Seventeen companies, grouped into six consortia, have applied to participate in a competitive dialogue for the construction of Poland’s first high-speed rail section, Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) has announced.  The 13-kilometre section is part of the Warsaw-Łódź high-speed line, 

The 13-kilometre stretch between Kotowice (Mazovia region) and the planned new airport is the first contract underway for the planned Warsaw-Łódź high-speed line. This line is part of the broader Y-shaped railway connecting Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań, and Wrocław. The contract is scheduled for signing in the fourth quarter of 2027. Maciej Lasek, Government Plenipotentiary for CPK, emphasised that it is ‘the first procedure for the construction of a high-speed rail line not only in Poland, but in the whole of Central and Eastern Europe’.

CPK will now evaluate and analyse the applications, with all six potential contractors potentially advancing to the next stage, the competitive dialogue process. The primary selection criterion is experience in completed construction works, including projects carried out in Poland. An additional criterion is Polish language proficiency of key personnel.

The rail implementation of Poland’s wider vision is carried out by CPK, though the wider project, encompassing a brand-new international airport between Warsaw and Łódź and the high-speed rail network, was renamed Port Polska in December 2025.

The following consortia have applied for the competitive dialogue:

Budimex
ZUE, Duna Polska and POLAQUA
TORPOL, MIRBUD and KOBYLARNIA
Trakcja and PORR
Mostostal Warszawa, NDI, NDI SOPOT and INTERCOR
Gülermak, Track Tec Construction, UNIBEP and Pomorskie Przedsiębiorstwo Mechaniczno-Torowe

Government official Lasek also highlighted that so far, the tender process aligns with the project’s objective to support Polish companies, local jobs and boosting the Polish economy.

Selection and contract timeline

The evaluation criteria for the procedure itself will include price and the extension of the warranty period. The conclusion of the dialogue, selection of the contractor, and contract signing are planned for Q4 2027.

The Katowice-airport section, part of Poland’s Y railway line, is designed for trains operating at speeds of up to 350 km/h. The line’s geometric and technical parameters, including gradients, curve radii, switches, and a new 25 kV AC traction power standard, are tailored to meet these requirements.

A map of the first high-speed line section in Poland, Katowice-CPK airport. It is a key component of the planned Warsaw-Łódź high-speed line. © image: Port Polska
Five more sections planned for Warsaw-Łódź line

CPK intends to launch further procedures for the construction of additional sections of the Warsaw-Łódź high-speed line, totalling approximately 120 km of new track. These include 18 km from Warszawa West to Kotowice, 15 km from the airport hub to the Bolimowski junction, 12 km within the Bolimowski junction, 37 km from the Bolimowski junction to Brzeziny, and 11 km from Brzeziny to Łódź.

Additionally, two procedures will cover rail traffic control systems, telecommunications, and the traction power network for the entire Warsaw-Łódź line. A tender for archaeological research along the route is also under review.

CPK has already submitted all 12 applications for location decisions required for the Warsaw-Łódź route, with the first decision granted for the Warsaw West section in November 2025. According to the schedule, the Warsaw-Łódź section is set to open in 2032, coinciding with the opening of the new airport. By 2035, passengers are expected to reach Poznań and Wrocław via the Y line.

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