GERMAN Rail (DB) and Polish passenger operator PKP Intercity will increase the number of long-distance cross-border services by over 50% with the timetable change on December 14, responding to what they say is significantly increased demand for travel between Germany and Poland.
The number of services operating in each direction will be increased from 11 to 17. A seventh train pair will be added to the Berlin - Warsaw route to provide a service every 2 hours.
December 14 will see the introduction of a new service from Leipzig to Wrocław and Kraków, operating twice a day in each direction. One train will start and terminate in Przemyśl on the border between Poland and Ukraine, providing this town with a fast service to central Germany for the first time.
DB says that journey times for passengers travelling from Munich, Nuremberg or Frankfurt to Wrocław will be cut by around 2 hours through scheduled connections in Leipzig. The new Leipzig - Kraków service will offer a journey time of 3h 30min.
A new daily overnight EuroCity service is planned between Berlin and Przemysl via Wrocław and Kraków, and between Berlin and Chelm on the border with Ukraine, running via Łódź and Warsaw. The existing Munich - Warsaw overnight service will receive additional coaches, running between Munich, Kraków, and Przemysl.
“International long-distance transport is booming,” says Michael Peterson, DB board member for long-distance passenger transport.
“The new rail connections to the economically strong regions of southern Poland and to the border with Ukraine are of great economic and political importance.”
“We are seeing great interest in direct services to and from Berlin, says PKP Intercity CEO, Janusz Malinowski.
“We expect that other destinations will also be similarly popular with our passengers.”
