PKP Intercity, Poland’s national long-distance rail operator, now has seven simulators for training train drivers, following the installation of four new units in Kraków, Katowice, Wrocław, and Poznań.
The value of the contract signed by PKP Intercity for the new equipment is over 2.1 million zlotys gross. The simulators will be used by over 900 train drivers and candidates for the position of train driver.
The new systems are equipped with software that includes virtual routes totaling approximately 8,000 km, based on actual sections of the Polish railway network. These include the Warsaw–Gdynia, Katowice–Kraków, Poznań–Wrocław, and Warsaw–Szczecin routes.
Full-scale cabs
The simulators delivered to PKP Intercity are static versions and reproduce the driver’s cab on a 1:1 scale, based on the control panel of the EU200 Griffin locomotive.
The virtual routes feature infrastructure elements such as tracks, signals, and platforms, as well as characteristic buildings, bridges, viaducts, and the natural environment surrounding the railway.
PKP Intercity is expanding its network of simulators as part of a strategy to increase safety and modernize training tools, including through the Engineer’s Academy, the operator’s internal training program.
Simulators at seven locations
PKP Intercity’s first training simulator was launched in 2015 on an industrial line in Warsaw. Currently, two modernized simulation stations are in use at this location.
The modernized EP09 locomotive simulator has been in operation since October 2024, and the updated EU44 locomotive simulator has been in use since March 2025. Also last year, the operator commissioned a simulator for the Polish Griffin EU160 locomotive in Gdynia, the first such equipment in northern Poland. To date, it has been used by over 300 train drivers.
With the addition of the four new simulators, PKP Intercity can conduct training at 7 locations, reducing the need for travel to Warsaw and facilitating training planning for drivers and instructors.
Emergency situations, severe weather, and simulated malfunctions
The simulators allow for a realistic reproduction of train operation from the driver’s cab, both under normal conditions and in difficult conditions such as rain, snow, or fog.
Instructors can introduce emergency scenarios or unforeseen events along the route. A car may suddenly appear at a level crossing, an animal may be on the tracks, or an unexpected locomotive malfunction may occur during the simulation.
The goal is to test the engineers’ reactions in both normal and unusual situations, including reaction time, correct interpretation of signals, adherence to traffic rules, and application of safety procedures.
Simulators are also used to evaluate engineers who have been involved in railway accidents.
Training for candidates and active train drivers
Simulator training is an additional component of the nearly two-month training program for obtaining an train driver’s license. The use of the simulator is also included in the process of obtaining an engineer’s certificate, with some of the practical training hours being completed in this manner.
Candidates may participate in this stage after completing at least 480 hours of supervised practical training. Similar equipment is also used in the exams for the engineer’s certificate organized by Urząd Transportu Kolejowego, the Polish railway authority, through the Engineer Examination and Monitoring Center.
The simulators are also used by active PKP Intercity train drivers. Each driver undergoes a mandatory annual session lasting several hours to periodically verify their skills in both normal and atypical scenarios.
PKP Intercity currently has over 1,600 train drivers, of whom over 60 are instructor drivers. The largest age group is between 27 and 48 years old. In addition, over 360 candidates are training for this profession, with the largest share being people under 26 years old.
Share on: 
