Ten years after its introduction, the Pendolino high-speed train has become the mainstay of Polish high-speed rail, transforming the image of rail travel in the country and paving the way for further high-speed development in both Poland and neighbouring countries.
As part of Alstom's innovative Avelia high-speed family, the legacy of Pendolino continues to thrive under its rebranded name, Avelia Stream. This evolution reflects Alstom's commitment to enhancing its high-speed offerings while maintaining the strong reputation Pendolino has built in Poland.
The introduction of the Pendolino train over a decade ago transformed public perception of high-speed rail in Poland, could you elaborate on this? Pendolino entered commercial service in 2014 and, before that, the country had a large fleet of older EN57 trains, which were not super comfortable for passengers, with, for example, the heating either burning their feet in compartments or non-existent in the toilets. When Pendolino was introduced, with its sleek design, high speed and top-notch catering services, it was an immediate success. They were buying tickets to cities and returning straight away, just to experience the train. Lots of people came to visit the depot to see how the trains were maintained. The main aspects that people appreciated were the quietness in the compartments and, of course, the speed: the train is designed to operate up to 250 km per hour. Warsaw to Gdansk or Silesia in two and a half hours – hard to beat by car! (....)