A major new inter-European rail connection is set to launch on June 25th, providing a direct link between Frankfurt am Main and the Poland-Ukraine border. Operated by the international transport company Leo Express, the route spans over 1,300 kilometres, establishing it as one of the longest direct train lines currently operating in Europe.
The service is designed to bridge significant European hubs, connecting Przemyśl in Poland—located at the Ukrainian border—to Kraków, Prague, and several German cities. In Germany, the train will stop in Dresden, Leipzig, and Erfurt before reaching its terminus at Frankfurt Airport, the nation’s largest aviation hub. Additional German stops along the route include Hanau, Fulda, Eisenach, Gotha, Weimar, Apolda, Naumburg (Saale), Weissenfels, Riesa, and Bad Schandau.
Peter Köhler, CEO of Leo Express, stated that the company aims to provide an alternative to existing operators while connecting important European centres and improving access to Ukraine. With ticket prices starting at €10, the service is positioned as an affordable transit option for travellers. Previously, those heading toward Ukraine from Germany typically relied on connections from Berlin or Munich, but this new line introduces a direct link through central Germany to the Frankfurt airport.
The schedule is specifically tailored to accommodate air travellers. The west-bound train departs from Przemyśl at approximately 1:30 pm, arriving at Frankfurt Airport the following day at 7:53 am. Conversely, the east-bound train leaves Frankfurt Airport at 8:27 am and reaches Przemyśl at 02:23 am the next day. This timing allows outbound passengers to catch daytime flights from Frankfurt and provides a convenient connection for inbound travellers arriving overnight.
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Notably, the new route is scheduled to give out-bound travellers the ability to catch day-time flights out of Frankfurt, or to pick-up in-bound passengers who've arrived at Frankfurt overnight.
