Poland’s leading rolling stock manufacturer PESA Bydgoszcz and Japanese giant Hitachi Rail are set to announce a strategic partnership during a press conference in Warsaw on June 16, just days after the deadline for submitting bids in the high-speed train tender for PKP Intercity. The move reshuffles the playing field for one of Poland’s biggest rail infrastructure projects.
The partnership comes two days after Newag withdrew from a preliminary agreement with Siemens Mobility to jointly bid for the tender, which was launched in late 2025. PKP Intercity extended the deadline for submitting applications for admission to the procedure to June 15, but that date does not close the window for companies to cooperate later on the project.
New alliance reshapes competition for high-speed trains
Hitachi Rail is among the world’s top producers of high-speed rolling stock. The company has experience both in Japan, where it participates in the Shinkansen system, and in Europe. Its most recognizable high-speed train is the ETR1000, known as Frecciarossa 1000, which operates in Italy and France and reaches an operating speed of up to 300 km/h. The trains are designed for international service.
PESA, in which the Polish Development Fund holds a 94.60% stake, has been investing in the development of new vehicles and production processes. Earlier this year, the company reported successful speed tests of a new electric multiple unit for Czech operator RegioJet, reaching 200 km/h.
Hitachi’s track record and PESA’s modernization drive
In 2025, PESA built a new hall dedicated to the production of vehicle structures. The company is now finalizing a modern cross-dock warehouse and a production hall for vehicle assembly. These investments signal that PESA is preparing for larger and more complex orders, such as those required for high-speed trains.
Alstom, the third major high-speed train producer (above 250 km/h) interested in the tender, has not yet announced whether it will bid independently or seek a partner. The market now watches how the PESA-Hitachi duo will position itself against other consortia.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Serge Attal/Only Paris / PAP/Abaca
