Poland Expands Rail Links to Gdańsk–Gdynia, Shifting Cargo Off the Roads

PKP PLK is supercharging access to Gdańsk and Gdynia with upgrades that let longer, heavier freight trains in. The goal: ease roads, cut emissions, and boost port capacity.

Improving rail access to seaports on the Baltic coast ranks among the largest investment challenges carried out in recent years by PKP PLK. Thanks to these activities, longer and heavier freight trains that carry more goods by the most environmentally friendly mode—rail—can now enter the ports of Gdańsk and Gdynia. These are not the only tasks associated with increasing the capacity of the rail network leading to the ports.

The development of the Polish economy requires appropriate connections to the country’s logistics "windows to the world," namely the seaports on the Baltic. The answer to the need to increase the transport potential of the railway lies in investments that PKP PLK has carried out in recent years or plans to implement.

Torujemy pociągom towarowym lepszy dojazd do portów 🚆⚓

Poprawa przepustowości linii kolejowych w kierunku Gdańska i Gdyni to inwestycja, która przynosi korzyści całej gospodarce. Pozytywne zmiany odczuwają też mieszkańcy regionu i wszyscy podróżni – mniej ciężarówek to… pic.twitter.com/v4UF3zOKGD

— PLK SA (@PKP_PLK_SA) August 18, 2025

European funding will support the development of Polish railways

Work launched in 2019–2020 to improve access to the ports in Gdańsk (completed in 2022) and Gdynia (scheduled for completion in 2024) has increased terminal capacity and enabled the operation of longer and heavier trains, which can transport more cargo. As a result, rail, as the most environmentally friendly means of transport, is becoming even more competitive vis-à-vis road transport.

The growing importance of rail has positive environmental impacts, as it helps reduce the number of heavy lorries on the roads. Through the replacement of track and points, electrification, installation of new signalling equipment and the construction or modernisation of engineering structures, the capacity of port railway stations is increasing. The value of this work at PKP PLK amounted to approximately PLN 3.3 billion (about EUR 774 million), part of which was financed through the CEF—Connecting Europe Facility.

For the further development of the seaport of Gdynia, modernisation of railway line No. 201 on the Bydgoszcz–Tricity route is crucial. The project began in 2021 with work on adjacent lines. In September 2024, PKP PLK signed a contract for works on the Somonino–Gdańsk Osowa section together with electrification of line No. 229 on the Glincz–Kartuzy section, worth more than PLN 1.2 billion (about EUR 281 million). In December, another contract was signed for works on the Kościerzyna–Somonino section (line No. 201) and Somonino–Kartuzy (line No. 214), worth nearly PLN 1.3 billion (about EUR 305 million). Completion of work on these sections is planned for 2028.

Outlook for the coming years: The Port of Gdynia will expand

On the remaining sections—i.e., Gdańsk Osowa–Gdynia Główna and Kościerzyna–Maksymilianowo (under four contracts)—implementation of works and obtaining all permits is planned for 2025–2032. The expansion of Polish infrastructure will increase line capacity, enabling the operation of a higher number of freight trains. This will increase the potential of the Port of Gdynia and contribute to the development of the Tricity economy and the entire region.

PKP PLK is also preparing to announce a tender for a contractor for a project to increase the capacity of the Tczew–Gdynia communications corridor on the Pszczółki–Pruszcz Gdański section. Within this project, a four-track line is planned, which will facilitate access for freight rail to the Port of Gdańsk while creating an opportunity to improve passenger transport and the transport accessibility of the Tricity with the rest of the country. Construction work is planned for 2028–2030.

Source: PKP PLK press release