Starting June 25, 2026, private Czech rail operator Leo Express will launch a new long-distance international passenger rail service connecting Germany, the Czech Republic, and Poland with the Ukrainian border via the Polish city of Przemyśl.
The service will operate daily in both directions on a fully commercial basis, without public subsidies. With a total length of more than 1,300 km, the new connection will rank among the longest direct passenger rail routes in Europe.
One of Europe’s longest direct rail routes
The route will begin in Przemyśl, located close to the Polish-Ukrainian border, and will continue through Krakow, Ostrava, Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, and Erfurt, before terminating in Frankfurt and at Frankfurt Airport.
According to Leo Express, trains will run once daily in each direction. The east-to-west service is scheduled to arrive at Frankfurt Airport at 07:53, offering convenient connections to both European and intercontinental flights. The return service will depart from the airport at 08:27.
Strengthening East–West connectivity
Leo Express CEO Peter Köhler described the project as a major step toward deeper trans-European rail integration.
He said the new service creates a comprehensive link between key administrative, financial, and industrial centers in Western Europe and major cultural hubs in Central Europe, including Krakow, Prague, and Weimar. At more than 1,300 km, the route is among the longest continuous rail connections on the continent.
Köhler also emphasized the geopolitical and transport significance of the line, noting that it improves rail connectivity between Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe while providing direct rail access to the Ukrainian border. In Germany, he added, the new route will also offer passengers an alternative to existing long-distance rail operators.
The launch reflects Leo Express’s broader strategy to expand international services and strengthen cross-border rail travel across Europe using commercially operated routes.
