Polish State Railroads in summer 1939

Among them were such hubs as: Breslau (Wrocław), Stettin (Szczecin), Oppeln (Opole), Allenstein (Olsztyn), Liegnitz (Legnica), Köslin (Koszalin), Schneidemühl (Piła), Neustettin (Szczecinek), Lyck (Ełk).

The 1939 rail map of Poland was set by the nation's pre-1914 borders that were determined by the three empires that partitioned the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth late in the 18th century.

Construction of a line that would shorten this distance was planned, but the start of World War II prevented any work.

"Urzędowy Rozkład Jazdy i Lotów Lato 1939" ("Official Train and Flight Timetable Summer 1939") was published in May 1939 and was valid from May 15, 1939 to October 7, 1939.

What adds to this document's importance is the time it was published: just a few months before the Polish Second Republic (Druga Rzeczpospolita) ceased to exist.

The most interesting and impressive were the diesel express trains, or "Pociagi Motorowe-Ekspresowe – MtE" (some of them operated with the famous Luxtorpeda).

The MtE units achieved speeds up to 110 km/h and connected Warsaw with the most important cities, as well as major tourist areas.

The 179 km journey from Warszawa Wschodnia (Warsaw East) to Białystok Centralny was covered in 1 hour 56 minutes.

MtE trains ran from Warsaw to Łódź (a distance of 133 km in 1 hour 28 minutes), Kraków, Katowice (through either Częstochowa or Kielce), and Suwałki.

The Nord Express Warsaw – Berlin – Paris – Calais ran daily and it was the only train in Poland of the L (Luxurious) standard.

As for the south of Europe, trains ran from Warsaw to Rome, and in the summer also to three cities in Yugoslavia: Split, Sušak and Belgrade.

Passenger rail connections between the Soviet Union and Western Europe required a change of trains due to the difference in gauge.