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Czech private rail operator RegioJet is laying the groundwork for a fresh expansion in Poland from the 2027 timetable period, with new cross-border services and denser long distance links featuring prominently in early plans published by regulators and industry outlets.
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Renewed Ambitions After a Difficult First Foray
RegioJet’s latest plans for Poland come less than a year after the company halted an earlier attempt to establish a broader passenger network in the country. In spring 2026, the carrier withdrew several previously announced domestic services, citing an unfavourable competitive environment and timetable constraints identified in public statements and reports by Polish media.
According to coverage from Poland’s rail industry press, the operator formally pulled back a series of open access applications for the 2026 and 2027 timetable years. Those proposals had envisaged a web of north south and east west links, including services connecting Warsaw with Kraków, Poznań, Gdańsk and other major cities, but they were never fully implemented before the retreat was announced.
Despite that setback, RegioJet has continued to maintain a presence on selected international routes touching Poland and has repeatedly signalled it wants to remain part of the market in the longer term. The latest batch of filings and public statements points to a shift in emphasis toward cross border and seasonal services as the primary growth channel from 2027 onward.
Analysts note that focusing on cross border routes may allow the company to play to its strengths as a multinational open access operator, while sidestepping some of the political and contractual sensitivities around publicly funded domestic services that are typically handled by incumbent operators under long term public service contracts.
New Cross-Border Links Target Austria, Czech Republic and Croatia
Polish and Czech travel outlets report that RegioJet is preparing a portfolio of new cross border trains linking Polish cities with Austria, the Czech Republic and Croatia from the 2027/2028 timetable. Early route concepts described in this coverage include overnight and seasonal services aimed at leisure and holiday traffic, particularly toward the Adriatic coast and Alpine destinations.
One set of proposals highlighted in recent articles envisages north south axes that would connect southern Poland with Czech territory and onward toward Austria, using existing cross border corridors in Silesia and the Sudetes. These services would build on RegioJet’s experience running long distance open access trains from Central Europe to popular resort areas, including its well known seasonal trains to Croatia.
Another focus area is reported to be new or expanded overnight trains serving Croatian coastal cities, with Polish departure points potentially in Kraków or other major hubs. Travel publications note that the timetable windows described in filings to the Polish Office of Rail Transport extend from December 2027 through the early 2030s, indicating that RegioJet is planning these as multi year products rather than short lived experiments.
Industry observers suggest that if the services launch as described, passengers in Poland would gain direct one seat rides to holiday regions that currently require at least one change of train. That could help rail capture a larger share of the leisure travel market on corridors that have traditionally been dominated by coaches and low cost air carriers.
Domestic Polish Corridors Still on the Strategic Map
While the new focus is on cross border links, publicly available documents show that RegioJet has not abandoned interest in dense domestic corridors inside Poland. A 2025 open access decision by the Polish rail regulator outlines an application from the company to operate long term services on the Warsaw to Kraków axis, with validity stretching across multiple timetable years from 2026/2027 through the early 2030s.
Separate reporting from ticketing platforms and specialist rail media describes a broader concept under which RegioJet would progressively increase frequencies on routes such as Warsaw Wrocław, Warsaw Poznań Szczecin and Warsaw Poznań Berlin from around the 2026/2027 period. The aim, according to these summaries, is to move toward regular interval patterns with hourly services in peak times on key long distance corridors.
The Warsaw Gdańsk coastal corridor also features in these plans, reflecting its importance as a spine for both domestic and international travel. Existing operators already make heavy use of the upgraded line between the capital and the Tri City area, and RegioJet’s entry would add another competitor on a route where travel times have been significantly reduced by infrastructure investment over the past decade.
Any domestic expansion will depend on available capacity in the national timetable and the outcome of further regulatory assessments. However, the variety and duration of the applications now on file suggest that RegioJet is thinking about Poland as a long term strategic market, rather than a series of isolated pilot projects.
Rolling Stock Investments Signal Long-Term Commitment
The operator’s rolling stock strategy reinforces the impression of a sustained push into the region. In early 2026, RegioJet and Polish manufacturer Pesa Bydgoszcz announced a contract for new Elf family electric multiple units destined for services in Central Europe. Company releases state that the order covers both three car and four car trainsets, with capacities tailored to dense regional and interregional operations.
This investment follows earlier deployments of Pesa built trains by RegioJet in the Czech Republic, particularly in the Ústí nad Labem region, where the company has won competitively tendered public service contracts. Industry position papers point out that the new trains are intended to support the operator’s wider European growth, including future activity on the Polish network.
Modern multiple units with multi system capabilities are regarded as a key enabler for efficient cross border operations, especially on routes that traverse different electrification systems and signalling environments. By standardising on a fleet designed with interoperability in mind, RegioJet can reduce turnaround times at borders and offer a more seamless passenger experience on long international journeys.
Observers also note that sourcing part of its fleet from a Polish manufacturer may carry symbolic and practical benefits as RegioJet works to rebuild its profile in the country. Local industrial partnerships can be an asset when seeking capacity, maintenance facilities and political support for new open access ventures.
Competitive Pressures and Regulatory Balancing
The renewed expansion push comes as Poland’s rail market continues to balance the roles of incumbent operators and independent open access carriers. National and regional authorities have recently signed long term public service contracts with domestic operators for subsidised regional services running well into the next decade, limiting the space for newcomers on some routes.
At the same time, European level policy papers identify companies such as RegioJet and Leo Express as examples of independent undertakings that contribute to competition and innovation on cross border corridors. Brussels based analyses of the passenger rail market emphasise that voluntary cooperation between operators on through ticketing and information remains patchy, leaving scope for new entrants to differentiate on customer service and network design.
In Poland, the Office of Rail Transport continues to process a steady stream of open access applications from both domestic and foreign operators, assessing their impact on existing public service contracts. Recent decisions have authorised a variety of long distance and cross border services, while also imposing conditions intended to protect subsidised regional traffic.
Within this context, RegioJet’s 2027 oriented plans for cross border services and selected domestic corridors are being watched closely by both rivals and passenger groups. If the proposals move from paper to operation, they could reshape parts of Poland’s long distance rail market and strengthen the country’s links with neighbouring states, while also testing how far open access competition can develop alongside traditional public service models.
Mikropodróże24: RegioJet wraca do Polski – cztery nowe trasy międzynarodowe od 2027 roku
Office of Rail Transport: New open access decisions