The information presented here pertains to the working version of the Horizontal Timetable as of 16 July 2024. Due to ongoing project work and the planned consultation process, the adopted solutions will undergo further modifications. This working version is provided to ensure a transparent process for the development of the Horizontal Timetable. The current list of commercial stops does not represent an obligation of the Minister in charge of transport to serve these locations but rather acts as a starting point for planned consultations. More information about the consultation process can be found in the “Consultation Plan” section. 

The Stops Policy in the Horizontal Timetable 

The key issue in developing the Horizontal Timetable, is the stops policy for different train categories. The goal is to set stable, uniform guidelines across Poland that ensure fair treatment for residents of all regions. 

It is essential to designate stops in a way that balances somewhat opposing objectives: ensuring adequate accessibility to long-distance rail transport (which suggests increasing the number of stops) and providing attractive travel times (which suggests limiting the number of stops). Finding the right balance is crucial for creating an appealing transport offer. Moreover, the integrated and cyclic timetable within the Horizontal Timetable framework is highly sensitive to adding or removing stops, as this prolongs or shortens travel times, which in turn disrupts connections at key stations. Implementing changes in this area while the timetable is in effect will be a challenging and prolonged process due to the need to align many timetable and infrastructure elements (possibly including designing new ones). Therefore, the development, consultation, and agreement on commercial stop rules with the relevant transport authorities will be key to the sustainability of the solutions developed for the Horizontal Timetable. 

 Train Routes in the Horizontal Timetable are divided into: 

• InterCity trains – Conventional Express Trains (Ex) or High-Speed Trains (HST): These are intended to provide the fastest domestic and international connections, enabling quick travel over long distances. It is also assumed that these are lines with commercial potential. 

• InterRegio Trains(P): These form the basis of long-distance travel on the Polish railway. They are generally considered to be operated under public service obligations (PSO). 

• Regio Express Trains (RE): These complement the transport network and ensure territorial coherence but are organized by regional transport authorities. 

• Regional and Commuter Trains (R): These stop at all stations and stops, managed by entities other than the ministry responsible for transport. Accelerating regional trains on selected railway sections to reduce travel time is possible, for example, when a longer regional line enters a section served by a shorter commuter service. 

Inter-regional trains are to connect settlements of at least county size (including cities with county rights). Consequently, the stop grid has been established based on the following principles: 

InterCity Trains (Ex and HST): 

• In regional capitals 

• In major urban centres with more than 50,000 inhabitants 

• At stations that enhance transport accessibility in large towns (e.g., Wrocław Mikołajów) if this significantly reduces door-to-door travel time for a substantial number of people 

• In tourist centres generating significant passenger flows 

• For InterCity connections at the ends of routes, the stop network follows the principles used in the core network for InterRegio trains (see below). This is because passenger flows on these sections are lower, making it more sensible to increase accessibility through additional stops rather than prioritising travel time (e.g., Nowy Targ, Wodzisław Śląski) 

• At stations critical for national transport services if no fast train service is provided – these are termed synergistic stops (e.g., Świebodzin). This is because, from the perspective of the entire rail system, it is better to add a stop for an InterCity Train than to create a separate train route for a single location, which requires compensation payments and occupies valuable railway capacity 

• At key stations not meeting other criteria for the InterCity segment if a stop facilitates transfers from a train serving another station that meets these criteria but does not have an InterCity service. For example, stopping in Malbork (population approx. 36,000 – below the 50,000 threshold) enables transfers from Elbląg (over 100,000 residents) to an InterCity train to Warsaw 

• If coordination is necessary to achieve a consistent cycle in the timetable, aligning the stopping pattern with InterRegio trains is permissible 

InterRegio Trains (P): 

• Rules for InterCity train listed in items 1-4 

• In county towns or those serving specific counties 

• In towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants for the core network. The core of the network includes sections that form the main connections with high forecasted passenger volumes 

• In towns (localities) with more than 5,000 inhabitants on sections outside the core network, i.e., not forming major links and with lower occupancy 

• In large agglomerations, stops at stations meeting the criteria are limited if this would extend travel time. The absence of stops is compensated by operating commuter or regional trains. This primarily concerns the Warsaw agglomeration and the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis, Katowice (GZM). In the Warsaw agglomeration, InterRegio trains stop at the first zone station before the agglomeration, from which there is convenient access by commuter or regional train. In GZM, stops have been limited in some district cities (e.g., Ruda Śląska, Świętochłowice) due to the planned operation of metropolitan railways, which will provide access to nearby stations (e.g., Zabrze, Katowice) 

• If coordination is necessary to achieve a consistent cycle in the timetable, aligning the stopping pattern with RegioExpress trains is permissible 

Both current and historical stop networks for interregional links were reviewed in the process of designing the stop network, along with the provisions of the current transport plan related to existing passenger flows on long-distance services. The aim was to determine if existing stops, which did not meet the new criteria, still had significant passenger traffic due to long-standing travel habits. Exceptions to the rules were permitted in such cases. Specifically, stops listed in the current transport plan with minimal passenger exchange were not included in the Horizontal Timetable for long-distance trains. Additionally, stations with similar isochrones for car travel (analysed at 10, 20, and 30 minutes) were also excluded. 

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