RegioJet press release
RegioJet entered the Polish market on September 18th of last year, launching a single pair of trains on the Kraków–Warsaw route. The trial period was primarily used for employee recruitment and training. From the outset, it was declared that this mode would last until March 2026. The goal was to learn how to provide passengers with the same standard of service we offer in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary, where a single seven-carriage unit is operated by a seven-person crew. Thanks to our excellent price-to-quality ratio, we have become the second-highest-rated rail carrier in Europe.
The decision to enter the Polish market stemmed from a long-term strategy of international expansion into neighboring countries and the strong financial performance of the RegioJet group. In 2025, the company achieved record financial results and had sufficient capital and operational capacity for further development in European markets. At the same time, Poland declared its rail market open to competition in 2025. Following the political changes, the new management of the state-owned carrier PKP Intercity signaled a more open approach to competition, and the market regulator supported the liberalization of access to key long-distance routes.
The full launch of all planned services from mid-December was not fully implemented, in part due to insufficient staffing by the external driver provider. Passengers affected by the canceled services were informed in advance, received a full refund of their tickets, and – as an apology – a bonus of PLN 100. We then stabilized the situation through our own efforts, including recruiting and training a sufficient number of our own staff. We managed to ensure full timetable implementation from March 1, 2026.
Although RegioJet's entry did not lead to a reduction in the capacity of the state-owned carrier PKP Intercity, a clearly negative media campaign was conducted against our company, which became part of the political battle. However, we have decided not to comment on this situation.
We invited representatives of Polish public media to the historic first run of a competing carrier on a domestic long-distance route. They declined to participate, arguing that, as state media, they can only positively report on the activities of a state-owned carrier.
In our continued competitive environment, we have faced a number of actions that, in our opinion, violate the principles of fair competition. A dominant, and de facto monopolistic, entity is responsible for the fair functioning of the market and cannot hinder the entry of new entrants. A healthy market should have at least three competitors with similar market shares.
PKP Intercity, through its parent company, PKP SA, which owns the station buildings, ended the RegioJet marketing campaign at stations and prevented us from opening sales points at stations. This made it particularly difficult for vulnerable groups, such as seniors, children, and people with disabilities, who constitute a very important group of public transport passengers, to use our services.
PKP Intercity CEO Janusz Malinowski published a private text message from RegioJet owner Radim Jančura, warning him that any actions hindering market entry could be considered by antitrust authorities as abuse of a dominant position aimed at eliminating a new competitor. Mr. Malinowski made this communication public and simultaneously filed a report with the counterintelligence services and the prosecutor's office. These actions led to another negative campaign against RegioJet.
The CEO of PKP Intercity also publicly attacked PKP PLK management, accusing them of favoring RegioJet, despite PKP Intercity maintaining the same range of connections as the previous year. RegioJet, however, did not receive all the planned routes, and its trains on the Kraków-Warsaw section had longer travel times. Unlike PKP Intercity, we also cannot stop at Katowice station on Warsaw-Praga connections.
Another serious problem is the blocking of the sale of the depot in Warsaw's Praga district, which RegioJet won in a PKP Cargo auction on August 7, 2025. We had assumed the transaction would be completed quickly, as PKP Cargo is facing serious economic problems due to declining demand. This depot was to serve as our technical base from December 2025. However, it has not been transferred to us to date, and we have even been prohibited from renting the tracks in the hall. PKP SA, which holds approximately 30% of PKP Cargo's shares and has the right of veto, is actively blocking the sale, postponing its completion every two months. RegioJet was forced to repair the wagons outdoors in the snow and perform major repairs in the Czech Republic. We paid a deposit before the auction and are obligated to purchase the facility, the acquisition of which is simultaneously blocked. We have lost hope and faith.
The above operational problems were compounded by economic pressure from PKP Intercity. The carrier reduced ticket prices by up to 70% compared to the level before RegioJet entered the market. Competition law considers such pricing illegal, predatory activity aimed at eliminating a new market entrant. A new entrant has the right to temporarily offer prices below cost to promote itself and solidify its position. A dominant entity does not have such a right – on the contrary, it is expressly prohibited. RegioJet entered the market promising prices approximately half of the then-current EIP and EIC ticket prices and has maintained this level to this day.
In January, PKP Intercity took advantage of the gradual launch of our connections and filled key time slots on the Kraków–Warsaw route. The incomplete timetable negatively impacted the economics of the operation.
Although European regulations opened up the market for unsubsidized rail transport back in 2010 as part of the so-called Fourth Railway Package, we believe that standard competition conditions do not exist in Poland. Brussels has decided to establish independent market regulators whose task is to protect new carriers from dominant state-owned entities and infrastructure managers. Unfortunately, in our opinion, the opposite is true in Poland.
We regret to inform you that RegioJet will cease operations in the Polish domestic market. We are ready to return when the market is truly open and provides fair and transparent conditions for all carriers. The current situation – including infrastructure blocking, sales restrictions, and predatory pricing – threatens the economic stability of the RegioJet group in the Czech Republic. PKP Intercity is largely independent of competitors, as approximately 90% of its routes are subsidized. The agreement between PKP Intercity and the Ministry is not public, although it is known that the level of subsidies increases annually. RegioJet, on the other hand, has not received any subsidies, and even after several months, no agreement has been concluded on compensation for statutory relief for social groups, which we financed from our own funds.
RegioJet introduced new customer service standards to the Polish market – it was the first carrier to implement automatic compensation for delays and a payment of PLN 100 in the event of a flight cancellation.
International connections Przemyśl – Kraków – Prague and Warsaw – Prague will continue to be operated.
RegioJet remains a financially strong company, investing extensively in new rolling stock to serve subsidized routes in the Czech Republic. Currently, the company is ordering 75 new low-floor units capable of speeds up to 200 km/h, including in partnership with manufacturer Pesa Bydgoszcz. In the future, we are also prepared to invest billions of zlotys in the Polish market.
Poland also plans to open its market in the subsidized transport segment. We continue to believe that a transparent tender schedule will be established, in which several carriers will compete, offering the lowest subsidies and the highest quality. This trend is visible in the Czech Republic and Germany, where savings make it possible to provide regular connections every 30 or 60 minutes, even from smaller cities. Since, with few exceptions, older rolling stock is unavailable in the European market, carriers should have at least three years to purchase modern, preferably low-floor units. Transport operators can save billions through fair competition and significantly improve the quality of long-distance and regional transport.
Domestic Kraków-Warsaw-Gdynia and Poznań-Warsaw connections will be discontinued on May 3, 2026. Passengers will be informed today of cancellations after this date via text message or email. A full refund will be issued no later than Wednesday, April 15, using the same payment method used to purchase the ticket. Passengers will also be able to complete a simple form on the website and apply for a 100 PLN compensation payment as an apology. This amount is intended to cover any potential higher ticket prices on PKP Intercity trains.
"I sincerely apologize to all passengers. I cannot continue to jeopardize the future of the company I founded at the age of 23. I believe that under more favorable conditions, we will be able to resume our services in Poland," said RegioJet owner Radim Jančura.
