The development of rail transport requires modern rolling stock. Funding from the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, Environment (FEniKS) programme will enable Koleje Dolnośląskie to purchase additional Elf electric multiple units from the PESA factory in Bydgoszcz.
– Further EU millions are coming to Lower Silesia! This is very good news for the people of Lower Silesia, who make extensive use of modern trains when travelling around our region – says Paweł Gancarz, Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.
This is another stage in expanding the carrier’s fleet, which, thanks to the support of the Lower Silesian Regional Assembly, consistently invests in modern rolling stock.
The best regional railway in Poland
The development of the fleet goes hand in hand with the reconstruction of infrastructure and the restoration of rail connections in the region. In recent years, more than 250,000 residents of Lower Silesia have regained access to rail transport, and the scale of the investments underway will, over time, enable new localities to be served by rail. In recent years alone, connections have been restored to, among other places, Karpacz, Świeradów-Zdrój and Chocianów, while in the coming years trains will reach Kowary, Stronie Śląskie and Srebrna Góra.
– The local government is not only revitalising railway lines; we are also purchasing new trains. This allows us to continuously improve the service on existing lines, providing, for example, access to Wrocław within the agglomeration every half hour during peak times from the most popular directions in our voivodeship: from Wołów, Legnica and Kąty Wrocławskie – says Michał Rado, Deputy Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship responsible, among other things, for rail transport.
PLN 618 million settled in 24 months
The funds secured must also be used and settled efficiently and skilfully. In August 2024, Koleje Dolnośląskie signed an agreement to purchase 10 five-car Elves, with the option to expand the order by a further 10 vehicles. After several months, in June 2025, KD decided to exercise the option, increasing the order to 20 trains. In October, an agreement was signed with the Centre for EU Transport Projects (CUPT), and PESA Bydgoszcz began delivering the first vehicles that same month. In August 2026, the last of the 20 ordered Elves arrived in Lower Silesia.
Thus, in just 24 months, KD completed the purchase of 20 modern trains, using nearly PLN 618 million in support from the KPO.
– Two years, 20 new trains and nearly PLN 618 million in EU support. We have shown that we can not only secure European funds effectively, but also efficiently turn them into specific investments and settle them in record time – says Damian Stawikowski, President of Koleje Dolnośląskie.
This is another example of the effective use of European funds by a regional-government carrier, thanks to which as many as 250,000 residents of Lower Silesia have regained access to rail transport in recent years. The new Elves increase the company’s transport capacity, and it regularly records further passenger-number records. In the first six months of 2026, the number of passengers exceeded 14 million.
– EU funds must be secured effectively, but they must also be settled effectively. When we completed projects worth nearly PLN 620 million, we received information about further support of PLN 150 million for our activities from EU funds. Thanks to this, we are secured for the coming years when it comes to operating services on electrified lines – says Barbara Kulewicz, Vice-President of Koleje Dolnośląskie.
Thanks to the support of the Lower Silesian Regional Assembly, Koleje Dolnośląskie are strengthening their position as a leader among regional carriers in the country. As Rzeczpospolita calculated some time ago, Koleje Dolnośląskie offer the fastest scheduled regional connections, while more than 30 train pairs run daily on the most popular routes. Partly thanks to EU funding, KD’s rolling-stock fleet already comprised 108 vehicles.