Leo Express Launches 1,300km Direct Train from Poland to Frankfurt on 25 June

Czech private rail operator Leo Express launches a new daily direct train between Przemyśl in southeastern Poland and Frankfurt Airport on 25 June 2026, covering 1,300 kilometres across four countries in approximately 18 hours. The service is one of the longest direct rail connections in Europe and fills a gap in ground transport between eastern Poland and Germany’s main international aviation hub.

The train departs Przemyśl at 13:31 and calls at Kraków, Ostrava, Prague, Dresden and Leipzig before arriving at Frankfurt Airport Fernbahnhof at 07:53 the following morning — in time for early intercontinental departures. The service runs daily in both directions. Onboard, passengers have access to Wi-Fi, power outlets at every seat, air conditioning and a refreshment service throughout the journey.

For travellers based in Poland, the most useful boarding point is Kraków, where Leo Express picks up the route approximately two hours after Przemyśl. A Kraków departure means arrival at Frankfurt Airport before 10:00 — useful for connections to North America, Asia and Africa without spending a night in Warsaw or transferring onto a separate high-speed train. Leo Express launched its Warsaw–Kraków domestic high-speed service in March 2026; the Frankfurt route extends that network to a full international corridor.

Przemyśl also sits close to the Ukrainian border, and as trans-border rail links develop, the route is likely to become part of a longer corridor between Lviv and western Europe. Currently, Polish citizens and other visa-exempt EU travellers board without documentation checks within the Schengen Area.

For non-EU travellers, the first Schengen crossing on this route occurs at the Polish–Czech border. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES), live since April 2026, records biometric data at that point — have your passport ready. ETIAS, the pre-authorisation system for visa-exempt non-EU nationals, is expected to become mandatory before the end of 2026; check requirements when booking.

Wrocław and Kraków make a natural combination for a Poland itinerary before catching the Leo Express westbound: Wrocław to Kraków by train takes under three hours, and from Kraków the Frankfurt night service connects the whole journey without backtracking to Warsaw.