This meant they were cheaper but did not have the luxury of inter-city train coaches, he said.

BBC: Hopes for new stations but campaign wants faster trains

The inter-city train from Warsaw to Katowice was derailed at the town of Baby, near the city of Piotrkow Trybunalski, emergency services said.

BBC: Poland: Train passenger killed in derailment

Many commuter and peak-hour inter-city routes are now so crowded that passengers are having to stand for long periods, blocking any movement along the train.

ECONOMIST: Railways