Will PKP have competition? The deputy minister makes it clear
Soon, PKP Intercity may have competition. “We should not block carriers who want to operate in Poland,” said Piotr Malepszak, deputy minister of infrastructure, in an interview for “Rzeczpospolita”.
According to Piotr Malepszak, deputy minister of infrastructure responsible for railways, PKP Intercity should have competition, and commercial operators should be allowed on Polish tracks as soon as possible, before the regulations force us to do so.
Competition on Polish tracks
“Competition in long-distance transport should emerge quickly. We should not block carriers who want to operate in Poland. In my opinion, we should allow commercial operators access to long-distance transport now. I believe that a well-managed PKP Intercity will be able to compete with foreign carriers,” said Piotr Malepszak in an interview for Rzeczpospolita.
“European regulations assume that this market will become open from 2030, but in my opinion the company should be prepared for this opening much sooner. It should also look to improve efficiency by running more trains in the commercial system,” he added.
Open tracks
Currently, PKP Intercity has a monopoly on long-distance transport on Polish tracks. Most regional routes are operated by Polregio and local government carriers. The situation is expected to change in 2023, when EU regulations will force Poland to open the railway market and allow private carriers, including foreign ones, to operate routes.
Private companies will be able to apply to operate subsidized connections, both regional and long-distance. They will also be able to operate fully commercial routes on which there are no government or local government subsidies. The following companies are already preparing to enter the Polish market: Arriva, Leo Express or Deutsche Bahn.
