PKP Intercity has opened bids from two manufacturers for the supply of 42 high-speed double-decker EMUs, with an option for an additional 30 units. This is Poland’s first-ever order for this type of train and the largest to date in terms of the number of vehicles intended for long-distance services.
Alstom submitted a bid worth PLN 4.1 billion (EUR 966.5 million), with an additional PLN 2.78 billion (EUR 654 million) allocated for fleet maintenance. In total, Alstom’s offer amounts to approximately EUR 1.6 billion.
Stadler’s offer comes in at nearly PLN 4 billion (EUR 939 million), with maintenance costs estimated at PLN 3.3 billion (EUR 769.7 million), bringing the total bid value to around EUR 1.7 billion.
The contract includes the delivery of the EMUs along with a 30-year maintenance package.
In addition, PKP Intercity has announced an investment under the 2024 tender for the procurement of 38 seven-car double-decker push-pull trains, valued at PLN 6.5 billion (EUR 1.5 billion), although this offer does not include maintenance costs.
The base contract for the 42 high-speed double-decker EMUs is estimated at PLN 10 billion (EUR 2.3 billion), while the full value could reach PLN 17 billion (EUR 4 billion) if the option for additional units is exercised.
Over the coming weeks, the bids will undergo detailed evaluation to determine the winning contractor. Notably, both bidders—Alstom and Stadler—have production facilities in Poland and employ local engineers and staff. Depending on the outcome, the trains will be manufactured either in Chorzów (Alstom) or Siedlce (Stadler).
Alstom’s Chorzów facility has a long history dating back to 1864 and currently produces double-decker trains for various European rail operators. Stadler has been manufacturing rail vehicles in Siedlce since 2007, including double-decker trains for Slovenia and Slovakia.
The procurement process was launched in October 2024 through a competitive dialogue procedure. For three months, PKP Intercity held discussions with both manufacturers to assess technical solutions and feasibility. In April 2025, the final bidding phase was opened.
The new trains will be built for long-distance services and will accommodate at least 480 passengers in comfort. They will feature reclining seats with individual tables, armrests, footrests, and adjustable lighting. Onboard amenities will include WiFi, power sockets, USB ports, air conditioning, and digital passenger information displays.
The layout will offer both first- and second-class seating, a quiet zone, a family area, vending machines with a designated dining space, bicycle storage, and secure luggage compartments. The trains will be fully accessible to passengers with reduced mobility.
All 42 high-speed double-decker EMUs will be capable of operating at 200 km/h. They are expected to run on key national routes, including Warsaw to Gdańsk, Łódź, Olsztyn, Wrocław, Kraków, Białystok, and Terespol. The first units are anticipated to enter service in approximately 3.5 years.
Safety and operational systems will include ETCS Level 1 and 2, onboard diagnostics, GPS, and internal and external CCTV. The trains will also be certified for operation on the Czech rail network.
PKP Intercity is seeing strong growth in ridership. By 2030, the operator forecasts 109 million passengers annually, an increase of nearly 60% compared to 2023. To support this growth, it is investing in fast, high-capacity, and cost-efficient rolling stock.
The new high-speed double-decker EMUs meet these needs: they are more economical to purchase and operate than traditional locomotive-hauled trains and represent a modern solution already proven across European markets.
Currently, double-decker trains in Poland are limited to regional routes, operate at speeds up to 160 km/h, and are used by just one operator. PKP Intercity’s investment will introduce faster, intercity-ready double-decker units to Poland’s long-distance network for the first time.
Rolling stock renewal contracts signed
PKP Intercity has already committed over PLN 16.5 billion (EUR 3.9 billion) to rolling stock projects with domestic manufacturers and maintenance providers.
- The largest contracts are with Newag, which is supplying 78 multi-system locomotives (200 km/h), 66 single-system electric locomotives (160 km/h), and 35 dual-powered EMUs. The combined value of these contracts is PLN 7.7 billion (EUR 1.8 billion).
- H. Cegielski – Fabryka Pojazdów Szynowych (Poznań) is undertaking P5-level maintenance and modernisation of 172 carriages. In mid-2024, the company also signed a contract worth PLN 4.2 billion (EUR 990 million) to deliver 300 new carriages. Total investment in this facility stands at PLN 5.4 billion (EUR 1.3 billion).
- Contracts worth nearly PLN 1 billion (EUR 235 million) have been signed with Pesa Bydgoszcz and Pesa Mińsk Mazowiecki, covering 16 hybrid electric-diesel locomotives (160 km/h) and the refurbishment of 67 carriages.
- At the end of 2024, PKP Intercity also signed a contract worth almost PLN 1.5 billion (EUR 353 million) with its own Remtrak facility for the repair and modernisation of 150 carriages. Additional projects are ongoing at Opoczno and Opole, where a further 105 carriages are being upgraded, bringing the total value of these contracts to over PLN 2.5 billion (EUR 589 million).
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