Jon Worth

Important 🇪🇺 rail news

🇨🇿 private operator RegioJet is pulling out of Poland on 3 May, not even a year after entering the market there

Run this through machine translation:
https://zdopravy.cz/regiojet-konci-v-polsku-peklo-ktere-ohrozuje-nasi-firmu-vysvetluje-jancura-278394/

RegioJet končí v Polsku. Peklo, které ohrožuje naši firmu, vysvětluje Jančura - Zdopravy.cz

Dopravce tvrdě zkritizoval neférové podmínky na polském trhu.

Zdopravy.cz
Apr 9 at 8:32amWeb
Show threadJon Worth1d ago

That piece is obviously one sided, in that it basically reports the RegioJet view

A friend of mine in Poland who took it a few times tells a story of an operation fraught with incompetence

The reality is likely that RegioJet underestimated the scale of the task AND the incumbents were malevolent

Show thread波鉄 (Hatetsu)1d ago
@jon To paste what I said on a more local thread: https://mastodon.com.pl/@HaTetsu/116373715358461654
Show threadJon Worth1d ago

@HaTetsu And having also observed the inability of anyone to get to the bottom of the Newag scandal, it's obviously the case that the Polish rail system is incapable of rooting out the shit in its midst.

But even *still*, RegioJet should surely have known this?

Show thread波鉄 (Hatetsu)1d ago
@jon Eh, I'd say it wasn't obvious looking from the outside. They probably had reassurances that PKP IC would stop obstruction at the railway regulator level and that did happen. It was only when it was clear they were committing to this that the obstruction restarted, elsewhere. On the other hand, it seems like RegioJet overextended and added a couple of their own screw-ups to the list along the way, eroding some of the goodwill they were extended from the public almost by default
Show threadTomasz Oryński1d ago

@jon @HaTetsu what do you mean inability!

The hackers have been sued already for hacking the trains and writing malicious code into them. That will show them! :)

Show threadAdam1d ago

@jon That sounds deeply shitty for RegioJet but I can't fault the "reducing intercity fares massively" action even if it's done for the worst of motives.

I've noticed that one of the Green parties here is recommending reducing transport fares (including SNCB) to a token amount here, and that would presumably screw over any potential foreign operators..

Show threadJon Worth1d ago
@pseudomonas But it also shows there's a lack of political control over PKP IC. If you want a state operator, ok, fine, but then it has to behave like one, and not like a rent seeking capitalist!
Show threadAdam1d ago
@jon oh, yes, I'm not defending their actions in general. I'm just wondering aloud whether and how you can have decent competition and also provide subsidies for extremely low fares for social/environmental reasons. I guess subsidise all operators that are operating in your territory that are prepared to offer equivalent fares, though I wonder how that would work in practice. Is anywhere doing that?
Show threadJon Worth1d ago
@pseudomonas You can. But then you need tenders not open access. Czechia shows you can do it, if you want to.
Show threadAdam1d ago
@jon Thanks! I knew you'd know the answer!
Show threadRob1d ago
@jon Shame. I've travelled with them (I live in Prague) and would like to have a few options to Poland as I would like to go back. I have travelled with České dráhy too and, though I have had plenty of good experiences, I had ice cold air blowing down my neck all night on the route to Krakow and was ill the whole time.
Show thread波鉄 (Hatetsu)1d ago
@krozruch @jon The two trains connecting Poland to Czechia are staying
Show threadSebastian Crane 🏳️‍⚧️1d ago
@jon Oh no! From the 'Jet' in the name I always assumed this was simply a subsidiary of ÖBB, so it's surprising to me that it's not an operation "too big to fail".
Show threadJon Worth1d ago
@seabass They actually had the Jet branding before ÖBB. Or at least before ÖBB generalised it.
Show threadTomasz Oryński18h ago
@jon so here is the position of the other side: https://kurier-kolejowy.pl/aktualnosci/50379/stanowisko-pkp-intercity-s-a--w-odniesieniu-do-oswiadczenia-spolki-regiojet.html
Stanowisko PKP INTERCITY S.A. w odniesieniu do oświadczenia spółki REGIOJET

PKP Intercity S.A. z uwagą zapoznała się z oświadczeniem spółki RegioJet dotyczącym jej działalności na polskim rynku kolejowych przewozów pasażerskich. Z uwagi na liczne nieścisłości oraz j