Liberalization without a Regulator. The Rail Freight Transport Market in Poland in the Years 1996-2009

Abstract

This article focuses on the liberalization process of the railway freight transport market in Poland between 1997 and 2009. It shows that the increase in traffic and the fall in prices that occurred in this period took place not because of ‘effective regulation’ but despite its absence. This can indicate that introducing competition in railway freight transport could be profitable where there is significant demand for bulk and containers freight services and the railway infrastructure is well-developed.

Keywords

• railway transport
• economic regulation
• market liberalization