Railways in
Poland
In the mid 19th century, the territory that would form present
day Poland was divided between the Empires of Austria, Russia and
Prussia. Construction work started in 1835 on a line from Warszawa
(Warsaw) to Kraków, lying mainly in the Russian Empire. However,
financial difficulties meant that the first operational railway was
in Prussia: in 1852 a line opened between Breslau (present day
Wrocław) to Ohlau (present day Oława), the first section of a line to
the border of the Austro-Hungarian Empire near Kraków.
The first railways in the territory were built to standard gauge
(1435mm); however, in 1866 a new line opened from Warsawa to
Brest-Litovsk (present day Brest). This was to form part of a through
route to Moscow, and so was built to the Russian standard gauge of
1520mm.
Subsequent development was to a mixture of these gauges (as well
as numerous narrow gauge lines in rural areas). However, following the
border changes after the Second World War, almost all main lines
were to 1435mm gauge and 1520mm gauge disappeared. Then, under
Soviet influence in the late 1970s, a new Russian gauge line (the LHS)
was opened to facilitate freight interchange with the USSR. The
line remains open today.
National Railways
The former State Railway system, partly privatised or decentralized
to local government.
- PKP Group
includes the following companies:
- PKP Intercity
national and international passenger train services
- WKD
local passenger train services between Warszawa and Grodzisk Mazowiecki
(Site in Polish)
- SKM w Trójmieście
local passenger train services on a line between Słupsk and Tczew via
Gdańsk (Site in Polish)
- PKP Cargo
freight operator (Site in Polish)
- LHS freight
operations on the Russian gauge line running from the Ukrainian border
near Hrubieszów to Sławków, near Boukowno
- PLK infrastucture
company (Site mainly in Polish with some information in English)
- PKL (Polish Cable
Railways) operator of cable railways including 3 funiculars: at Góra
Parkowa, Góra Żar and Gubałówka (Site in Polish)
(Group site in Polish)
- Przewozy Regionalne
formerly part of PKP, operating regional passenger train services in most
parts of the country (Site in Polish)
Standard Gauge Passenger Operators
- Arriva
regional passenger operator in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region
(Site in Polish)
- Koleje
Dolnośląskie regional passenger train operator in the Lower Silesia
area, with some cross-border services to the Czech Republic
(Site in Polish)
- Koleje
Mazowieckie regional passenger train operator in the Warszawa area
(Site in Polish)
- Koleje
Śląskie regional passenger train operator in the Katowice area
- UBB German
local passenger train operator on the island of Usedom, whose line extends
into Poland for a short distance to reach Świnoujście (Swinemünde). There
is no direct connection with the remainder of the Polish network
(Site in German and Polish)
Standard Gauge Freight Operators
- CTL Logistics
freight operator. Through its subsidiary CTL Maczki-Bór (Maczki-Bór site
in Polish) also responsible for about 50km of standard gauge
infrastructure in the mining area around Mysłowice
- DB Schenker
freight operator. Also responsible for about 130km of standard gauge
infrastructure in the mining area around Rybnik
- Freightliner
PL freight operator
- Heavy Haul
Power International freight operator and locomotive hire (Site
in Polish, German and French. When last checked, link to English language
version was not functional)
- Lotos Kolej freight operator
- Orlen KolTrans
freight operator, mainly of tank cars, and tank car hire
- Pol-Miedź Trans
freight operator
- Rail Polska
freight operator
- STK
freight operator (Site in Polish)
- JSK extensive standard
gauge rail network in the area to the south of Katowice, owned by the coal
mining company JSW and serving their mines (JSK
site in Polish, JSW site in Polish and English but with no information
relating to railway)
- Kopalnia Piasku Kotlarnia sand quarrying operation with
an extensive private standard gauge rail network in the area to the west
of Katowice. Also licensed to operate freight trains on the national
network (Site in Polish)
- Lubelski
Węgiel „Bogdanka” coal mining operation with its own rail freight
transport division (Site contains little information relating to
rail operation)
- Południowy Koncern
Węglowy (Southern Coal Group) coal mining operation with its own rail
freight transport division (Site in Polish, contains little
information relating to rail operation)
Narrow Gauge Railways
KD = Kolej Dojazdowa (Local Railway)
KP = Kolejka Parkowa (Park Railway)
KW = Koleje Wąskotorowa (Narrow Gauge Railway) or Koleje Wąskotorowe
(Narrow Gauge Railways)
- Bieszczadzka
Kolejka Leśna (Bieszczady Forest Railway) tourist line between Przysłup
and Smolnik, with the principal station at Majdan. Usually diesel hauled
- Ełcka KW
tourist line between Ełk and Sypitki, 15km. Steam or diesel hauled. Possible
future extensions from Sypitki to Tourowo (22km) and branch from Laski Małe
to Zawady-Tworki (9.6km) (Site in Polish)
- FPKW narrow gauge
preservation society offering tourist services on several lines
(Site in Polish)
- Gnieźnieńską
KW tourist line between Gniezno and Anastazewo. 750mm gauge.
Steam or diesel hauled.
- Górnośląskie KW
tourist line in Upper Silesia, between Bytom and Miasteczko. 21km,
785mm gauge. Usually diesel hauled. Also operates a 5km park railway in
the Provincial Culture and Recreation Park in Chorzov. Tram connections are available
between the railways and with various other cities in the area.
