POLISH operator PKP Intercity has signed an agreement with Poland’s Centre for EU Transport Projects (CEUTP) to obtain Zlotys 2.16bn ($US 538.1m) from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to fund seven projects to purchase 56 new locomotives and refurbish 248 coaches.

The funding for the two electric locomotive procurement projects is worth a combined Zlotys 1bn while the coach refurbishment projects are worth a total of Zlotys 1.2bn. Under the terms of the agreement, all work must be carried out at Polish manufacturing facilities and be completed by mid-2026. The funding is covering 94% of the estimated total procurement cost.

The coach refurbishment work is taking place at four plants: the H Cegielski factory in Poznań; Pesa’s factories in Bydgoszcz and Mińsk Mazowiecki; and PKP Intercity’s Remtrak facility. Newag’s factory at Nowy Sącz is supplying the electric locomotives. The contract for 46 3kV dc electric locomotives was placed in December 2023.

The specific procurement projects are as follows:

  • purchase of 46 160km/h electric locomotives: Zlotys 846.4m
  • purchase of 10 160km/h electric locomotives:  Zlotys 184m
  • upgrade of 90 type 141A/111A coaches: Zlotys 396m
  • upgrade of 24 type 152A coaches: Zlotys 119.5m
  • upgrade of 26 Z1B coaches: Zlotys 136.2m
  • conversion of 50 first class coaches to Combo: Zlotys 369.85m, and
  • conversion of 58 second class coaches to first and second class: Zlotys 245.2m.

Coach refurbishment contract

Separately, PKP has concluded two contracts to modernise 40 coaches. The first with Pesa covers conversion of eight first class coaches to type Z1B at its Minsk Mazowiecki facility. Under the second contract, H Cegielski will refurbish 32 Z1B coaches and modernise a further eight so they are accessible to passengers with reduced mobility.

The projects are set to be completed within 36 months of the signing of the contracts.

PKP Intercity is undertaking a Zlotys 24.5bn investment programme, which aims to double the size of its fleet by 2030. EU funding has already supported the procurement of 96 electric locomotives, 40 EMUs, 20 Pendolino tilting trains, and the purchase and modernisation of 43 diesel locomotives along with the refurbishment and acquisition of 846 coaches.

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