PKP Intercity announced the first tender in Poland for the purchase of electric multiple units capable of reaching speeds of up to 320 km/h. The procedure, conducted through competitive dialogue, covers the delivery of 20 high-speed trains, with an option to order a further 35 vehicles, as well as the construction of a specialized technical workshop.
The new rolling stock is intended to introduce a “new quality of travel” on domestic and international routes, while allowing PKP Intercity to compete with other modes of transport. A requirement for participation in the tender is that manufacturers have experience delivering trains capable of speeds of at least 250 km/h, which is intended to ensure the highest technical and safety standards.
Significance for Bolesławiec and the E 30 line
Bolesławiec is located on the important E 30 railway route linking Wrocław with Zgorzelec, and then with Dresden and Leipzig. It is a strategic route for domestic and international traffic, with daily long-distance trains running toward Wrocław and Warsaw. The introduction of modern high-speed trains could in the future shorten travel times and improve the comfort of services operating on this route. Even if the first high-speed trains focus on major corridors such as Wrocław – Warsaw, the development of new rolling stock creates conditions for the possible inclusion of additional routes in the future, including transit services through Bolesławiec.
What happens next with the tender?
The deadline for submitting applications to be admitted to the tender has been set for the end of April 2026. Following the competitive dialogue phase, bids are expected to be submitted in 2027, with the contract planned to be awarded later that same year. The new trains could begin operating in the following years, alongside the development of railway infrastructure adapted to high-speed travel in Poland.
Prospects for network development
Although the first order concerns trains for newly designed high-speed lines, including the so-called “Y line,” the announcement of the tender signals the direction of development of Poland’s passenger railway. The new rolling stock is to be approved not only for Polish routes but also for international services—including to Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria—which could increase the importance of key transit points such as Bolesławiec.
Residents of the region and passengers traveling from Bolesławiec can follow the further stages of this undertaking, which in the future could support faster and more comfortable rail travel both within Poland and abroad.