PKP Intercity Secures EUR 351M KPO Funding for Fleet Renewal in Poland

WARSAW, POLAND – Polish national operator PKP Intercity has received EUR 351 million (PLN 1.5 billion) in funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (KPO). The funds are part of a larger EUR 670 million project to renew its long-distance rolling stock fleet. The investment covers the purchase of 56 new locomotives and the modernisation of 248 passenger coaches.

How Is the Funding Structured?

The funding is structured as a non-repayable grant covering a significant portion of the total project cost. The agreement, signed in October 2024, allocates a total of €512.5 million in support for the project, meaning the KPO funds cover approximately 94% of eligible costs. The EUR 351 million received to date represents over 68% of the total allocated support, with the full investment scheduled for completion by June 2026. All manufacturing and modernisation work is being conducted by Polish companies, including facilities in Poznań, Bydgoszcz, and Nowy Sącz.

Key Funding Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Funding Programs?

The €670 million scope of PKP Intercity’s KPO-funded project is a major national investment, but it is smaller in scale than some other recent European fleet procurements. For comparison, Comboios de Portugal (CP) signed a contract with Alstom valued at €1.03 billion to supply 153 new trains, the largest such acquisition in the country’s history (Source: Alstom, 2026). While the Polish project focuses on a mix of new locomotives and coach refurbishment, the Portuguese deal involves the delivery of entirely new trainsets. The cost per vehicle or a detailed breakdown of eligible costs for the PKP Intercity project was not disclosed.

Editor’s Analysis

PKP Intercity’s fleet renewal is a critical preparatory step for Poland’s larger transport ambitions, particularly the new Port Polska high-speed rail network scheduled to launch with its hub airport in 2032. By upgrading its conventional locomotive-hauled fleet now, the operator ensures service quality and capacity can meet rising demand while bridging the gap until the new HSR infrastructure is operational. This strategy of leveraging EU recovery funds for domestic manufacturing also strengthens the national supply chain, aligning with a broader European trend of using transport investment to foster industrial self-sufficiency (Source: Reuters, 2026).

FAQ

Q: What specific new vehicles are being delivered?
A: The project includes the delivery of 56 new EU160 Griffin electric locomotives, all of which had been received by early February 2026. It also includes the modernisation of 248 existing passenger coaches to improve comfort and capacity.

Q: Is this funding related to other large-scale Polish infrastructure projects?
A: Yes, this fleet upgrade is part of a broader strategy to modernise Poland’s entire rail network. It complements the development of the nationwide Port Polska high-speed rail system, which will be integrated with a new central airport between Warsaw and Łódź, set to open in 2032.

Q: Who is manufacturing the new rolling stock?
A: All orders financed by this KPO grant are being fulfilled by Polish factories. The new locomotives are supplied from Nowy Sącz, while coach modernisation is being carried out in Poznań, Bydgoszcz, Mińsk Mazowiecki, and by PKP Intercity’s subsidiary, Remtrak.