31.10.2025
Poland, with a $915 billion economy that ranks 21st in the world, has made infrastructure investment a central tool of its economic policy over the past decade. GDP growth has been steady at 5,1% – more than twice the European Union average – and this growth is being driven by megaprojects such as the €31 billion Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) high-speed rail and airport complex.
In mid-October, a delegation from the Rail Baltica Business Network visited Poland to investigate how the country has managed to turn railway developments into an engine of economic growth. They were accompanied by Rail Baltic Estonia's CFO and board member Taavi Laja and head of financial operations Vaiko Eggert.
The three-day program in Warsaw intertwined politics, economics, and railways. The study tour began with a dinner with Marek Matraszek, founder of the consulting firm CEC Group, who outlined the Polish political landscape – with all its pragmatic undercurrents. The next morning, he was introduced to the Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK), Poland’s new air and rail hub. This was followed by a fast-paced visit to experts from DB Cargo Polska and PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe. For its part, the law firm CMS offered a sober overview of the Polish business climate, although for this meeting they had to ascend to dizzying heights – to the law firm’s office at the top of Europe’s tallest building, Varso Tower, designed by Norman Foster’s architectural firm, in the heart of Warsaw.
RBBNI members were also hosted by Estonian Ambassador Miko Haljas, and Baltic Rail, the operator of container lines between the Baltic Sea and the Adriatic Sea, shared its experiences.
The participants of the RBNNI visit were impressed by the CPK project – a new airport together with a 480-kilometer high-speed railway network connecting Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań and Wrocław. The railway is designed for a speed of up to 350 km/h, with an operating speed of 320 km/h. The first section between Warsaw and Łódź is expected to be completed by 2032, with the entire system by 2035.
Rail Baltica construction is also progressing rapidly in Poland. The Polish section of Rail Baltica is being developed by the state-owned company PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe SA. The first, first completed 71-kilometer section from Czyżew to Białystok will allow trains to travel at 160 km/h - later 200 km/h when the European train control system ERTMS/ETCS is fully implemented. The next, Białystok–Ełk section, costing 1,4 billion euros, is in the procurement phase, while Ełk–Suwalki–Trakiszki (94 km, to the Lithuanian border) is in the design and environmental studies phase.
Land reform that accelerated construction
One of the hidden factors behind Poland's success lies in land ownership. An effective compensation system has significantly reduced the time it takes to bring construction land into use.
The land acquisition process is well-organized in terms of legislation and there is a strong incentive package. Payments are made 10, 20, or even 40 percent above market value.
Poland's success is not only based on money, but also on consistency
Laja and Eggert, reviewing the visit, noted that there is a social consensus in Poland, understanding the importance of infrastructure development – be it an airport, a railway or an energy infrastructure. Projects continue regardless of the change of government and are seen as part of the country's economic independence. Infrastructure and the energy sector have been identified as strategic priorities and enjoy political support across political parties – something that few European countries can maintain.
For the Estonian delegation, two main lessons emerged from the Polish experience – pace and consistency.
Rail Baltica Business Network (RBBN) is an independent network of entrepreneurs founded in Tallinn in 2015 to help connect the public and private sectors and interpret the business opportunities brought by the largest infrastructure project in the Baltics – Rail Baltica. The association brings together nearly 30 companies from the transport, logistics and construction sectors and acts as a platform to facilitate cooperation across the region. RBBN regularly organizes seminars, business meetings and study tours, for example, members have visited railway sections under construction and met with project managers and engineers to understand how large-scale infrastructure can be used as an engine for economic growth.
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