Leo Express direct train service to Ukrainian border starts June 2026

Leo Express direct train service to Ukrainian border will begin on June 25, 2026, as the private Czech operator rolls out a daily, commercial cross-border link running without public subsidies, according to a Leo Express media statement.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The long-distance international passenger train will connect Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland with Przemyśl, a Polish-Ukrainian border city that anchors the eastern end of the route.

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Route details: 1,300 km trans-European long-distance train

The operator describes the new service as a trans-European connection of over 1,300 km — positioning it among the longest direct passenger trains in Europe. From Przemyśl, trains will run via Krakow, Ostrava and Prague, then continue through Dresden, Leipzig and Erfurt, before reaching Frankfurt, with an additional stop at Frankfurt Airport, as reported by Railway Pro.

Leo Express says the schedule calls for one train per day in each direction. The service is scheduled to arrive at Frankfurt Airport at 07:53 to provide fast connections to European and intercontinental flights, while the return working departs at 08:27.

Leo Express direct train service to Ukrainian border: operator’s view

Leo Express CEO Peter Köhler framed the project as a Germany–Czech Republic–Poland rail connection linking economic and administrative centres with major cultural hubs. In his description, Frankfurt stands out as an administrative, financial and industrial centre with one of Europe’s largest airports, while Krakow, Prague and Weimar feature as key cultural stops on the corridor.

Köhler also said the route is intended to improve connectivity between Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe and to provide rail access to the Ukrainian border. In Germany, he added, the service is meant to create an alternative to existing operators.

Tickets, onboard services and operating conditions

Onboard amenities listed for the trains include Wi-Fi, power outlets at the seats, air conditioning and on-board catering services. Prices for travel between the endpoints start at EUR 10. At launch, tickets will be sold without seat reservations, but from January 2026 the operator plans to introduce reserved tickets and a Business class.

Leo Express noted that construction and maintenance work in Germany will require schedule adjustments on certain days of the week, and that on some segments the train will operate only partially.

The project has also been welcomed by ALLRAIL, the alliance of Open Access passenger rail operators in Europe. The group presents the service as an example of “functional” Open Access and a sign that rail market liberalisation can deliver economically viable commercial long-distance links, as outlined in an ALLRAIL statement. ALLRAIL Secretary General Nick Brooks said such services are exactly what the Open Access regime should provide.

ALLRAIL added that the launch should not be treated as an isolated case. Instead, it sees the new Przemyśl–Frankfurt corridor as an indicator of the potential for other international commercial rail links, provided authorities create the necessary public policy conditions.

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