger rail operators in Europe, which considers the project a clear example of rail market liberalization in practice.
“This is a clear example of railway market reform working in practice. Economically viable long-distance commercial rail connections are exactly what the Open Access regime should deliver,” said Nick Brooks, Secretary General of ALLRAIL.
ALLRAIL stresses that the launch of this service should not be seen as an isolated case, but as an indicator of the potential for the development of other international commercial rail links, if the authorities create the necessary conditions at the public policy level.
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