Port Polska, PKP Cargo move to boost freight capacity

Port Polska and rail freight operator PKP Cargo are moving ahead with plans to expand rail and logistics infrastructure for freight traffic, following a new letter of intent that links Poland’s flagship transport hub project with one of the country’s largest cargo carriers.

Strategic partnership anchored in new letter of intent

According to publicly available information from Port Polska and PKP Cargo, the two companies signed a letter of intent on 10 July 2026 that sets out a framework for cooperation on freight transport within the Port Polska investment programme. The agreement focuses on developing concepts for how PKP Cargo can participate in rail-based cargo operations linked to the future central airport, adjacent logistics hub and connecting railway network.

The Port Polska programme, developed by Centralny Port Komunikacyjny, is designed as an integrated air, rail and road system. It includes a new central airport, extensive high speed and conventional rail links, road connections and a large cargo and logistics centre. Publicly available programme documents indicate that the hub is expected to handle several hundred thousand tonnes of air freight annually, supported by mixed-traffic rail lines capable of accommodating both passenger and freight services.

PKP Cargo, described in company materials as Poland’s leading rail freight operator and one of the largest in the European Union, views the Port Polska corridor as a major new axis for moving bulk cargo, containers and intermodal loads. The letter of intent outlines a shared interest in designing infrastructure, terminal concepts and operating models that would allow freight trains to run efficiently into the emerging hub area and further on to domestic and international destinations.

The understanding does not yet define specific investment volumes or a construction schedule, but it positions PKP Cargo as a key industry partner as Port Polska transitions from planning to implementation. Reports indicate that further technical and commercial agreements will be required before detailed projects can move ahead.

Rail infrastructure at the core of the Port Polska model

Port Polska is being developed around a new Y shaped high speed rail spine linking Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań and Wrocław, supplemented by upgraded conventional lines that together form a national rail grid. Programme descriptions note that these routes are being designed for mixed traffic on selected sections, allowing both fast regional services and freight trains to use the infrastructure where capacity and gradients permit.

The concept reflects Poland’s broader strategy of shifting more long distance freight from road to rail to reduce congestion and emissions while strengthening export corridors. Rail infrastructure manager PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe is already advancing several projects that intersect with the Port Polska network, including the Rail Baltica corridor in north eastern Poland and cross border links towards the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The new partnership with PKP Cargo is expected to feed directly into how these lines are used for freight.

For Port Polska, having a major operator engaged early in the planning of sidings, yards, loading tracks and signalling interfaces is considered important for ensuring that the new infrastructure can handle high volumes of cargo trains without disrupting passenger schedules. Public programme materials highlight the need to integrate the airport logistics centre with national freight corridors so that containers and palletised goods can move quickly between aircraft, rail wagons and road vehicles.

Planned technical standards, such as the adoption of a 2x25 kilovolt AC power supply on the Warsaw Łódź high speed section, are intended to support higher speeds and heavier trains than on much of the existing Polish network. This is expected to benefit both express passenger services and, in the longer term, high performance freight operations where mixed traffic is foreseen.

PKP Cargo seeks growth despite restructuring

The cooperation with Port Polska comes at a time when PKP Cargo is undergoing restructuring and working to stabilise its finances after a period of weaker freight demand and rising costs. Company reporting shows that the group operates a large wagon and locomotive fleet and runs services not only across Poland but also in several neighbouring European Union countries.

In recent years, PKP Cargo has focused on strengthening its role in intermodal and transit traffic, including east west services that position Poland as a land bridge between European markets and Asia. Its network of terminals and transhipment facilities already serves industries ranging from mining and steel to chemicals, construction materials and automotive components.

Participation in the Port Polska programme offers PKP Cargo an opportunity to secure long term volumes linked to the new central hub and associated logistics parks. Publicly available information on the letter of intent indicates that both sides intend to explore options for using PKP Cargo’s rolling stock, terminals and operational experience in designing the freight component of Port Polska.

Analysts following the sector suggest that closer alignment between the rail freight operator and the state backed infrastructure programme could improve train path planning, terminal layouts and service offerings for shippers, particularly if new customs, warehousing and value added logistics services are clustered around the airport and rail junction.

New infrastructure to serve seaports and hinterland corridors

The cooperation around Port Polska is emerging alongside a broader wave of investments in rail access to Polish seaports. In recent years, significant funds have been allocated to improving rail approaches to major Baltic gateways such as Gdańsk, Gdynia, Szczecin and Świnoujście, as well as smaller ports including Police. These projects have involved new tracks, electrification, modern signalling and extended sidings to handle longer freight trains.

Government and port authority information indicates that upgrades to the rail corridors serving deep water terminals in Gdańsk and Gdynia are intended to raise the share of containers and bulk cargo moved by rail. Similar work is under way or planned for the emerging deepwater container terminal in Świnoujście, which aims to attract large ocean going vessels and redistribute cargo into Central Europe by train.

By aligning Port Polska’s inland rail network with these modernised port approaches, planners aim to create an integrated system in which freight can travel by rail from Baltic quaysides directly to the new central logistics hub and onwards to inland industrial regions. In this context, PKP Cargo’s longstanding presence on port access lines and its experience handling coal, grain, containers and project cargo are seen as assets for designing efficient train operations.

Industry observers note that the combination of upgraded port rail links, a national high speed and conventional rail grid, and a purpose built logistics airport could significantly increase Poland’s role as a freight gateway for Central and Eastern Europe. The new partnership between Port Polska and PKP Cargo is viewed as one of several steps needed to translate this potential into day to day rail services and terminal capacity.

Timelines and next steps for freight focused build out

Detailed construction schedules for the freight specific components of the Port Polska infrastructure have not yet been announced, but various elements of the wider programme are moving through design, permitting and procurement stages. Recent updates from Port Polska point to tenders for electrification, signalling and power supply systems on priority rail sections, as well as competitions to select contractors for airport facilities and supporting infrastructure.

The letter of intent with PKP Cargo foresees joint analytical work on traffic forecasts, infrastructure needs and operational concepts for freight trains using the new lines. This is expected to inform future investment decisions on sidings, marshalling areas, intermodal terminals and maintenance facilities associated with the logistics hub.

As planning advances, attention is likely to focus on ensuring that the new infrastructure can accommodate growing volumes of containerised, bulk and specialised cargo without creating bottlenecks. Publicly available discussions around the programme emphasise the need for adequate passing tracks, efficient signalling and flexible timetabling so that freight services can run alongside high speed and regional passenger trains.

While many details remain to be defined, the emerging cooperation between Port Polska and PKP Cargo signals that freight traffic is being built into the core design of Poland’s next generation transport hub, rather than treated as an afterthought. For shippers and logistics providers looking at the country as a gateway to European markets, the coming years will show how quickly these plans translate into additional rail capacity and new service options.