INFORMATION PORTAL OF THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OF THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE Region IN TORUŃ

The name “Latarnik” (“The Lighthouse Keeper”) was chosen by passengers in a contest to name the returning train route to Hel, organized by the regional self-government (which oversees passenger rail services in the region) and the operator Arriva. The winners were congratulated today (May 14) by Vice-Marshal Aneta Jędrzejewska together with representatives from Arriva. The train’s first run is scheduled for June 19.

“I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the contest. Choosing from two thousand submissions wasn’t easy. I’m glad that the winning name directly references one of the most iconic tourist attractions of the Hel Peninsula,” said Marshal Piotr Całbecki, commenting on the naming of the Hel-bound train.

“This will be a very attractive connection! The train’s schedule has been designed to facilitate transfers for passengers coming from other towns in the region,” said Vice-Marshal Aneta Jędrzejewska during the event summarizing the contest.

Fourteen people submitted the winning name and received travel vouchers and gift packages at the Marshal’s Office.

Passengers at Bydgoszcz Główna station will hear the first departure announcement for the “Latarnik” train on June 19. The journey will last four hours. The train will depart at 6:53 AM and arrive at its final destination, Hel on the Hel Peninsula, at 10:48 AM. The return trip from Hel will depart at 5:35 PM and reach Bydgoszcz at 10:14 PM. In the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region, the train will stop in Pruszcz Pomorski and Laskowice Pomorskie. The train will run throughout the summer holiday season.

With the start of summer vacation, direct train services to Kołobrzeg—always in high demand—will also resume. The seasonal weekend train “Rybitwa” (“The Tern”) will return to the tracks on June 28. A new weekday direct train to Kołobrzeg will complement this offer, running from June 16 through the end of the year.

In cooperation with the regional self-governments of Zachodniopomorskie Region and Wielkopolskie Region, the “Barnim” train runs daily from Bydgoszcz Główna to Szczecin Główny, offering passengers a direct connection to the capital of Zachodniopomorskie Region and the western coast.

In 2025, the Marshal’s Office will allocate 237 million PLN in subsidies for regional passenger rail services. This amount includes compensation payments to Arriva and Polregio, as well as infrastructure and station access fees totaling 31.3 million PLN. Seventy-five percent of the trains providing regional passenger services are owned by the regional self-government.

The fleet of marshal-owned rail vehicles continues to grow steadily. Seven more modern trainsets ordered from Bydgoszcz-based manufacturer PESA will soon be hitting the tracks.

Beata Krzemińska
Spokesperson of the Marshal’s Office

May 14, 2025