Express train to Leipzig: Hoyerswerda becomes an important rail hub!

Express train to Leipzig: Hoyerswerda becomes an important rail hub!

In an exciting development for cross-border rail traffic, Polish state railway PKP and Deutsche Bahn are testing a new project that could create a valuable connection for many travelers from December 2025. A PKP test train stopped in Hoyerswerda on Wednesday to measure the platform on the planned route between Wroclaw and Leipzig. This project was welcomed by Mirko Pink, the mayor for municipal services of Hoyerswerda (CDU), as a major benefit for the connection to Leipzig.

Pink's vision of a faster connection goes further: he firmly expects that an express train will make regular stops in Hoyerswerda in the future. The new connection runs from Przemysl on the Ukrainian border via Krakow and Wrocław to Leipzig and will run twice a day. “A fast connection with increased frequency would be a real advantage for the entire Lausitz region, especially in the context of structural change and the search for skilled workers,” emphasized the mayor.

The resonance in the region

Kathrin Uhlemann, the non-party mayor of Niesky, also sees the benefits of this initiative, even if the express train will run through her city without stopping. However, she would like regional trains to Hoyerswerda to be well-timed, as the conditions at the Niesky platform for express trains are not met.

The cross-border rail line is attracting more and more attention, not least thanks to the considerations of the European Commission. This supports a total of ten pilot projects that aim to improve cross-border rail connections. The action plan plans to double the connections by 2030 and even triple them by 2050. Particular emphasis is placed on the need to remove barriers to rail transport, which will benefit travelers.

A look at the future

The future connection, which Hoyerswerda sees as a hub, is part of a larger plan to create additional connection options between major cities in the EU. Among other things, new routes are planned from Munich to Budapest and Rome as well as to other European cities such as Zurich and Milan. This makes it clear that the trend towards cross-border transport networks is progressing not only in Germany but across Europe, and travelers can look forward to a growing network of rail connections - this is the path to a networked future.

An exciting time lies ahead when the new rail connection between Poland and Germany begins operations. Travelers can be curious to see how the plans of the PKP and Deutsche Bahn will materialize. It remains to be seen what further opportunities will arise from this initiative.

For anyone who would like to learn more about these initiatives, we recommend the relevant reports from MDR, Pasażera and the EU Commission.