Safety Issues of the Rail Transport System in Poland during COVID-19: A Review Based on Statistics and Research

The paper presents the characteristics of the rail transport system, including passenger and freight transport during the Covid-19 pandemic. The entities responsible for the safety of the railway sector were presented, among which were the Railway Transport Office, the company PKP PLK S.A., and the Railroad Security Guard, which played the most critical role. The paper presents statistical data for railway accidents and casualties in 2018–2021. It was noted that the Covid-19 pandemic significantly reduced passenger and freight transport. 2021 was the European Year of Railways; it was also an exceptional, demanding, and significant year for changes taking place on the railways. Throughout this time, the Office of Rail Transport promoted rail as a safe, ecological, and comfortable means of transport. Based on statistics and empirical research, the main problems of the railway sector were discussed, and the research hypothesis was verified positively.