“Copernican coup on the railway” – TVN24 Biznes

Furgalski, asked by PAP whether the Polish railway would deal with foreign competition, in the context of the planned liberalization of passenger transport after 2030, replied that you can be calm about it.

As he explained, v Czech Republic The appearance of foreign competition caused 40 percent. price reduction and an increase in the number of passengers by 200 percent – PKP Intercity will withstand it, especially since he invests a lot in rolling stock – he added.

He estimated that we are currently dealing with a “Copernicus Revelation on the Rail”. – From the change of power in PKP Intercity in April last year, the new bosses said “the end of blocking competition”. The most interested in the Czech carriers, but also the German carrier, which launches Warsaw -Berlin connections – he said.

As the expert emphasized, so far, when a foreign entity submitted a request to the Office of Railway Transport for open access to the railway line, PKP Intercity applied to this place, showing that such admission would constitute a “economic drama” for the company. He added that 98 percent Such transport took place with state subsidies.

– Now PKP Intercity has stopped blocking the competition – emphasized Furgalski and pointed out that this would translate into a larger number of connections, as well as a decrease in ticket prices. He pointed out that this would not happen overnight.

– These passenger connections will not suddenly form, in a month (…) Many examples show that where the competition appeared, the state carrier has not collapsed anywhere. In addition, we have a very large increase in the number of passengers in Poland. With domestic connections it is already 407 million passengers in the last year, so the prospect that by 2030 it will be 500 million will be achieved in a shorter time – he said.