Trip to Poland - April 2025
General Notes
Seven days in Poland, including the Branch Line Society's four-day "Wielkopolski Explorer" railtour (joint with local toiur operator Turkol).
Platform identifiers are given in [square brackets]. Most station platforms in Poland have both 'peron' (platform) and 'tor' (track) numbers so I have indicated these with the notation "[platform.track]".
Operating Company Abbreviations:
- KD - Koleje Dolnośląskie - operator of local trains in Lower Silesia, the region around Wrocław.
- KW - Koleje Wielkopolskie - operator of local trains in Wielkopolskie, the region around Poznań.
- PKPIC - Polskie Koleje Panstwowe Inter City - operator of long distance trains in Poland.
- PR - PolRegio - operator of certain regional trains in Poland.
Track gauge
All trains and trams listed are standard gauge (1435 mm).
| Place | Arrive | Depart | Train | Traction details & notes |
Wednesday 23 April 2025
| Timperley | 13:53 | Metrolink tram 3027 | ||
| Altrincham Interchange | 14:00 | 14:15 [B] | '288' | Bee Network bus 20629 via Hale Barns, Cargo Terminal |
| Manchester Airport The Station | 14:40 [K] | |||
| Manchester Airport T3 (MAN) | 16:45 | FR7546 | Ryanair SP-RSM B737-8AS (operated by Buzz) push-back from gate 56 16:45, take-off 16:25 from runway 23L | |
| Poznań Airport (POZ) | 19:55 | landed 19:39 on runway 28, on stand 19:45; bus to terminal 19:50-19:52 | ||
| Ławica Airport | 20:20 | '159' | Poznań bus | |
| Poznań Główny | 20:45 | Today's photos | ||
| Overnight: Ibis Poznań Centrum (1st of 2 nights) (10 – 15 minutes walk from Poznań Główny station) | ||||
| Notes Gentle start to the holiday. |
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Thursday 24 April 2025
| Poznań Główny | 08:40 [5] | IC 6504 | PKPIC EL EU160-033 (91 51 5 170 194-2) | |
| Gniezno | 09:06 [2.1] | 09:27 [3.9] | KW 77218 | KW EMU EN76-032 |
| Jarocin | 10:33 [3.256] | 11:05 [1.2] | KW 71120 | KW EMU EN76-039 |
| Ostrów Wielkopolski | 11:38 [3.8] | 12:32 [2.6] | PR 76535 | PR EMU EN57-1229 |
| Oleśnica | 13:35 [3.1] | 14:00 [3.1] | KD 67761 | KD EMU 36WEa-016 |
| Zduny | 14:44 [2.1] | 14:49 | (KD 67761) | Rail replacement bus (due to engineering works at Krotoszyn) |
| Krotoszyn | 15:06 | 15:46 [1.5] | KW 77398 | KW DMU SA139-009 |
| Ostrów Wielkopolski | 16:23 [3.8] | 16:56 [1] | KW 17121 | KW EMU EN76-039 |
| Poznań Główny | 18:15 [1.14] | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Poznań Główny - Gniezno; Gniezno - Wreśnia - Jarocin; Jarocin - Ostrów Wielkopolski; Ostrów Wielkopolski - Grabowno Wielkie - Oleśnica; Grabowno Wielkie - Zduny; Krotoszyn - Ostrów Wielkopolski; Jarocin - Środa Wielkopolska - Poznań Główny. | ||||
| Overnight: Ibis Poznań Centrum (2nd of 2 nights) | ||||
| Notes Covering required passenger lines south and east of Poznań. The slightly peculiar routing accounts for timetable idiosyncracies, carefully arranged to fit together with next Tuesday's and Wednesday's plans. Zduny to Krotoszyn was a bus due to engineering work at Krotoszyn reducing capacity at the latter to one through platform and one east-facing bay; but I need to do the line again anyway to cover the west curve avoiding Oleśnica station; both trains I did there used the more 'rare' east curve. |
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Friday 25 April 2025
| Poznań Główny | 05:23 | BLS/Turkol tour DL SU42-536 (92 51 56 20 022-0) | ||
