The 18-Hour Train to Frankfurt Airport
Leo Express will launch a new direct train on 25 June, linking Przemyśl in south-eastern Poland with Frankfurt and Frankfurt Airport. The 1,300-kilometre route will cross Poland, Czechia and Germany, making it one of Europe’s longest direct rail services. Przemyśl sits close to the Ukrainian border, giving the line a wider role for regional travel during the busy summer season.
The service will run once daily in both directions, connecting large cities without a change of train. After leaving Przemyśl, it will serve Kraków, Ostrava, Prague, Dresden, Leipzig and Erfurt before continuing to Frankfurt. The route gives Saxony and Thuringia an early rail link towards Frankfurt Airport, while the eastbound train heads back towards south-eastern Poland on the same direct line.
“With this new route, we are also removing the iron curtains between Western and Eastern Europe, connecting important European centres and providing access to Ukraine. In Germany, we are creating an alternative to existing operators."
Times, fares and onboard basics
Leo Express says the full journey will take up to 18 and a half hours. The train is aimed at long-distance rail users as well as passengers heading directly to Frankfurt Airport on one service.
- Launch: 25 June 2026
- Frequency: daily both ways
- Fares: from €10, about £9
- Westbound: Przemyśl 13:31; Frankfurt Airport 07:53 next day
- Eastbound: Frankfurt Airport 08:27; Przemyśl 02:23 next day
- On board: Wi-Fi, sockets, refreshments, air conditioning
The direct train will make city-hopping easier across Central Europe. Kraków, Prague, Dresden, Leipzig and Erfurt sit on the same timetable, so travellers can plan a longer rail trip around several stops instead of treating each city as a separate journey. Frankfurt Airport also becomes reachable by train from more places on the corridor, with early arrival useful before flights.
The main value is the direct overnight link into Frankfurt Airport. Travellers starting in Przemyśl or joining in Kraków, Prague, Dresden or Leipzig can reach the airport without changing trains, with arrival scheduled before the morning flight rush. For longer rail trips, the route also makes it easier to combine several Central European cities on one direct line.
