On June 9, 2024, the summer schedule adjustment will go into effect. With it, on trains operated by PKP Intercity, in addition to changes in train operation, the seat reservation system will also change. This means that passengers will be able to travel standing. What combinations do the changes apply to?
People who have recently traveled on Intercity trains know very well that until now they had to be fully booked. In practice, this often resulted in the inability to purchase a ticket for a particular course. However, it happened that on long sections, the trains had many free – and therefore unused – seats.
On which PKP Intercity trains can you travel standing?
In response to the growing popularity of rail travel – even for upcoming holidays, PKP Intercity has decided to introduce changes. From June 9, in the electric multiplexes Flirt (ED 160) and Edyt (ED 74), it will be possible to purchase one ticket with a free seat reservation and one ticket without a designated seat.. This rule also applies to SN84 diesel multiplexes that PKP Intercity leases from SKPL.
See: It’s vacation time. PKP advertises more connections and faster travel times
What does this mean for passengers who do not have a ticket with a seat? Possibility to occupy an empty seat if there is a seat in a specific section – of course, until a passenger appears with a reservation for the selected seat. In such a case, you will need to travel standing. The free seat reservation will disappear from season tickets, including partial tickets purchased as part of the Multiprzejazd or Multiprzejazd Max offers. In this case, the cost of a seat will be PLN 3 when traveling by train Intercity, European intercity and TLK.
Which PKP Intercity trains will still require seat reservations?
Let us add that reserved seat tickets will still be valid for Dart Pesa (ED 161) trains. Why? Company representatives explain that trains of this type are not designed to transport standing passengers. Due to travel convenience, a standing room ticket will not be available at Pendolino.
Changes that will make travel easier
The reason PKP Intercity introduced the changes was the previously mentioned free seat reservations for season tickets. In fact, it often happened that seats – mainly on the Warsaw-Lodz route – remained unused. However, free seats were blocked in the system, preventing the sale of tickets and the use of transport services by travelers over shorter and longer distances. Since the company’s mission is primarily to provide long-distance communications, the changes introduced seem necessary.
They have both good and bad sides. The first involves the possibility of taking more passengers on board the train. Passengers will also not be able to use connections made by all trains except Darts. This is especially important now with the holidays approaching and rail traffic increasing. The downside of the solution would be reduced travel comfort – especially on very narrow Flirt-type trains.
Will the changes in the seat reservation system benefit PKP Intercity passengers? You’ll definitely be able to tell in an instant. However, for now, it seems to be the right move on the company’s part.
ed/polsatnews.pl
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