The new EuroCity line Leipzig–Wrocław–Kraków is set to appear with the 2026 timetable, adding a new long-distance option between Germany and Poland. Deutsche Bahn (DB) and PKP Intercity (PKP IC) say the update delivers a 50% increase in EuroCity connections between the two countries, a shift also noted by Railway Supply.

New EuroCity line Leipzig–Wrocław–Kraków in the 2026 timetable

On the route itself, trains will link Leipzig with Wrocław and Kraków, with four trains per day planned for the corridor. Two of those services continue beyond Kraków to Przemyśl, near the Polish-Ukrainian border, creating a direct link to and from the border region. The operators also describe this as the first direct EuroCity connection between Leipzig and southern Poland without a transfer.

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Service pattern and journey times on the new EuroCity line Leipzig–Wrocław–Kraków

DB and PKP Intercity will run the service jointly, scheduling two trains per day in each direction. The trains that run on to Przemyśl provide connections to and from Ukraine, including Kiev. Journey times are listed at around three and a half hours from Leipzig to Wrocław (Breslau) and about seven hours to Kraków, framing rail as a competitive and sustainable alternative to road or air transport.

Alongside the new service, the 2026 timetable expansion lifts the total number of EuroCity trains between Germany and Poland to 34 per day.

Intermediate stops and synchronized connections

Beyond Leipzig, the new service also includes stops at Riesa and Hoyerswerda in Saxony, plus Elsterwerda and Ruhland in Brandenburg. These intermediate cities gain direct long-distance calls and closer ties into regional transport networks.

At the same time, synchronized connections are intended to improve onward travel from other parts of the network, including for passengers from Chemnitz, Dresden, Görlitz, Cottbus and Berlin. BER Airport is also mentioned among the places that become easier to reach via coordinated interchange times.

Political, economic and strategic context, plus tickets

Michael Peterson, a member of the DB Management Board responsible for long-distance passenger transport, said cross-border rail travel is growing and that the expanded offer answers rising demand for connections between Germany and Poland—an expansion set out in a Deutsche Bahn press release. He pointed to direct links to the strong economic regions in southern Poland and to the Ukrainian border as important from political, economic and tourism perspectives.

PKP Intercity CEO Janusz Malinowski also referred to growing demand for international travel, saying passenger numbers to Germany are rising and that the operator is expanding its westbound international offer—not only with more trains to Berlin, but also with new links to other German cities such as Leipzig.

German Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder said the service reflects decades of joint investment in cross-border infrastructure. He added that it strengthens good neighborly relations and supports environmentally friendly travel, noting that in Germany alone more than 1.1 billion EUR has been invested. Schnieder also said Europe’s current security situation increases the strategic importance of cross-border rail transport, alongside its cultural and economic value.

The trains will run with modernized PKP Intercity EuroCity carriages, with each train offering more than 300 seats. Departures from Leipzig Hauptbahnhof are scheduled at 10:55 and 14:55, while arrivals from Kraków or Przemyśl are listed at 13:04 and 17:04.

Tickets for travel between Germany and Poland can be purchased up to six months in advance, including through the Super Sparpreis Europa offer, with prices starting at 18.99 EUR, as described on bahn.de’s Super Sparpreis Europa Poland page. A free seat reservation is automatically included and is mandatory on the international segment. For passengers coming from Munich, Nuremberg, Erfurt or Frankfurt am Main, optimized connections in Leipzig reduce travel times to Wrocław by around two hours.

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