CPK and Korea National Railway to collaborate on High-Speed Rail
Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) and Korea National Railway (KNR) have signed a cooperation agreement to advance the development of high-speed rail in Poland. The agreement brings together CPK—the company leading the development of a new airport and high-speed rail infrastructure in Poland—and KNR, the South Korean railway infrastructure manager, to exchange knowledge and expertise in high-speed rail systems. The document was signed by Dr Filip Czernicki, CEO of CPK, and Seong-Hai LEE, President of KNR.
CPK-related investments have been a strong foundation for Polish–Korean cooperation in recent years. In 2021, CPK signed an advisory agreement with the operator of Incheon Airport—one of the world’s largest and most acclaimed international hubs. Building on this collaboration, in mid-2023 a Korean consortium led by Korea National Railway and Dohwa Engineering was awarded the contract to design a 70-kilometre section of high-speed rail connecting Katowice to Poland’s southern border.
The cooperation agreement signed today with Korea National Railway, aimed at the exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of developing Poland’s high-speed rail network—especially in the areas of tunnel and turnout maintenance, as well as railway diagnostics—is a natural continuation of the successful collaboration between CPK and South Korean entities.
“Cooperation in the field of technology, including railway engineering and the maintenance of high-speed lines, is key to ensuring safety in day-to-day operations. KNR is an experienced operator of over 650 km of railway lines, and we aim to benefit as much as possible from their expertise, while also sharing the technical solutions we plan to implement on the ‘Y’ line: Warsaw – CPK – Łódź – Wrocław/Poznań,
Korea National Railway (KNR) is responsible for the planning, construction, modernisation, and maintenance of railway infrastructure, as well as for the implementation and management of projects related to high-speed, conventional, and freight rail.
KNR has constructed and manages a total of 657 km of high-speed rail lines, including sections that are vital to public transport in South Korea, such as:
- Gyeongbu High-Speed Rail (HSR), linking Seoul to Busan, 412.5 km long;
- Honam High-Speed Rail (HSR), serving the south-west of the country from Seoul through Gwangju to Mokpo, nearly 184 km in length;
- Suseo High-Speed Rail (HSR) in the south of the country, 61 km long.
KNR is also active internationally. To date, it has carried out 88 railway projects in 27 countries, contributing to the development of modern transport infrastructure in places such as China, the USA, Vietnam, and Sudan.
CPK: A game-changer for Poland’s transport system
In 2024, CPK made historic progress in planning a modern, integrated transport system. With a state-of-the-art airport, high-speed rail, and road networks developing simultaneously, this ambitious investment is set to transform Poland’s connectivity, drive economic growth, and position the country as a major European transport hub .
Scheduled to open in 2032 CPK will serve as Poland’s new central airport. The project also includes a high-speed rail network. Strategically located at the heart of Central and Eastern Europe, CPK will be a major global transfer hub. Optimised flight routes, shorter transfers, and multimodal integration will ensure smooth connections between Polish cities, European capitals, and the rest of the world—making travel faster and more convenient than ever before.
