What PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa sp. z o.o. does

PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa sp. z o.o. (PKP LHS) is a Polish state-owned railway infrastructure manager and freight carrier that operates Line 65, the longest broad-gauge (1520mm) railway in Poland and the westernmost broad-gauge line in Europe. The ~400 km corridor runs from the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing at Hrubieszów/Izow to Sławków in the Silesian region, ~25 km from Katowice. Founded under a Notarial Deed on December 1, 2000, with operations commencing on July 1, 2001, the company was established to manage a route originally designed for metallurgical supply chains and now repositioned as a multi-corridor freight artery. PKP LHS is wholly owned by PKP S.A. (Polskie Koleje Państwowe), the Polish state railway group, and operates under a government concession plus safety authorizations from the President of the Office of Rail Transport (UTK).

The company's service portfolio centers on integrated rail freight and logistics: transport services (bulk goods, liquids, piece goods, intermodal units, extraordinary and dangerous cargo), professional forwarding and door-to-door logistics, cargo handling at company-managed transshipment terminals, comprehensive customs agency services (import, export, transit, VAT simplification), and ancillary services such as wagon repositioning between broad and standard gauge, electronic weighing, and track/yard leasing. Key infrastructure assets include the Euroterminal Sławków (a modern container terminal for international connections), transshipment terminals at Szczebrzeszyn and Wola Baranowska (opened November 2023), and the LCS Sędziszów local control system (completed December 2025). The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and holds Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status, with capability to operate container trains up to 950m — the longest in Europe.

PKP LHS generates revenue primarily through transaction-based railway freight tariffs set under the annual PKP LHS Goods Tariff (Taryfa Towarowa), supplemented by professional services fees for forwarding, handling, and customs clearance. The customer base spans industrial sectors including metallurgical (ArcelorMittal Poland), chemical, fuel and energy, wood processing, and construction, as well as international logistics operators using the New Silk Road (Xi'an–Sławków connection since 2020) and Middle Corridor/TMTM trans-Caspian routes. The company reported a record 11 million tonnes transported in 2023, and as of 2022 reported tangible fixed assets of approximately 609 million PLN. With 37 employees and a single ~400 km corridor, the operating model is highly capital-intensive and infrastructure-leveraged rather than labor-leveraged.

Name

PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa sp. z o.o.

Legal name

PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa sp. z o.o.

Website

https://lhs.com.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa is a Polish state-owned railway manager and freight carrier operating Line 65, the westernmost broad-gauge (1520mm) rail corridor in Europe, connecting the Polish-Ukrainian border to Silesia. It provides integrated rail transport, forwarding, transshipment, and customs services for industrial and intermodal clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Freight Transport and Logistics

NAICS

Line-Haul Railroads (482111)

SIC

Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Rail Bulk Commodities Forwarding (Grain, Minerals, Coal, Chemicals) (TLACADAI)

Keywords

• Broad-gauge railway freight
• Rail freight transport
• Rail freight forwarding
• Intermodal cargo handling
• Customs agency services

Headquarters

HQ city

Zamość

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Railway Freight Transport Services: Core revenue from domestic and international rail freight transport of goods (bulk goods including iron ore, coal, stone, wood; liquids including gases and chemical products; piece goods including metal products, glass, construction materials; intermodal units; extraordinary cargo; dangerous goods). Services provided in full train compositions and single wagon shipments.
2. Freight Forwarding Services: Professional forwarding and logistics consultancy, door-to-door delivery, transport documentation, cargo insurance, storage and warehousing, and handling services.
3. Transshipment and Handling Services: Cargo handling at terminals and handling points on the LHS line, including external handling company participation.
4. Customs Agency Services: Comprehensive customs services including import, export and transit customs declarations, simplified declarations with VAT settlement options, customs collateral submission, professional advice and representation before customs and tax authorities.
5. Additional Services: Weight determination on electronic scales, wagon repositioning between broad and standard gauge tracks, placement on sidings, manoeuvre work, leasing of tracks, ramps, loading yards, sidings, areas, office spaces and storage facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

PKP LHS manages the broad-gauge (1520mm) Line No. 65 from the Polish-Ukrainian border to Silesia and provides integrated rail freight transport services. Core offerings include domestic and international transport of bulk goods, liquids, piece goods, intermodal units, and dangerous goods; professional forwarding and logistics consultancy; cargo handling at transshipment terminals; and customs agency services. The company handles full train compositions and single-wagon shipments, with capacity to operate trains up to 950m long.

