Poland and Czech Republic push major railway upgrades

Poland's Ministry of Infrastructure presented the Integrated Railway Network (ZSK), a long‑term plan to build and modernise up to 1,000 km of new tracks by 2035, including high‑speed lines capable of over 300 km/h. Key elements are the strategic “Y” corridor linking Warsaw, the new central airport, Łódź, Poznań and Wrocław, the Rail Baltica segment Ełk–Trakiszki, and a cross‑border Katowice‑Ostrava line that will connect directly to the Czech rail system.

The Czech Railway Administration (Správa železnic) released detailed designs for upgrading the Lysá nad Labem–Mělník corridor. Work is expected to start in 2029, with the line prepared for speeds of 160 km/h, the elimination of 22 level crossings, new over‑passes, expanded stations, a third track between Všetaty and Mělník, and conversion to alternating‑current power and ETCS signalling. The project is budgeted at about 14 billion CZK.