Polish State Railways

Polish State Railways S.A. (PKP S.A.) is a sole-shareholder company of the State Treasury, established through the commercialization of the state-owned railway enterprise. PKP S.A. oversees a group of railway companies and is one of the largest property owners in Poland, possessing approximately 100,000 hectares of land and 57,000 buildings. Its architectural legacy is manifested in railway station buildings, which not only serve transport functions but also act as important meeting points in cities. The history of PKP dates back to 1926 when the enterprise was founded; however, in its early days, it was under the direct supervision of ministries, and its management structure underwent numerous changes. Between 2001 and 2022, PKP underwent a reform aimed at restructuring and privatizing the railways to improve management efficiency and modernize infrastructure. Interestingly, in 2019, PKP S.A. planned to launch a car-sharing service at stations, demonstrating its openness to innovation. Culturally, PKP plays a key role in society not only as a means of transport but also as a meeting place for travelers, rooted in the historical role of railways as a mode of communication. In recent years, there has been progress in modernizing stations and investing in infrastructure, which may improve passenger satisfaction ratings, which previously indicated low approval of the Polish railway market. In 2022, PKP S.A. transformed into a holding company, impacting the organization and management of its group of railway companies, introducing greater operational flexibility and better adaptation to market needs.