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PKP Intercity confirmed as first Polish railway privatization

Warsaw Business Journal: 14th September 2006

Jerzy Polaczek, the Transport Minister, confirmed earlier plans defined in "Strategy for Railway Transport by 2009" and other sources.

According to these plans, initial railway privatization will involve PKP Intercity, the fastest growing company in the PKP group. "Firstly we have to raise the company's value. The investment plan envisages expenditures of about zloty.1 billion in purchase and modernization of rolling stock within three years.There is already corporate consent for taking on liabilities of zloty.0.5 billion for this purpose," said Polaczek.

Out of this sum, zotyl.0.2 billion will be obtained from a loan, while zloty.0.3 billion will come from PKP Intercity's own funds, such as its financial surplus of about zloty.140 million annually. Apart from other innovations, such as a smoking ban and refurnishing of restaurant cars, the company is planning to develop customer service centers and refurnish the VIP room at the Warsaw Main Train Station.

See also:

Railway in Poland: Transport Minister Jerzy Polaczek Promises 33m euro for PKP Intercity

Railway Market magazine: 14 September 2006

Polish national long distance passenger rail services operator PKP Intercity will invest almost EUR 33m (PLN 130m) in 2006. He also said it is possible that in a couple of years from now the company will be privatised via the sotck market.

It is possible that the company will have a EUR 5m (PLN 40m) net profit this year.

The company was created in 2001 along with other PKP Group companies and 2006 is the best year in terms of company's financial results.

- This results from the the good strategy of focusing on specialized international and domestic services - said Mr Polaczek.

In 2005 PKP Intercity had a net profit of PLN 3.1m. In 2004 it was a loss of PLN 128m.

Until 2010 the company will invest EUR 250m (PLN 1bn) in rolling stockĀ  - 100 modernized coaches, 10 new locomotives, a minimum of 20 new 1st and 2nd class coaches. This is supposed to double the number of passengers.

By the end of August 2006 PKP Intercity carrid 7 million passengers , the same as in the whole 2004. In 2005 it carried 9.6m and in 2006 it will carry 10.8m.

Currently PKP Intercity has 1240 coaches, from which 213 were modernized since 2001. PKP also bought 28 new coaches and now wants to buy aanouther 20 and modernize 275.

PKP also plans to introduce a modified ticket reservation system as well as a new company management system. From May 2007 PKP will also introduce new trains to its offer, including bringing back the Warsaw-Moscow train and launching Cracow-Moscow connection.