CZECH private operator RegioJet has announced to Polish national regulatory body UTK its intention to commence various commercial open-access passenger operations in Poland, which the company describes as its most important international market, from the start of the 2023 timetable on December 11 2022.

The request concerns the following domestic and international services:

  • Prague Hlavní - Ostrava- Warsaw Central - Gdynia Główna, for which RegioJet will offer four return services per day
  • Warsaw Wschodnia - Katowice - Vienna Main Station: one daily return train
  • Warsaw Wschodnia - Brenner/Landeck - Zams - Warsaw Wschodnia. This overnight service will operate only on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday nights.
  • Warsaw Wschodnia - Berlin - Amsterdam - Brussels - Oostende: daily night train service in both directions.
  • Vienna Main Station - Przemyśl Główny: one daily return train
  • Wrocław Główny - Warsaw Wschodnia: nine return trains per day, and
  • Kraków Główny - Warsaw Central - Gdynia Główna: nine return trains per day.

Preparations to start overnight service between Prague Hlavní and Lviv, Ukraine, are also close to completion. However, Regiojet is waiting for the border between Poland and Ukraine to reopen and for Covid-19 restriction measures to ease. The train is routed from Prague via Ostrava Hlavní and Kraków Główny to Przemyśl Główny where passengers will change from the standard gauge RegioJet trains to 1520mm-gauge train to Lviv. This leg of the journey will be operated in cooperation with a yet-to-be-announced Ukrainian partner.

Regiojet is also planning to operate a direct night service from Vienna to Przemyśl Główny with a connection to Lviv. This train will combine with the Prague - Poland train at Bohumín, the Czech border station to Poland, and will continue jointly to the Polish-Ukrainian border.

Germany

Germany is RegioJet’s second most important development market. In addition to the Prague - Amsterdam - Brussels overnight service, which RegioJet will operate on behalf of European Sleeper from 2022, the operator is planning to launch a night service from Warszawa, probably a year after the Prague service launches. The two trains are expected to join in the Berlin area, continuing to Brussels via Amsterdam, with the Warsaw train likely to have its own terminus in Brugge or Oostende. Regiojet is expected to offer bus connections to London and other British destinations.

Regiojet has also announced the following international services, which will potentially start from the start of the 2023 timetable:

  • Berlin - Prague - Brno - Vienna - Budapest, with part of the train continuing as an overnight service to Zagreb and Ljubljana
  • Berlin - Prague: two services per day
  • Munich - Vienna - Budapest: both daytime and night services, with an option to extend the night service to Bucharest, and
  • Munich - Regensburg - Plzeň - Prague: three trains per day. The route includes the non-electrified Regensburg - Schwandorf - Plzeň line where electrification and upgrades are  planned.
Rolling stock

Regiojet is actively expanding its fleet of rolling stock and is seeking second-hand coaches authorised for cross-border operation. It is also planning to order new coaches.

For traction, Regiojet is seeking electric locomotives approved for operation in multiple countries, which can seamlessly cross borders. Regiojet currently possesses Czech-registered, Škoda-built former North Milan Railway (FNM) class 162 3kV units, leased Siemens Vectron MS locomotives, and its own Bombardier Traxx MS2 and MS3 locomotives.