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LEO Express granted open access for Prague - Terespol route

14.01.2020

LEO Express Global may conduct operational activities across Poland, with passenger trains originating in Prague and reaching the Polish-Belarussian border. The decision of 13 December 2019 to grant open access allows the carrier to proceed with 4 pairs of trains operating on a daily basis and is to be valid for the next 5 years.

The President of the Office of Rail Transport (Pol. Urząd Transportu Kolejowego, UTK) has granted LEO Express Global a.s. open access for passenger railway transfers on the route crossing the Republic of Poland for an international return route Praha hl. n. – Terespol – Polish state border.

The carrier will be authorised to operate 4 pairs of trains a day. The planned stop-off stations of these trains in Poland are as follows: Zebrzydowice, Pszczyna, Tychy, Katowice Ligota, Katowice, Sosnowiec Główny, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Zawiercie, Włoszczowa Północ, Opoczno Południe, Warszawa Zachodnia, Warszawa Centralna, Warszawa Wschodnia, Mińsk Mazowiecki, Siedlce, Łuków and Terespol. The open access was granted, as requested in the carrier's application, until 10 December 2024.

Let me express my satisfaction that I have been able to issue another open access administrative decision – says Mr. Ignacy Góra, Sc. D., President of UTK. – Enhancing competition in the Polish railway system should bring profits especially for passengers – underlines Mr. Góra.

During administrative proceedings the President of UTK had received applications from other interested parties (Minister of Infrastructure, PKP Intercity and Przewozy Regionalne), with regard to the examination of economic balance for this route in comparison to LEO Express's application. Aside from that such stakeholders as Koleje Mazowieckie, Warsaw’s Public Transport Administration, PKP PLK and the marshal of Mazowieckie voivodship have also submitted their positions on the proposed new connection.

The examination's result has however shown that opening of the services by LEO Express should supplement transport offer on the territory of the Mazowieckie, Śląskie, Świętokrzyskie, Łódzkie and Lubelskie voivodships. LEO Express’ new service should address unfulfilled needs of passengers, especially regarding transfers with destination on the territory of another country. In case of any modernisation and renovation works however the operation of LEO Express trains may not lower the traffic capacity of trains, which are important with regard to social and economic interest of Poland.

The decision also determines that the carrier conduct the operations with frequency and on the complete route as applied for in the carrier's application. The carrier may only withhold operations when the lack of possibility of railway operations is the result of circumstances beyond the carrier's control.

The President of UTK has so far granted open access to the following carriers: Arriva RP, Koleje Dolnośląskie, LEO Express, PKP Intercity and Przewozy Regionalne.

The text of the decision may be viewed in the official journal of the President of UTK (Polish version only).

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