Tusk’s EUR 43 Billion Pledge Set to Transform Polish Rail: Will Ambition Meet Efficiency?

Poland is putting everything on the table to rewrite its railway future. From long-promised high-speed links to restoring lines that vanished from maps decades ago, the government’s EUR 43 billion plan is about tracks proving this country can finally catch up, connect better, and spend smarter.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced that the country will spend PLN 180 billion (approx. EUR 43 billion) on rail infrastructure by 2032. While part of the money will go to projects already underway, the scale and ambition of this spending has sparked fresh discussion around priorities, execution, and long-term impact. "I’m stunned, because this is truly impressive—and these aren’t postponed investments. They’ve already begun, they’re underway," said Tusk during the Polska. Rok przełomu press conference in February, according to the Polish rail news outlet Rynek Kolejowy. 

💬PM @DonaldTusk at the Warsaw Stock Exchange: By 2032, we will invest PLN 180 billion in Poland's railway infrastructure.

— Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland (@PremierRP_en) February 10, 2025

Where the Money Is Going: Six Key Programmes

According to Rynek Kolejowy, the biggest share of funding – PLN 79.1 billion (EUR 18.9 billion) – will be channelled into the National Railway Programme (KPK), which, as noted by RailwayPRO, is set to run until 2030, with a horizon to 2032. The second largest chunk, PLN 75.1 billion (EUR 17.9 billion), will go to the railway component of the Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK). This includes the country's first high-speed rail (HSR) routes, including the Warsaw–Łódź line expected to launch in 2032. These details were confirmed in a written response to MP Paulina Matysiak, who submitted a formal interpellation seeking transparency about the budget.

Sektor Kolejowy reports that, beyond KPK and CPK, the Kolej Plus programme is getting PLN 13.3 billion (EUR 3.2 billion) to revive local and regional lines, especially in areas where rail traffic was stopped years ago. This initiative is expected to continue at least until 2029. In parallel, PLN 300 million (EUR 72 million) has been allocated to modernise and build new railway stops, improving accessibility in already-served regions under a programme running until 2025.

Where Is the Money Coming From?

One major source of fast-tracked funding is the Krajowy Plan Odbudowy (KPO) – Poland’s slice of the EU Recovery Fund. Rynek Kolejowy reports that PLN 9.5 billion (EUR 2.3 billion) from KPO will go into rail revitalisation projects, which must be completed by mid-2026. These are intended to deliver quick results by tackling infrastructure bottlenecks. One example is the revitalisation of Nadodrzanka Line 273, where outdated sections have long limited capacity and speed. Due to tight deadlines, the KPO money is expected to reach contractors more quickly than other streams.

Infrastructure connected to Poland’s first nuclear power plant, being built in Choczewo, Pomerania, is also part of the rail funding mix. Here, PLN 2.8 billion (EUR 660 million) will support both new rail lines and the electrification and modernisation of existing ones, according to Paulina Matysiak’s official website. This transport access will serve the energy project and improve connectivity along the Baltic coast.

Efficiency, Safety, and Interoperability at the Core

Still, while the numbers impress, questions remain about how the money will be spent. Some past investments didn’t live up to expectations. A clear example, cited by Rynek Kolejowy, is the PLN 0.5 billion upgrade of Line 358 between Zbąszynek and Czerwieńsk – a project that failed to significantly improve operational efficiency. The Ministry of Infrastructure has acknowledged these concerns, stating in its reply to Matysiak that future projects must meet technical benchmarks and deliver cost-effective results.

There’s also a strong emphasis on interoperability and safety. As noted by Sektor Kolejowy, many of the planned works will focus on removing level crossings and building grade-separated junctions, making rail traffic safer and more reliable. Moreover, modern traffic management systems will be rolled out to ensure Poland’s railway can keep up with European standards. These efforts aim to make Polish rail more integrated with EU networks and attractive for both passenger and freight use.

Spending Wisely: Ministry Stresses Accountability

The Ministry is aware that ambition must be matched by effective execution. In the detailed breakdown provided in response to Matysiak’s inquiry, officials stressed the importance of planning and oversight. As the Ministry put it, “infrastructure managers must ensure that modernised lines reach the intended parameters in an optimal way.” With billions on the table, accountability will be key to ensuring Poland’s rail future is not only modern and connected but truly transformative.

Sources: Rynek Kolejowy; Sektor Kolejowy; Paulina Matysiak – Official Website