The energy transition is becoming an inevitable direction for the development of modern regions. Hydrogen—the energy carrier that can revolutionize both transport and the energy sector—is at the center of this change. With its strong scientific and industrial base, developed transport infrastructure, and dynamic local governments, Lower Silesia has a chance to play a key role in this revolution.
“Lower Silesia has the largest number of non-electrified railway lines in Poland. Hydrogen-powered vehicles could be used on them. During the energy transition, we are focusing on innovation in our economy, and the production of such vehicles by PESA is an excellent example of this,” says Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Minister of Climate and Environment.
In recent years, Lower Silesia has become the center of a genuine railway revolution. This has been driven by the local government’s program to revitalize out-of-service lines and by the vigorous development of Koleje Dolnośląskie, which is breaking popularity records and has become the leader in regional passenger transport in Poland. However, this is not the end: the local-government carrier plans to test another revolutionary solution—hydrogen propulsion.
“Railways are the region’s transport lifeblood. To encourage residents to use trains, we must work continuously to improve our transport services. The electrification of railway lines is the government’s responsibility, but we are not resting on our laurels and are also looking for modern, environmentally friendly solutions ourselves. That is why Koleje Dolnośląskie has begun testing hydrogen-powered locomotives,” explains Marshal Paweł Gancarz.
Lower Silesia consistently promotes the use of railways. Several years ago, the regional government decided to focus on developing this means of transport. In line with the plan, the region has already taken over from the state all the planned railway lines—22 routes totaling more than 400 km. The fastest regional trains in Poland also operate in our voivodeship, and in recent years towns inhabited by more than 200,000 people have been added to the railway network. As a result, the number of people using regional railways has increased over the past ten years from 5 million to as many as 25 million annually.
The response to the growing interest in rail transport is new investment in this area and the consistent expansion of services. Koleje Dolnośląskie, known for years for investing in modern trainsets, is now testing hydrogen-powered vehicles as the first carrier in Poland.
“Lower Silesia is making rail travel fashionable. At the same time, we want to be modern and environmentally friendly. Hydrogen-powered vehicles can be successfully used on non-electrified lines without harming the natural environment,” adds Deputy Marshal Michał Rado.
Damian Stawikowski, President of Koleje Dolnośląskie, notes that history was made in Lower Silesia today.
“The first scheduled train powered by hydrogen carried passengers to Karpacz. At Koleje Dolnośląskie, we are considering railway solutions other than those currently in use, and we are thinking about choosing hydrogen. This will not happen without broader cooperation, which is why we will summarize the tests next week,” says the regional carrier’s president.
The Polish hydrogen locomotive was manufactured by PESA Bydgoszcz. It has already been tested, among other places, in Sweden, and is currently being used by Orlen Transport. Vehicles of this type are currently used in Germany, while carriers from Italy and France have also expressed interest in them.
“We have been testing our hydrogen-powered vehicles in operating conditions since 2023, mainly in cargo operations. Now it is time for passenger transport; on non-electrified routes, they will be an alternative to diesel vehicles,” says Krzysztof Zdziarski, President of the Management Board of PESA Bydgoszcz.