PKP Intercity

PKP Intercity came into existence as a result of a major restructuring of the state-owned Polish railway operator Polskie Koleje Państwowe which, in 2001, was divided up into several different companies that were operated as independent entities on a commercial basis. This restructuring was aimed at separating railway operating activities from the management of Poland's railway infrastructure. PKP Intercity is a subsidiary of PKP Group, a state-owned holding company for various other railway-orientated subsidiaries.{{cite web |url = https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/article/718/the-pkp-family-is-working-in-harmony/ |title = The PKP family is working in harmony |publisher = globalrailwayreview.com |date = 28 May 2008}}

PKP Intercity introduced a new standard of service in the Polish rail sector. Certain trains operated under the InterCity brand offer onboard snacks and most feature air conditioning. Over time, the range of services provided by PKP Intercity has expanded; in 2005, PKP Intercity launched the TLK (Lowcost Trains) brand, an alternative service level aimed at less affluent passengers.{{cite web |url = https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/article/1441/poland-provides-popular-rail-services/ |title = Poland provides popular rail services |publisher = globalrailwayreview.com |date = 6 June 2007}}

In 2006, PKP Intercity inaugurated its first modern Customer Service Centre at Warsaw Central station; one year later, the second such facility was opened in Poznan. By the late 2000s, it operated the largest segment of passenger rail services in the country; in 2007, PKP Intercity transported 11.6 million passengers, up by almost one million from 10.7 million passengers in 2006. By 2007, it was drawing up plans to purchase new locomotives and to further upgrade existing rolling stock.

In May 2011, PKP Intercity awarded a contract valued at €665 million to the French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom covering the manufacture and supply of 20 ED250 New Pendolino high speed trains. It additionally covered the provision of all maintenance activities for up to 17 years and the construction of a new maintenance depot.{{cite web |url = http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/passenger/single-view/view/pkp-intercity-signs-pendolino-contract.html |title = PKP Intercity signs Pendolino contract |website = Railwaygazette.com |access-date = 29 July 2018}}{{cite web |url = http://www.gazetakrakowska.pl/aktualnosci/409707,pkp-intercity-zamawia-20-pociagow-new-pendolino,id,t.html |title = PKP Intercity zamawia 20 pociągów New Pendolino |website = Gazetakrakowska.pl |date = 30 May 2011 |access-date = 29 July 2018}} These trainsets, each comprising seven cars, were built to PKP Intercity's individual specifications; whilst capable of attaining a maximum speed of 250 km/h, carrying up to 402 passengers, and incorporating various noise minimisation measures, they intentionally excluded the optional tilting mechanism.{{cite web |url = https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/9498/alstom-to-supply-and-maintain-a-fleet-of-20-new-pendolino-trains-for-pkp-intercity/ |title = Alstom to supply and maintain a fleet of 20 New Pendolino trains for PKP Intercity |publisher = globalrailwayreview.com |date = 30 May 2011}}{{cite web |url = http://www.kurierkolejowy.eu/aktualnosci/19371/Pendolino-bez-homologacji-Od-jutra-beda-kary.html |title = Pendolino bez homologacji. Od jutra będą kary |first = Kurier |last = Kolejowy |website = Kurierkolejowy.eu |access-date = 29 July 2018}}

On 17 November 2013, a new speed record for Polish railways was set when the Pendolino ED250 reached a speed of {{convert|291|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}.{{cite web |url = http://www.tvn24.pl/291-km-h-nowy-rekord-predkosci-polskiego-pendolino,374015,s.html |title = 291 km/h. Nowy rekord prędkości polskiego Pendolino |website = Tvn24.pl |access-date = 29 July 2018}} Furthermore, on 24 November 2013, the final day of tests on the CMK Central Rail Line, the Pendolino reached {{convert|293|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}.{{cite web |url = http://www.rynek-kolejowy.pl/49466/bariera_300_km_h_nie_padla_na_koniec_testow_293_km_h.htm |title = Wszystko na temat branży kolejowej: PKP, Intercity, przewozy regionalne, koleje mazowieckie, rozkłady jazdy PKP, Kolej |website = Rynek-kolejowy.pl |access-date = 29 July 2018}} On 11 September 2014, Polands's Railway Transport Office (UTK) announced that the ED250 had been certified for operation at up to 250km/h in accordance with the relevant Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI).{{cite web |url = https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/high-speed/polish-pendolinos-certified-for-250km-h-running/ |title = Polish Pendolinos gain 250km/h certification |date = 17 September 2014 |first = Keith |last = Barrow}}{{cite web |url = http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/infrastructure/single-view/view/polish-high-speed-rail-project-cancelled.html |title = Polish high speed rail project cancelled |website = Railwaygazette.com |access-date = 29 July 2018}} They are operated on existing conventional lines between major city groups such as Warsaw-Gdansk-Gdynia, Warsaw-Krakow, and Warsaw-Katowice, delivering significantly shortened journey times over traditional rolling stock, traversing the route between Warsaw and Gdansk in two and a half hours. In the 2020/21 timetable, ED250 routinely operated at a scheduled speed of up to {{convert|200|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}} along selected stretches of the Warszawa - Gdynia and Central Rail Line routes.{{Cite web |url = https://www.rynek-kolejowy.pl/wiadomosci/plk-200-kmh-dla-pendolino-z-warszawy-do-gdanska-realne-w-grudniu-2020-99025.html |title = Rekordowo szybkie Pendolino. Od grudnia z Warszawy do Gdańska w dwie i pół godziny}}