| Via Czempiń (05:51/06:04) - Leszno (06:34/06:43) - Głogów (07:26/07:27) - Szprotawa (09:14/09:15) - Żagań (arrive 09:51 [3.14]; shunt to [2.2]; depart 10:16) - Bieniów (10:32/10:33) - Żary ([2.2]; 10:47/11:18) - Ruszów (11:50/11:57) - Węgliniec (12:15/12:19) - Zebrzydowa (12:30/12:31) - Niwnice (run round/reverse, 12:54/13:14) - Zebrzydowa (run round/reverse, 13:37/14:06) - Bolesławiec (14:18/14:20) - Chojnów (14:41/14:46) - Miłkowice (14:54/15:02) - Legnica freight avoiding line - Jawor (16:02/16:03) - Rogoźnica (16:20/16:28) - Strzegom (arrive 16:35; unable to visit the Grabina Śląska branch as intended due to a freight train on the line; depart 17:40) - Jaworzyna Śląska (17:54/18:10) - Wrocław Gądów (18:53/18:54) - Wrocław Nadodrze (run round/reverse, 19:02/19:12) | ||||
| Wrocław Główny | 19:30 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Bieniów - Żary; Żary - Jankowa Żagańska - Ruszów - Węgliniec; (Legnica) - Jawor - Rogoźnica - Strzegom - Jaworzyna Śląska. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Żagań - Bieniów; Zebrzydowa - Niwnice; Miłkowice - Legnica freight avoiding line - Jawor line connection. | ||||
| Overnight: Ibis Wrocław Centrum (1 night) (10 – 15 minutes walk) | ||||
| Notes Day 1 of the BLS/Turkol tour, covering plenty of passenger and non-passenger track. Missing the Grabina Śląska branch, due to a freight train being already down the branch, was unfortunate. |
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Saturday 26 April 2025
| Wrocław Główny | 06:56 | DL SU42-536 (92 51 56 20 022-0) BLS/Turkol tour | ||
| Via Wrocław Kuźniki (run round/reverse, 07:05/07:23) - Wrocław Gądów (via line 349 inner route; 07:27/07:28) - Wrocław southern freight ring - Siechnice (run round/reverse, 08:03/08:27) - Wrocław Główny (08:40/08:54) - Wrocław Kuźniki - Rudna Gwizdanów (10:12/10:14) - Głogów (10:42/10:50) - Zielona Góra (11:36/12:06) | ||||
| * Rzepin [5.28] | 13:01 | 13:11 | Attach SM42-1225-6Dg (92 51 3 620 140-5) as leading locomotive dep 24 late | |
| Via Toporów (13:39/13:41) - Sieniawa Lubuska (reverse, 14:06/14:20) | ||||
| * Toporów | 14:47 | 14:48 | Detach SM42-1225-6Dg | |
| Via Rzepin [5.28] (15:16/15:18) - Kowalów (15:27/15:39, run round/reverse, arr 43 late/dep 47 late) - Rzepin avoiding line - Jerzmanice Lubuskie (run round/reverse, 15:52/16:11, depart 64 late) - Rzepin [5.32] (16:18/16:19) - Kostrzyn nad Odrą [low level] (16:50/17:00) - Kostrzyn Towarowy (17:25/17:45; arr 31 late, reverse, propel via curve towards Germany, reverse) - Kostrzyn nad Odrą [2.3] (pass 18:15) - Dębno Lubuskie km 222.2 (run round/reverse, 18:09/18:30) - Kostrzyn nad Odrą [2.3] (18:52/19:07, run round/reverse, arr 42 late/dep 39 late) - depart via yard - via Gorzów Wielkopolski western connection into low level 'peron' 4 | ||||
| Gorzów Wielkopolski | 19:45 [4.53] | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Wrocław Kuźniki - Rudna Gwizdanów - Głogów - Zielona Góra - Czerwieńsk - Rzepin. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Toporów - Sieniawa Lubuska; Rzepin avoiding line; Kostrzyn nad Odrą - Dębno Lubuskie; Gorzów Wielkopolski peron 4 western connection. | ||||
| Overnight: Hotel Fado, Aleja Konstytucji 3 Maja 12, 66-400 Gorzów Wielkopolski (1 night) (10 minutes walk) | ||||
| Notes Day 2 of the BLS/Turkol tour, again covering plenty of passenger and non-passenger track. We were incorrectly routed between Wrocław Główny and Wrocław Kuźniki via the wrong set of curves, for probably the third time.... |
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Sunday 27 April 2025
| Gorzów Wielkopolski | 07:12 [4.51] | DL SU42-536 (92 51 56 20 022-0) BLS/Turkol tour | ||
