Roughly 300 passengers on Poland’s flagship PKP Intercity network faced major disruptions on 18 January after two separate locomotive failures stranded long-distance trains IC “Bieszczady” and IC “Wigry.”
The first incident occurred just after 09:30 when an ageing EP08 engine hauling the Kraków-to-Przemyśl “Bieszczady” service failed outside Kraków Główny. Although onboard technicians executed a field repair allowing the train to depart 30 minutes late, the locomotive expired again 40 kilometres down the line at Kłaj. A relief engine was eventually coupled, but the service arrived in Rzeszów more than 110 minutes behind schedule.
![Locomotive Breakdowns Cause 100-Minute Delays on PKP Intercity Services]()
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A second breakdown on a Warsaw–Suwałki “Wigry” service compounded the morning chaos. PKP Intercity confirmed that no replacement buses were provided, citing the availability of spare rolling stock, yet passengers complained of overcrowded carriages and missed connections to onward regional trains.
The episode underscores persistent reliability challenges in Poland’s long-distance rail fleet, some of which dates back to the 1970s. Employers relying on rail commuting—particularly in the aerospace and IT clusters of Podkarpackie—should advise staff to monitor live train trackers and hold flexible meeting times during the winter peak, when cold weather accelerates mechanical failures.
The first incident occurred just after 09:30 when an ageing EP08 engine hauling the Kraków-to-Przemyśl “Bieszczady” service failed outside Kraków Główny. Although onboard technicians executed a field repair allowing the train to depart 30 minutes late, the locomotive expired again 40 kilometres down the line at Kłaj. A relief engine was eventually coupled, but the service arrived in Rzeszów more than 110 minutes behind schedule.
If rail delays threaten to derail your wider travel plans, VisaHQ can step in to help. Whether you need an urgent passport renewal, a same-day visa extension or simply expert advice on transit rules while you reorganise connections, the Warsaw-based team at https://www.visahq.com/poland/ streamlines the paperwork so you can focus on getting back on track.
A second breakdown on a Warsaw–Suwałki “Wigry” service compounded the morning chaos. PKP Intercity confirmed that no replacement buses were provided, citing the availability of spare rolling stock, yet passengers complained of overcrowded carriages and missed connections to onward regional trains.
The episode underscores persistent reliability challenges in Poland’s long-distance rail fleet, some of which dates back to the 1970s. Employers relying on rail commuting—particularly in the aerospace and IT clusters of Podkarpackie—should advise staff to monitor live train trackers and hold flexible meeting times during the winter peak, when cold weather accelerates mechanical failures.