Various other schemes were underway during the late 2010s, such as the retrofitting of Wi-Fi apparatus throughout the various types of rolling stock to provide passengers with mobile internet access, having completed work on 171 PKP Intercity cars and 40 combined sets by August 2018.{{cite web |url = https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/72862/wi-fi-pkp-intercity-alstom/ |title = Pendolino trains in Poland soon to receive Wi-Fi from Alstom |publisher = globalrailwayreview.com |date = 29 August 2018}} One year later, a contract valued at €247 million was issued by PKP Intercity to the Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler Rail for the manufacture and delivery of 12 Stadler FLIRT electric multiple units in an eight-car long configuration as well as a 15-year maintenance period; these feature both first class and second class compartments along with an onboard lounge bar area and accessibility adaptions for persons of reduced mobility.{{cite web |url = https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/87541/stadler-trains-pkp-poland/ |title = Stadler delivers further trains to PKP Intercity in Poland |publisher = globalrailwayreview.com |date = 23 August 2019}}

In 2024, PKP Intercity signed a contract with H. Cegielski – FPS for the delivery of 300 modern railroad carriages. The contract with the Polish rolling stock manufacturer is worth PLN 4.2 billion (ca. EUR 1 billion). It also covers an option for the production of additional 150 carriages, which would increase the total value of the deal to PLN 6.35 billion (EUR 1.47 billion). The new carriages will be designed to reach the speeds of 200 km/h and are expected to be delivered in 2028.{{Cite web |url=https://railmetrochina.com/expo/en/pkp-intercity-awards-contract-for-300-carriages.html#:~:text=The%20largest%20PKP%20Intercity%20railcar%20fleet%20contract%20was,seven%20tasks%20and%20requirements%20included%20in%20the%20tender. |title=PKP Intercity awards contract for 300 carriages |website=railmetrochina.com |access-date=21 July 2024}} They will also be authorised for operation in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania and Slovakia.{{Cite web |url=https://www.railjournal.com/fleet/pkp-intercity-awards-largest-ever-coach-contract/ |title=PKP Intercity awards largest-ever coach contract |website=railjournal.com |author=Mark Simmons |date=4 March 2024 |access-date=21 July 2024}}

The company runs the following train categories:

• Express InterCity Premium (EIP, EIC Premium) – domestic exclusive high-speed trains (ED250 New Pendolino) between major cities with obligatory reservation.
• Express InterCity (EIC) – high-standard express trains between major cities and popular tourist destinations:
• InterCity – affordable high-standard express trains and fast trains with obligatory reservation; higher standard and priority than TLK but the same fare. Exclusive high-standard express trains – Pesa Dart and Stadler Flirt also run under the InterCity brand.
• EuroCity (EC) – international high-standard trains, reservation obligatory, on domestic routes runs under InterCity and Express InterCity brand,
• EuroNight (EN) – international night trains with obligatory reservation.
• {{ill|Twoje Linie Kolejowe|pl}} (TLK, "Your Rail Lines"; formerly called Tanie Linie Kolejowe, "Cheap Rail Lines" from 2005 to 2011) – affordable fast trains with obligatory reservation (with some exceptions); lower standard than InterCity. Some overnight TLK trains such as Rozewie and Ustronie provide couchette and sleeper cars. A limited number of shorter-route TLK trains is 2nd-class only. Usually run by older locomotive-hauled rakes and more rarely Pesa Bydgostia EMUs or SN84 DMUs.
• Międzynarodowy (M) – international fast train (lower standard than EuroCity)
• Międzynarodowy nocny – international night train (lower standard than EuroNight)

File:EP05-23 (1) Trako2017.JPG|EP05

File:EU07-013.jpg|EU07

File:Lokomotywa EP07-335.jpg|EP07

File:EU07A-003, Poznań Główny, 2015-03-15.jpg|EU07A

File:EP08.JPG|EP08

File:EP09 (2).JPG|EP09

File:Siemens locomotive class 183-603.JPG|EU44 Husarz

File:PKP EU160.jpg|EU160 Griffin

File:2024-12-26 EU200-015 Warszawa Centralna.jpg|EU200 Griffin

File:SM42-607, Warszawa Grochów, 2014-07-14.jpg|SM42 (6D)

File:SM42-3001.jpg|SM42 (18D)

File:WK15 Kudowa Zdrój (32) Lichen99.jpg|SU42

Pesa Gama 111Db at Rzeszów Główny Train Station.jpg|SU160 Gama

File:ED74-008, Warszawa Grochów, 2014-07-31.jpg|ED74 Bydgostia

File:ED160-009, Trako 2015, 2015-09-25 (Muri WG 2015-34).jpg|ED160 FLIRT³

File:ED161-004, Trako 2015, 2015-09-25 (Muri WG 2015-34).jpg|ED161 Dart

File:20150207 Pendolino ED250 PKP Intercity Krakow 5031.jpg|ED250 Pendolino

• Rail transport in Poland
• Polish locomotives designation

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.intercity.pl/?page=timetable Official list of all PKP IC trains]
• [http://rozklad.pkp.pl Online timetable]

{{PKP Group companies}}

{{Rail Operators Poland}}

{{Intercity}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Railway companies of Poland

Category:PKP Group companies

Category:Polish brands

Category:Companies based in Warsaw

Category:Transport companies established in 2001

Category:Polish companies established in 2001

Category:Polish Joint-stock companies