October 15th, 2026
Poland is preparing competitive tenders for its long-distance Public Service rail services after 2030. But the conditions currently emerging risk leaving new operators unable to compete: a rushed timetable may not allow sufficient time to procure new trains, the Ministry of Infrastructure has disclosed a potential contract duration of only four years, and the size and sequencing of the future tender packages remain unclear.
ALLRAIL’s objective is simple: attract as many credible operators as possible and use competition to deliver better quality, more services — particularly to smaller towns — and better value for taxpayers.
European experience shows what is needed. Numerous analyses of Germany identify five-year mobilisation periods where rolling stock must be provided and 10–15-year contracts as important conditions for successful competition. German competitive tendering has also been accompanied by a 20% increase in train-kilometres and 48% increase in passenger-kilometres, while public compensation per train-kilometre fell.
The Czech Republic has similarly used a more gradual approach to market opening, including long-term competitively tendered services where new operators invest in new trains.
ALLRAIL calls for the post-2030 framework to ensure:
Poland has a unique opportunity to set a European standard for competitive long-distance rail.
The framework should ensure that competition is not merely possible on paper, but realistic in practice.