Czech carrier RegioJet introduces new train connections between Warsaw and Poznań as it expands operations in Poland.
New Train Services
From Sunday, RegioJet is launching two pairs of connections on the Warsaw-Poznań route, with trains departing from Central Station at 6:28 and 14:28 and returning at 10:11 and 18:11. The journey to Poznań takes 2 hours 16-17 minutes, matching PKP Intercity’s pendolino trains, while the return journey takes 2 hours 26-35 minutes.
The cheapest low-cost class ticket costs 27 zł, with three additional classes—standard, relax, and business—priced around 80 zł for the latter. All three premium classes include complimentary coffee. From March 1, RegioJet will add four more pairs of connections between Warsaw and Poznań.
Additional Routes and Recovery
On January 19, RegioJet launched additional services from Warsaw to Kraków and the Tri-City area, with four pairs of connections to Kraków and three to Gdynia. Two more pairs will run between Kraków and Warsaw starting June 14 as the carrier attempts to recover from service cancellations at the end of last year.
In December, RegioJet canceled most Warsaw-Kraków and Tri-City connections just three days before their scheduled launch, having previously canceled Poznań services. The problems stemmed mainly from an incomplete crew, as the company failed to hire sufficient numbers of train drivers and train managers despite offering higher salaries.
Recruitment and Workforce
Daniel Fuksa, Director of Operations in Poland for RegioJet, confirms the company has properly kickstarted recruitment, now employing 150 workers in Poland with plans to reach 300 by year-end. Recruitment and training are underway in the four main cities where RegioJet currently operates: Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, and Poznań.
Ticket Sales and Customer Service
RegioJet currently sells tickets online but is working on opening stationary ticket offices. By summer, the company plans to launch its first customer service salon in the basement of Central Station where tickets can be purchased, according to Daniel Fuksa.
Service Base Challenges
The company has not yet acquired a site in Warsaw for a service base. Although RegioJet won a PKP Cargo tender for a plot on Warsaw’s Praga side, the seller ultimately declined to proceed with the transaction with Czech entities. Fuksa states they are still in discussions with PKP Cargo.
Rolling Stock and Future Plans
RegioJet trains in Poland currently consist of only four carriages, though Fuksa announces plans to extend them to 8-9 carriages this spring. Most of the rolling stock is used equipment previously operated in Germany, with only the standard class featuring new carriages produced in Romania.
The Czech company intends to gradually expand its network in Poland. Fuksa declined to confirm whether the ambitious plans announced last autumn—envisioning connections from Warsaw to Wrocław, Berlin, Szczecin, and Katowić by 2027—will be realized.