- Kolej Leśna Puszczy Białowieskiej - Hajnówka
tourist line in Białowieza National Park. 600mm gauge. Diesel hauled.
Round trip services operate from Hajnówka on certain days in summer,
to either Postołów or Topilo. Trains can be chartered at other times.
- KP
Maltanka tourist line in Malta Lake Park, Poznan. 600mm gauge (not
6000mm as stated on the website!). Usually steam hauled
- KP w Cichowie miniature railway in Cichowo, near
Krzywiń. 241mm and 127mm gauge, steam or diesel hauled (Site in
Polish)
- KW Gminy
Rewal tourist line between Gryfice and Pogorzelica, via Rewal. 1000mm
gauge. Steam or diesel hauled (Site in Polish)
- KW Rogów – Rawa
– Biała tourist line between Rogów and Biała Rawska. 49km, 750mm gauge.
Steam or diesel hauled. In addition to timetabled service, charter trains
are available for groups. Also carries some freight traffic, with
transporters provided for standard gauge wagons (Site in Polish)
- Linia Kętrzyn -
Węgorzewo tourist line between Kętrzyn and Kanał Mazurski. 25km, standard
gauge. Diesel hauled. Extension proposed to Węgorzewo, a further 8km
(Site mainly in Polish, with a small amount of information in
English. Site difficult to navigate, no current timetable information
apparent)
- Mławskiej
KD tourist line between Mławskiej and Krasne, with an extension
proposed to Maków Mazowiecki (Site not functional when last
checked)
- Myślęcińska
KP tourist line about 3.5km in length in Myślęcińska Park, Bydgoszcz.
Hauled by a steam outline diesel locomotive (Site in Polish)
- Piaseczyńska
KW tourist line between Piaseczno and Tarczyn. 1000mm gauge.
Usually steam hauled. In addition to timetabled service, charter trains
are available for groups
- Skansen Leśnej KW im. Jana Szweda open air Forest
Railway Museum in Pionki, including a section of line offering train
rides (Site in Polish)
- Starachowicka KW
tourist line between Starachowice and Iłża, currently operated as
two separate segements: Starachowice to Lipie (6km) and Iłża to Marcule
Nadleśnictwo (7km). Diesel hauled or diesel railcars (Site in Polish)
- SKPL
operator of several narrow gauge lines:
- Kaliska KD Opatówek to Turek, 57km. Local freight services
- Pleszewska Kolej Lokalna Pleszew Wąski to Pleszew Miasto, 4km.
Local passenger commuter trains, diesel railcar operated
- Przeworska KD Przeworsk to Dynów, 46km. Local freight services,
and diesel hauled tourist trains on summer weekends
- Śmigielska KD Stare Bojanowo to Wielichowo, 23km. Local freight
services; local commuter trains (diesel railcar operated) and occasional
steam or diesel hauled tourist trains on the section between Stare
Bojanowo and Śmigiel, 5km.
Diesel hauled tourist trains may be chartered on any of the lines throughout
the year; and passenger cars may be added to regular freight trains on the
Kaliska line. SKPL is also registered as a freight carrier on the national
standard gauge network, although such work is generally subcontracted by it
to PKP Cargo (Site not functional when last checked)
- Świętokrzyska KD
tourist line between Jędrzejów and Umianowice, 39km. Usually diesel hauled
(Site in Polish)
- Wigierska KW
tourist line between Płociczno and Krusznike, 10km. Usually diesel hauled
(Site in Polish)
- Żnińska Kolej
Powiatowa tourist line between Żnin and Gąsawa. 10km, 600mm gauge.
Steam or diesel hauled. In addition to timetabled service, charter trains
are available for groups (Site in Polish)
- Żuławska
KD tourist and commuter line between Nowy Dwór and Mikoszewo Ujście
Wisły (26km), with a branch from Stegna to Sztutowo (4km). 750mm gauge.
Usually operated by diesel railcars (Site in Polish)
Metros, Trams and Urban railways
- Warszawa (Warsaw)
- SKM
local railways (Site in Polish)
- Metro
(Site in Polish)
- Trams
(Site mainly in Polish with some information in English, including
map and timetable info for SKM, Metro and Trams)
- Bydgoszcz
trams (Site in Polish)
- Częstochowa
trams (Site in Polish)
- Elbląg
trams (Site in Polish)
- Gdańsk trams,
including historic tourist trams
- Gorzów trams
(Site in Polish)
- Grudziądz
trams (Site in Polish)
- Katowice trams
(Site in Polish)
- Kraków trams
(Site in Polish)
- Łódź trams
- Mrozy horse drawn tourist tram
- Olsztyn
proposed trams
- Poznan trams,
including historic tourist trams
- Słubice proposed trams, connecting with the
existing system of Frankfurt (Oder), Germany (No website located
at present but see press release in
German)
- Szczecin trams
(Site in Polish)
- Toruń trams
- Wrocław trams
(Site in Polish)
Railway Scientific & Technical Centre
Research laboratories and test facilities located in Warszawa.
Ostróda - Elbląg Canal
The picture above clearly illustrates why a canal is of interest
on a railway page. In a stretch of less than 9km, the canal descends
over 100m to the valley of the Elbląg River, by means of five inclined
planes which involve floating the ships into a cradle and transporting
them overland by a water powered, cable hauled railway. The canal,
with its inclines, opened in 1860, and remains in use to this day
carrying both passenger and freight traffic. It is believed that
the inclines are the only ones of their type currently in operation
anywhere in the world.
