Leo Express in national transport in Poland
posted on 6th Mar 2026 06:28
On Sunday, 1 March 2026, the Leo Express train departed for the first time on the Warszawa - Kraków national route. The train departed at 7.21 h from Warszawa Wschodnia and stopped at Warszawa Centralna, Warszawa Zachodnia, Opoczno Południe and Włoszczowa Północ along the way. From Kraków Główny, the train continued via Ostrava to Praha. Leo Express officially launched regular service between the two largest Polish cities and also the international connection Warszawa - Kraków - Praha, currently with two times daily in each direction.
Representatives of the railway infrastructure manager PKP PLK, representatives of the infrastructure project CPK, representatives of the Czech and Spanish embassies in Poland and other important guests and partners personally congratulated the start of new train operations. Passengers and guests on the first run were accompanied by CEO Peter Köhler.
Trains from Warszawa to Kraków (and Praha) depart at 7.21 and 22.36 h, in the opposite direction from Kraków to Warszawa at 3.25 and 18.45 h. At the same time, Leo Express has increased the offer on the Kraków - Praha route from 1 March 2026 to up to four services per day in each direction (3 times a day in each direction, 4 times a day to Kraków on Saturday and Sunday and 4 times a day to Praha on Monday and Sunday).
In the case of this expansion, however, a significant role plays the unpreparedness of LE for operation on the 25 kV 50 Hz voltage, to which the Žilina station in Slovakia was to be switched from 3 kV DC in the 1st quarter of 2026, which means a forced end to the use of purely DC FLIRT EMUs on trains from Praha to Slovakia. The paradox is that the conversion of the Žilina junction was ultimately postponed to September this year... Leo Express plans to introduce additional services on routes in Poland during the first half of this year.
