Mielec 2025-09-22
PKP InterCity Train “Hetman” Kraków Główny – Hrubieszów Miasto.
In 2009, all long-distance trains were withdrawn from Mielec, and the number of regional trains was significantly reduced. Donald Tusk was the Prime Minister (in office from November 16, 2007, to September 22, 2014). The government was formed by a coalition of the Civic Platform (PO) and the Polish People’s Party (PSL). These same people are currently (2025) destroying Poland. In the 1990s, eight pairs of passenger trains passed through Mielec station. They could travel to Dębica, Rozwadów, Tarnobrzeg, Sandomierz, and Jaślany. The trains consisted of double-decker or “bonanza” carriages and SU45 or SM42 diesel locomotives. Freight trains primarily served the PZL Mielec plant, now the SSE Europark Mielec. Due to underfunding and a lack of regular maintenance, passenger traffic was limited in 2009 and completely suspended in 2011. Freight traffic remained sporadic.
It was only under the United Right that the revitalization of the Dębica–Tarnobrzeg section of the line began. In 2018, a contract was signed to co-finance the renovation of the Padew – Mielec – Dębica section. The project’s value was estimated at PLN 400 million, with some funding coming from the European Union. The renovation of Mielec station lasted from 2019 to 2021. The track layout and passenger traffic organization in the station area were completely rebuilt. The siding track that ran in front of the station building to the storage yard was removed. In 2019, the reinforced concrete footbridge over the tracks, built in the mid-1960s, was dismantled. A new, 200-meter-long, high, double-edged island platform was built. Previously, there was a low, unpaved platform. The platform was now edged with gray concrete slabs, measuring 2 m x 1 m. The slabs feature yellow warning lines and buttons. The rest of the platform was constructed of gray paving tiles, measuring 0.30 m x 0.30 m. Lighting, a passenger information system, bus shelters, and garbage cans were installed. Accessibility for disabled people is also available. The footbridge was replaced with a passenger tunnel. In addition to the stairs, elevators were installed. The tunnel was placed more conveniently for passengers, closer to the bus station, which operates on the eastern side of the station. At the same time, the adjacent passenger stops were renovated: Chorzelów Południowy, Jaślan, Tuszów Narodowy, Wojsław, and Mielec Wolności. The Chorzelów station was renovated.
On September 1, 2021, after a 12-year hiatus, regular passenger service resumed. Local trains were launched on the Dębica–Mielec section. In November 2022, renovations to Padew Narodowa station were completed. Journey times were shortened and the number of passenger stops increased. In December 2024, long-distance PKP InterCity “Hetman” services on the Kraków–Hrubieszów route were also launched. After 15 years, Mielec was reinstated to the national long-distance network.
On December 15, 2024, InterCity IC trains No. 23112/3 HETMAN on the Hrubieszów Miasto–Kraków Główny route and IC No. 32113/2 HETMAN on the Kraków Główny–Hrubieszów Miasto route changed their route on the Tarnobrzeg–Dębica section and now run via Mielec. Previously, the HETMAN train operated through Kolbuszowa and Rzeszów stations. This gave Mielec, the second largest city in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, the opportunity for high-speed rail travel.
Train IC 32112 – HETMAN departs Kraków Główny for Hrubieszów Miasto at 4:25 PM. Travel time: 4 hours 48 minutes.
Route and timetable: Kraków Główny 4:25 PM, Kraków Płaszów 4:29 PM – 4:30 PM, Tarnów 5:04 PM – 5:06 PM, Dębica 5:22 PM – 5:23 PM, Mielec 5:44 PM – 5:45 PM, Tarnobrzeg 6:16 PM – 6:17 PM, Stalowa Wola Rozwadów 6:43 PM – 6:45 PM, Stalowa Wola Centrum 6:48 PM – 6:49 PM. Biłgoraj 7:28 PM – 7:29 PM. Tereszpol Biłgorajski 7:37 PM – 7:38 PM. Zwierzyniec 7:48 PM – 7:49 PM. Szczebrzeszyn 7:58 PM – 7:59 PM. Zawada 8:09 PM – 8:10 PM. Zamość 8:21 PM – 8:23 PM. Zamość Old Town 8:26 PM – 8:27 PM. Zamość East 8:29 PM – 8:30 PM. Werbkowice 9:01 PM – 9:02 PM. Hrubieszów Miasto 9:13 PM.
Train IC 23112 – HETMAN departs Hrubieszów Miasto for Kraków Główny at 6:43 AM. Travel time: 4 hours 51 minutes.
Route and timetable; Hrubieszów City 06:43. Werbkowice 06:54-06:55. Zamość East 07:26-07:27. Zamość Old Town 07:30-07:31. Zamość 07:34-07:36. Zawada 07:46-07:47. Szczebrzeszyn 07:57-07:58. Zwierzyniec 08:07-08:08. Tereszpol Biłgorajski 08:18-08:19. Biłgoraj 08:27-08:29. Stalowa Wola Center 09:08-09:10. Stalowa Wola Rozwadów 09:13-09:16. Tarnobrzeg 09:42-09:43. Mielec 10:14-10:16. Dębica 10:37-10:38. Tarnów 10:54-10:56. Kraków Płaszów 11:28-11:29. Kraków Główny 11:34.
The train does not pass through Rzeszów, as 14 pairs of trains run on the Rzeszów-Kraków Główny route as scheduled. However, residents of Mielec have gained access to a new connection. The new route has significantly shortened travel times for residents of Hrubieszów and Zamość to Kraków. This is the first rail connection in history from Hrubieszów and Zamość to Kraków in under 5 hours. The train also bypasses the extremely long route through Hrebenne, and during the interwar period, through the town of Rawa Ruska, which was forcibly incorporated into the CCCP.
Currently (September 2025), the train consists of a SU160 diesel locomotive and four passenger carriages. All carriages are air-conditioned. Carriage No. 11 has space for families with small children. Carriage No. 12 is a non-compartment carriage. Carriage No. 13 is also a non-compartment carriage. Carriage No. 14 is also non-compartment carriage, but can accommodate passengers with bicycles. All carriages have enhanced cell phone and internet signals. There is no buffet on the train, as the journey time is approximately 4 hours. Initially, it was planned to have an electric locomotive on the Kraków Główny – Tarnów section. However, replacing a diesel locomotive with an electric one is time-consuming and uneconomical. Therefore, the entire route is operated by diesel traction. Probably from 2027, the HETMAN train will be operated by long-distance NEWAG IMPULS 3 trains with a hybrid electric-diesel drive. In 2025, PKP InterCity ordered 35 trains of this type from NEWAG in Nowy Sącz.
It’s worth mentioning that the changed route of the InterCity HETMAN train has resulted in the resumption of service on LK No. 25 Łódź Kaliska – Dębica, between Ocice and Padua. In 2022, the Ministry of Infrastructure (during the United Right government) announced that it would like to launch four pairs of long-distance services serving Mielec. However, this was to take place only after the delivery of hybrid rolling stock for PKP InterCity. However, the government – the Volksdeutsche, communists, and Freemasons – delayed the order for this type of rolling stock.
The InterCity HETMAN train is also well connected to other trains. At Stalowa Wola Rozwadów station, you can transfer to the IC WISŁOK train for further travel towards Lublin and Warsaw. At Kraków Główny station, a transfer to the IC GALICJA train is available, traveling to Berlin via Katowice, Opole, Wrocław, and Zielona Góra. Transfers are also possible, for example, to Pendolino (EIP) trains to Gdynia via Warsaw, InterCity to Kielce, or TLK to Zakopane. All transfers are available for passengers traveling in both directions.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman