Poland's state railway company, PKP Intercity, has introduced a new high-speed train service, the "Sprinter," which now connects Warsaw and Białystok in just 98 minutes.

This new service, launched on Sunday, significantly reduces travel time between the capital and the eastern city by operating without any stops along the route. The "Sprinter" is part of a pilot project designed to offer a faster alternative to road travel.

While a car journey between Warsaw and Białystok typically takes about 2 hours and 8 minutes, according to Google Maps, the new train service cuts that down to just over an hour and a half.

Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Piotr Malepszak announced that another "Sprinter" train is expected to be introduced by the end of the year, as part of broader plans to make the 180-kilometer route a competitive option to driving on the S8 highway.

The "Sprinter" will run hourly, serving the route that accommodates approximately 1 million passengers annually. Photo by Actuell37, Wikimedia commons.