For the sixteenth time, Gdańsk has become the centre of the European railway industry thanks to the TRAKO International Railway Fair. This is the largest trade fair in Europe this year. The current edition is a record-breaking one – as many as 695 exhibitors from 29 countries are taking part. – I can promise you that rail will be an absolute priority for the government – said Donald Tusk, Prime Minister.
– This year and the next two years will be record-breaking for rail. We know that next year Polish railways will carry more passengers than live in the European Union. This shows how rail is developing in our country – added the Polish Prime Minister.
The Opening Ceremony took place in the new hall of the Gdańsk International Fair. As Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the President of the Gdańsk International Fair, Andrzej Bojanowski, unanimously stated from the podium: "In Gdańsk, we do, we don't just talk." This applied not only to TRAKO, but also to the new facility within the AMBEREXPO complex. It was built in 9 months, thanks to which the Prime Minister was able to open the largest industry event in Europe this year from the new hall.
Alongside the Prime Minister, the Opening Ceremony was also honoured by the presence of, among others, Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak, Minister of State Assets Wojciech Balczun, Mayor of Gdańsk Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Deputy Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship Leszek Bonna, and the president of the fair's co-organisers, Alan Beroud of Polskie Koleje Państwowe. The Ambassadors of Spain and Peru were also present.
– I am glad that in Gdańsk we can talk about rail not in terms of whether something can be done, but how to do it. I am also glad that in our region rail is something very important. It was here, after all, 10 years ago, that a new railway line was built, creating the Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway. Now we are in the process of creating another line. There is no better place than the city of Gdańsk and the Gdańsk International Fair to talk about rail – said the Mayor of Gdańsk.
The Opening Ceremony was followed by an opening debate under the theme "Competitiveness and financing of railways in the European Union". Experts and decision-makers discussed, among other things, the potential of European railways for decarbonising the economy and implementing key EU policies. The programme for the second day also includes numerous conferences and debates, including "High Speed Railway Poland 2025", devoted to the development of high-speed rail, and the panel "How can artificial intelligence and digitalisation improve the efficiency of railway operations?", which attracted a wide range of specialists interested in modern technologies in rail transport.
Topics discussed during the event also include the challenges associated with implementing digital automatic couplers in freight transport and the future of financing infrastructure investments. Experts, decision-makers and market leaders are meeting in Gdańsk to discuss key challenges such as the green transformation of rail transport, the integration of European networks, and securing the potential and opportunities of the market for suppliers of materials and components for railway infrastructure construction.
Both industry guests and rail enthusiasts (on the last day of the fair) can visit the impressive exhibitions prepared on the tracks and outdoor areas. This is where the most modern rail vehicles, infrastructure solutions and
technologies that shape the development of rail transport in Europe on a daily basis are presented. Among the more than 60 companies presenting exhibits in the outdoor areas, visitors can see, among others: Track Tec, Newag, Alstom, Stadler and Siemens.
During TRAKO, celebrations also began marking the centenary of Polskie Koleje Państwowe and the 200th anniversary of railways worldwide. The date of the Fair precedes the symbolic birthday of the railway – on 27 September 1825, the railway line from Stockton to Darlington was ceremonially opened. Both the celebration of the 200th anniversary of world railways and the 100th anniversary of PKP are an opportunity not only to showcase technical and organisational achievements, but also to reflect on the history and future of rail.
The final day of the fair will be devoted to education and careers in the rail industry – the 5th edition of the Education and Careers Day. You are cordially invited.