Product overview

PKP LHS operates as a railway infrastructure manager and freight transport operator offering an integrated service portfolio centered around the LHS broad-gauge Line No. 65. Core offerings include railway transport services, forwarding/consultancy, cargo handling at company terminals, and customs agency services. The company manages key infrastructure including the Euroterminal Sławków and transloading terminals at Szczebrzeszyn and Wola Baranowska, facilitating international freight between Asia and Europe via the Middle Corridor/TMTM route.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transport Services Comprehensive railway freight transport services for industrial sectors including metallurgical, chemical, fuel and energy, wood processing, and construction. Specializes in bulk goods (solid and liquid), piece-goods, intermodal units, extraordinary cargo, and dangerous goods transport. Operates in full train compositions and single wagon shipments.
• Forwarding Services Professional consultancy in forwarding and logistics including optimal transport mode selection, routing, and handling technology. Provides door-to-door delivery, transport documentation, insurance, storage, and handling services.
• Handling Services (Transshipment) Cargo handling and transshipment services at terminals and handling points located along the LHS line, including participation of external handling companies.
• Customs Services Comprehensive customs services including handling import, export and transit customs declarations, simplified customs declarations with VAT settlement options, customs collateral submission, and professional representation before customs authorities.
• Additional Services Supplementary railway services including cargo weighing on electronic scales, wagon repositioning between broad (1520mm) and standard (1435mm) tracks, wagon placement on sidings, manoeuvre work, and leasing of tracks, ramps, loading yards, and storage facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transit time of 10-12 days from Xi'an to Sławków on New Silk Road corridor
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TMTM / Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2025PKP LHS serves as host for the TMTM Working Group development meeting in June 2025, supporting the development of the Middle Corridor connecting China through Central Asia to Europe via Trans-Caspian route.
• PKP PLK S.A.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with PKP PLK S.A., the manager of standard-gauge railway lines in Poland, for railway infrastructure development and interoperability between broad-gauge and standard-gauge networks.
• Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing operational partnership at the Hrubieszów/Izow border crossing for cross-border rail freight transport. Involvement in transit traffic coordination and development of transport corridors connecting Poland with Ukraine.
• Xi'an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation (China)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership enabling regular rail connections from Xi'an (China) to Sławków LHS, operational since January 2020. Partnership supports China-Europe freight transport on the New Silk Road.
• European Commission (DG MOVE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Commission officials visited PKP LHS in October 2023, praising the company's engagement for Ukraine and recognizing its role in European logistics corridors.
• Port Morski Police (Police Seaport)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew railway connection established in 2025 between PKP LHS and Port Morski Police, expanding maritime-rail logistics opportunities in northwestern Poland.
• Center for EU Transport Projects (CUPT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing discussions with CUPT regarding possibilities for European funding for PKP LHS infrastructure development.
• Roztoczański Park Narodowy (Roztocze National Park)minorOthersEnvironmental cooperation for rainwater utilization project and nature conservation initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DB Cargo: Europe's largest rail freight operator, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn. Operates cross-border freight across Europe, including connections to the Sławków Euroterminal and Chinese rail corridors, making it a comparable cross-border freight peer.
• Port of Gdańsk Authority: Major Polish Baltic seaport integrating maritime and rail freight. Provides overlapping intermodal logistics services on the North-South corridor and is connected to PKP LHS's Sławków Euroterminal via the Polish rail network.
• PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (PKP PLK): Manager of Poland's standard-gauge rail infrastructure and a strategic partner of PKP LHS for interoperability. While not a direct freight competitor, PKP PLK controls the broader Polish rail network that PKP LHS connects to via bogie exchange.
• Hutchison Ports (Hutchison Ports Sławków / Euroterminal): Global container terminal operator with European operations including terminals near PKP LHS's Sławków Euroterminal. Competes for intermodal container handling volumes and is a comparable terminal operator in the regional Polish logistics network.

Direct peers

• PKP Cargo: Poland's largest rail freight carrier and a fellow PKP Group subsidiary. Operates standard-gauge freight rail across Poland and into neighboring countries, competing with PKP LHS for many of the same industrial cargo flows (metallurgical, chemical, fuel).
• PCC Intermodal: One of the largest intermodal operators in Poland, providing container rail transport across Europe. Competes with PKP LHS for intermodal volumes, particularly on Asia-Europe and Polish industrial corridors.
• Metrans: Major European intermodal operator (Hamburg-based, part of HHLA) with terminal operations in Poland and Central Europe. Provides container rail services overlapping with PKP LHS's intermodal and cross-border freight activities.
• UTLC ERA (Eurasian Rail Alliance): Operator of unified transit container trains on the China-Europe rail corridor via Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus. Competes with PKP LHS for transit volumes on the New Silk Road, though PKP LHS offers an alternative southern bypass route via the Middle Corridor.
• Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways): National rail operator of Ukraine and PKP LHS's primary cross-border partner at the Hrubieszów/Izow border. Operates the same 1520mm broad-gauge network east of the border, making it a direct peer in broad-gauge freight and a key joint-counterparty in Poland-Ukraine rail logistics.

Regional players

• Laude Smart Intermodal: Poland-based intermodal operator with terminal connections across Central and Eastern Europe. Provides comparable container and rail freight services in markets adjacent to PKP LHS's core geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PKP_LHS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmy3owbCnHLuJ3Ve1eVlqlg?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/pkplhs
• Instagraminstagram.com/pkp_lhs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pkp-linia-hutnicza-szerokotorowa-sp-z-o-o

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa sp. z o.o.