| Via Skwierzyna (07:36/07:38) - Rokitno (run round/reverse, 07:57/08:17) - Skwierzyna (run round/reverse, 08:36/08:53) - Międzyrzecz (arr 09:11 [2.6], run round/reverse, shunt via Wierzbno line to [3.5], dep 09:35) - Trzemeszno Lubuskie (run round/reverse, 10:07/10:27) - Międzyrzecz (arr 11:00 [2.8], shunt via Zbąszynek line to [1], dep 11:10) - Nietoperek (run round/reverse, 11:21/11:41) - Międzyrzecz (arr 11:51 [2.6], run round/reverse, shunt via Skwierzyna line to [2.8], dep 12:20) - Pszczew (12:36/12:37) - Wierzbno (run round/reverse, 12:49/13:43) - Pszczew (13:54/13:55) - Międzyrzecz (arr 14:12 [3.1], run round/reverse, shunt via Zbąszynek line to [2.8], dep 14:49) - Zbąszynek [1.7] (run round/reverse, 15:17/15:33) Zbasyn [3.6] arr 15:45/dep 16:13 - single line working - Nowy Tomyśl [2.2] (15:54/16:04, arr 33 late/dep 24 late) - Opalenica (16:20/16:30, dep 15 late) - Buk (16:38/17:18) - Poznań Górczyn - Poznań Starołęka (17:55/17:56) - Poznań Krzesiny (run round/reverse, 18:02/18:21) - Poznań Franowo PFD (18:29/18:30) - Kobylnica [2.1] (run round/reverse, 18:44/18:58; dep 17 early) - Poznań Franowo PFA [6] (run round/reverse, 19:14/19:34; dep 21 early) - Swarzędz [1] (run round/reverse, 19:40/20:04; dep 27 early) - Poznań Franowo PFA [5] (- PFB - PFC; but booked via PFD) - Poznań Starołęka (20:18/20:19) | ||||
| Poznań Główny | 20:28 [10.54] | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Gorzów Wielkopolski - Skwierzyna - Międzyrzecz - Zbąszynek. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Skwierzyna - Rokitno; Międzyrzecz - Trzemeszno Lubuskie; Międzyrzecz - Nietoperek; Międzyrzecz - Pszczew - Wierzbno; Poznań Górczyn - Poznań Starołęka; Poznań Krzesiny - p.odg Pokrzwyno - Franowo PFD - Kobylnica; Kobylnica - Franowo PFA - PFB - PFC - Poznań Starołęka; Poznań Franowo PFA - Swarzędz. | ||||
| Overnight: Ibis Poznań Centrum (1st of 3 nights) | ||||
| Notes Day 3 of the BLS/Turkol tour, again covering plenty of passenger and non-passenger track. We were incorrectly routed between Swarzędz and Starołęka via Poznań Franowo yard west side (PFA - PFB - PFC signal boxes) instead of Franowo yard east side (via PFD); this may have been because we were rather early at this point, though we then waited for correct time before the junction at Starołęka.... |
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Monday 28 April 2025
| Poznań Główny | 08:11 [10.54] | DL SU42-536 (92 51 56 20 022-0) BLS/Turkol tour | ||
| Via Poznań Starołęka (08:17/08:20) - Poznań Franowo PFD (08:26/08:27) - northern freight ring - Kiekrz - Szamotuły (09:08/09:09) - Krzyż [4.103] (run round/reverse, 09:49/10:09) - Trzcianka (10:35/10:40) - Piła Główna [4.18] (11:00/11:04) - Mirosław Ujski (run round/reverse in works siding, 11:30/11:55) - Piła Główna [4.18] (12:20/12:45) - line 405 - Wałcz (13:18/13:26) - Kalisz Pomorski (run round/reverse, 14:04/14:24) - Mirosławiec - Złocieniec [2.4] (run round/reverse, 15:11/15:31) - Szczecinek [1] (run round/reverse, 16:14/16:34) - Jastrowie (17:20/17:49) - line 405 - Piła Główna [4.16] (18:20/18:43) - Budzyń (19:12/19:33) - Rogoźno Wielkopolski (19:46/19:47) | ||||
| Poznań Główny | 20:46 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Krzyż - Trzcianka - Piła Główna; Piła Główna - line 405 - Wałcz - Kalisz Pomorski; Złocieniec - Szczecinek; Szczecinek - Jastrowie - line 405 - Piła Główna - Budzyń - Rogoźno Wielkopolski - Poznań Główny. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Poznań Franowo PFD - northern freight ring - Kiekrz; Piła Główna - Mirosław Ujski; Kalisz Pomorski - Mirosławiec - Złocieniec. | ||||
| Overnight: Ibis Poznań Centrum (2nd of 3 nights) | ||||
| Notes Day 4 of the BLS/Turkol tour, yet again covering plenty of passenger and non-passenger track.We did request line 999 into Piła Główna from the Jastrowie direction, a north side curve, but this was not possible; though a tour participant who got off early at Szczecinek to travel on an InterCity train into Poznań did cover it! |
