Poland is entering a new phase of mobility, with the Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) spearheading the largest infrastructure investment in the country’s history. Central to this project is the high-speed rail network, designed to connect major cities, integrate regions, and place Poland firmly on Europe’s transport map.
The flagship “Y” Line will link Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań and Wrocław with trains running at up to 350 km/h. The Warsaw–Łódź section, due in 2032, will coincide with the launch of the new CPK Airport – a multimodal hub combining long-haul flights with high-speed rail services. By 2035, the full 480 km “Y” network will be operational, delivering the vision of “Poland in 100 minutes.”
Concrete progress
Construction in Łódź is already advancing. The city will host Poland’s longest high-speed tunnel to date – 4.6 km, 14 m in diameter – built with tunnel boring machine. PORR has been awarded an approximately PLN 2.2 billion contract, with completion expected by 2029.
The 140-kilometre Warsaw–CPK–Łódź route has been divided into 12 sections. CPK has already submitted five location applications for the Warsaw–CPK stretch and three of seven planned for the CPK–Łódź section. These steps mark a milestone towards linking CPK Airport with Warsaw and Łódź by 2032.
International expertise
To build a world-class network, CPK is strengthening its international partnerships. A key step was the cooperation agreement with ADIF, Spain’s railway infrastructure manager, to exchange know-how and jointly advance Poland’s High-Speed Rail.
As part of this partnership, ADIF has run a series of expert workshops at CPK’s request, offering unique access to Spain’s decades of HSR experience. A milestone came in March 2025, when the Polish delegation led by CPK met ADIF in Spain. Talks focused on Spain’s liberalisation of long-distance passenger services and high-speed rollout, with direct relevance to the CPK “Y” line Warsaw–Łódź–Poznań/Wrocław. Special attention was given to capacity planning and advanced technical solutions, including HSR turnouts.
In May, CPK signed an agreement with Korea National Railway (KNR), operator of the KTX system, to share expertise in signalling, tunnelling, passenger operations and integrated high-speed, regional and freight services. Training programmes will also give Polish engineers hands-on HSR experience.
CPK is also working with INECO, the Spanish firm behind much of the 4,000 km AVE network, covering technical consulting on tunnels, power systems, turnout design, ERTMS and certification. Collaboration with INECO includes workshops, technical reports and knowledge exchange on track installation, traffic control and telecoms—ensuring the “Y” Line meets top European standards.
CPK in the TEN-T Network
CPK’s rail investments are fully aligned with the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) policy. The “Y” Line and its extensions will form part of the TEN-T Core Network, linking Poland directly with key European corridors running towards Germany, Chechia and beyond. This ensures interoperability with European standards, including ERTMS, and secures access to EU funding. By integrating with TEN-T, CPK will not only connect Polish cities more efficiently, but also strengthen Central Europe’s position within Europe’s rail transport.
The Airport connection
The new CPK Airport, located between Warsaw and Łódź, is the linchpin of the project. Designed to handle 40 million passengers in its first phase, it will integrate directly with the high-speed rail system, enabling seamless transfers between air and rail. Travellers from Wrocław, Poznań or Kraków will reach the airport in under two hours without changing modes of transport – a unique advantage in Central Europe.
CPK at TRAKO 2025
Industry stakeholders will be able to see these developments at TRAKO where CPK will showcase its projects and host a panel on international cooperation in high-speed rail with its partner INECO, as well as a debate on the opening of the Polish long-distance transport market with the participation of key national and international representatives, including the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Centre for EU Transport Projects (CEUTP). For those following Europe’s next rail revolution, CPK’s presence at TRAKO will be a first-hand look at how Poland is building the future of transport.
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