Just two days after Newag withdrew from a preliminary agreement with Siemens Mobility, Pesa Bydgoszcz – the Polish state-owned rolling stock manufacturer – has announced a strategic partnership with Japanese giant Hitachi Rail. The collaboration will be officially inaugurated at a press conference in Warsaw on 16 June 2026, and is widely seen as a joint bid for the PKP Intercity high-speed train tender.
The tender, announced by Poland’s national passenger operator in late 2025, aims to procure trains capable of operating at speeds above 250 km/h. The deadline for submitting qualification requests has been extended to 15 June, but the date does not preclude post-deadline collaboration. Hitachi Rail is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-speed trains, with its ETR1000 (Frecciarossa 1000) already operating commercially in Italy and France at up to 300 km/h.
Pesa, in which the Polish Development Fund holds 94.60 percent of shares, has been investing heavily in production capacity. In 2025 it completed a new hall for vehicle structures and is currently finalising a cross-dock warehouse and an assembly hall. The company recently successfully tested a new electric multiple unit for Czech operator RegioJet, reaching 200 km/h.
A partnership with the Japanese giant
The alliance with Hitachi Rail gives Pesa access to proven high-speed technology and international experience. The Japanese company has been involved in the Shinkansen system and has a strong European footprint. – Combining Hitachi’s high-speed expertise with Pesa’s manufacturing capabilities and local market knowledge creates a formidable offer for PKP Intercity – said a source close to the negotiations.
Competition for the PKP Intercity contract
Alstom, the third major high-speed train manufacturer interested in the tender, has not yet revealed whether it will bid alone or with a partner. The withdrawal of Newag from its earlier agreement with Siemens has reshuffled the competitive landscape. Observers note that the Polish market for high-speed rail is strategic for all players, as the country plans to build a dedicated high-speed network in the coming decades.
The press conference on 16 June will provide more details on the scope and structure of the Pesa-Hitachi partnership. Industry analysts expect the consortium to offer a variant of the Frecciarossa 1000 adapted to Polish infrastructure and requirements.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Serge Attal/Only Paris/ABACAPRESS.COM / PAP/Abaca