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Tuesday 29 April 2025
| Poznań Główny | 07:50 [1] | IC 7320 | PKPIC EMU ED160-026 | |
| Jarocin | 08:31 [1.2] | 08:50 [3.256] | KW 77338 | KW EMU EN76-037 |
| Krotoszyn | 09:17 [1.1] | 10:15 [1.5] | KW 77253 | KW DMU SA108-001 |
| Leszno | 11:30 [4.6] | 11:56 [2.1] | IC 2604 | PKPIC EL EU160-043 (91 51 5 170 204-9) |
| Poznań Główny | 12:29 [8] | 13:59 [3.2] | KW 77620 | KW DMU SA132-014 |
| Gołańcz | 15:47 [1] | 15:58 [1] | KW 77682 | KW DMU SA132-014 |
| Poznań Główny | 17:38 [4] | bay platform 4 | ||
| Poznań Główny | 18:07 | '18' | Poznań tram 402 | |
| Franovo | 18:29 | 18:38 | '16' | Poznań tram 629 |
| Osiedle Sobieskiego | 19:13 | 19:19 | '12' | Poznań tram 405 |
| Wierzbięcice | 19:37 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Jarocin - Krotoszyn; Krotoszyn - Kakolewo (- Leszno); Poznań Główny - Gołańcz. | ||||
| Overnight: Ibis Poznań Centrum (3rd of 3 nights) | ||||
| Notes More passenger lines around Poznań. The long branch to Gołańcz is slated for re-extension to Kycnia but this is several years away at best. In the evening I had time for a couple of Poznań tram routes, including most of the "fast tram" route northwards to Osiedle Sobieskiego. |
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Wednesday 30 April 2025
| Poznań Główny | 07:35 [11.56] | KW 77660 | KW DMU SA132-008+010 | |
| Wolsztyn | 09:07 [2.8] | 09:25 [1] | KW 77282 | KW DMU SA105-001 |
| Leszno | 10:19 [6] | 10:43 [2.1] | IC 3804 | PKPIC EL EU160-066 dep 36 late |
| Poznań Główny | 11:22 [10.52] | 12:22 | '159' | Poznań bus |
| Ławica Airport | 12:50 | |||
| Poznań Airport (POZ) | 15:00 | FR 7547 | Ryanair SP-RSM B737-8AS (operated by Buzz) bus from gate 8 to plane; push-back 15:10, take-off 15:19 from runway 28 | |
| Manchester Airport T3 (MAN) | 16:25 | landed 16:14 on runway 23R, on stand 16:20 at gate 52 | ||
| Manchester Airport The Station | 16:46 [K] | '288' | Bee Network bus via Cargo Terminal, Hale Barns | |
| Altrincham Interchange | 17:10 [B] | 17:15 [1] | Metrolink tram 3017+3045 | |
| Timperley | 17:22 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Poznań Główny - Grodzisk Wielkopolski - Wolsztyn; Wolsztyn - Leszno. | ||||
| Notes A fill-in move this morning before heading home. I had covered Zbąszyń to Wolsztyn and Sulechów to Wolsztyn back in 1997. The IC back from Leszno to Poznań was the most delayed service train I travelled on, but I had left plenty of time to get to the airport. |
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A very successful trip.
Tickets used on service trains: 3-day 2nd Class Poland mobile Senior InterRail. Local train ticket prices are cheap and getting an InterRail was probably barely worth while, but the flexibility - and the avoidance of the need to queue up for tickets or to buy them online - was beneficial. The main problem I had - and also others with similar tickets - was that most of the KW (Koleje Wielkopolskie) guards didn't believe that we were valid on their trains. Partly that was due to their barcode readers not reading the mobile phone App ticket (or not accepting as valid), and partly due to the KW trains only being included in the InterRail system from some time in February 2025. The English language text for Poland in the App is very clear on validity on KW trains, but the guards either couldn't read it or didn't beleive it. On one train where the guard spoke some English she said that she would telephone her office to check, but she never confirmed one way or the other. Most of the guards who queried the ticket just said "buy a ticket next time", yeah OK....