Key takeaways
- The ED161 is the PESA Dart – a long-distance multiple unit built in Poland for PKP Intercity.
- The key difference from the ED160: the manufacturer. The ED160 comes from Stadler, the ED161 from PESA.
- The designation is readable: E for electric, D for long-distance multiple unit, followed by the class number.
- The distinguishing feature is the nose shape – the Dart looks more angular and wedge-shaped than the FLIRT family.
- Service routes change with timetable years and vehicle availability – never assume they're permanent.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Electric multiple unit for long-distance services |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | PESA Bydgoszcz (Poland) |
| Product name | "Dart" – the manufacturer's product name |
| Operator | PKP Intercity |
| Designation | E = electric, D = long-distance multiple unit, 161 = class number |
| Electrification system | 3 kV DC (Polish network) |
| Typical use | Long-distance services for PKP Intercity |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Angular, wedge-shaped nose – noticeably less rounded than a FLIRT
- Multi-part multiple unit with no locomotive coupled ahead
- Markings reading ED161 in PKP Intercity livery
- Pantograph on the roof of the train set, no separate locomotive
- Operating environment: Polish long-distance platforms under 3 kV DC overhead line
Updated: August 2026 – A modern long-distance multiple unit with an angular, wedge-shaped front rolls into a major Polish station: that’s the typical encounter with the PKP IC ED161, the PESA-built Dart. This page shows what to look for, what its designation reveals and how to reliably separate it from the FLIRT family.
Caught an ED161? Log the unit right away.
Class, running number, location and date in a single entry – so the sighting stays reliable in the long run.
What is the PKP IC ED161?
The ED161 is an electric long-distance multiple unit from Polish manufacturer PESA, marketed under the product name “Dart” and procured for PKP Intercity. It runs under the electrification system used throughout the Polish network, 3 kV DC.
Operationally it belongs in the same category as the ED160 from the FLIRT family: a multiple unit that needs no locomotive ahead and takes on fast long-distance duties. That’s the operational counter-movement to the classic loco-hauled train, still hauled in Poland by express passenger locomotives such as the PKP EP09. At major hub stations, both concepts are often standing within sight of one another – a scene that won’t stay this clear-cut forever.
The ED161 in the Polish designation system
Polish vehicle designations are readable once you know the principle: the first letter names the traction type, the second the purpose, followed by the class number.
| Designation | Traction | Purpose | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ED161 | E = electric | D = long-distance | Long-distance multiple unit |
| ED160 | E = electric | D = long-distance | Long-distance multiple unit |
| EN57 | E = electric | N = railcar | Regional multiple unit |
| EU07 | E = electric | U = universal | Universal locomotive |
| ET22 | E = electric | T = freight | Freight locomotive |
| SM42 | S = diesel | M = shunting | Shunting locomotive |
The product name “Dart” sits outside this system – it’s marketing from manufacturer PESA and doesn’t appear in the official vehicle designation. The same goes for FLIRT at Stadler or Impuls at Newag. Anyone spotting properly always logs the class designation, not just the product name.
The distinction isn’t just a matter of form. Product names are family designations and often cover very different vehicles: different lengths, electrification systems, speed classes and interior concepts. The class designation, by contrast, describes exactly one type for exactly one customer. If all you note is “saw a Dart”, you’re left with information that can no longer be resolved uniquely later – whereas noting ED161 with a running number gives you a solid data point.
The same logic applies to nicknames, incidentally. Fan-jargon names are handy in conversation and show you know your stuff, but they’re no substitute for documentation. In a logbook meant to still be usable in ten years, only the official designations and numbers belong – anything else can sit alongside as a note.
Every vehicle also carries a Europe-wide standardised number with the country code 51 for Poland. Where these numbers sit on the vehicle and how to read them quickly in the field is explained in the guide to finding train and vehicle numbers.
How to identify the ED161 in the field
Locomotive or not?
No separate traction vehicle at the front means: multiple unit. That immediately rules out every loco-hauled long-distance train.
Assess the nose shape
Angular and wedge-shaped points to the PESA Dart, softly rounded with a windscreen swept far down to the FLIRT family. That's the fastest filter between ED160 and ED161.
Read the livery
PKP Intercity colours narrow down the operator and rule out regional vehicles from regional customers.
Read the markings
ED161 plus the running number on the side wall is the proof. Everything before that is a probability.
Practical tip: think manufacturer, not model
With modern multiple units, asking "who built this vehicle?" often gets you there faster than trying to guess a specific model. PESA vehicles share design traits across all their types – recognise the house style and you're much quicker at identification.
Fitting it into operations
A long-distance multiple unit is designed for long routes with few stops. That determines where you’ll realistically find it – and where you’ll wait in vain.
Within Polish long-distance services, the ED161 forms the middle tier: above it the ED250 Pendolino as the high-speed vehicle, alongside it the ED160 as the second modern multiple unit, and below both the still-widespread loco-hauled trains. Stay an hour at a major hub and you have a good chance of documenting several of these tiers in one afternoon – exactly what makes major Polish stations so rewarding for spotters.
| Setting | Chance of a sighting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Major long-distance hubs in Poland | high | Long-distance routes converge there |
| Terminus stations with turnaround time | high | Calm dwell times, good front-on perspectives |
| Medium-sized towns with a long-distance stop | medium | Short stops, little time to compose a shot |
| Purely regional platforms | low | No scheduled long-distance stop |
| Depots and stabling facilities | none | Operational railway land – no access, no shot |
Vehicle deployment is a snapshot
Which route is run with which multiple-unit type changes with timetable years, engineering works and vehicle availability. Rely on current information and community sightings rather than older diagram overviews.
Check current reports before your trip
Community sightings show you which vehicles were actually out and about most recently.
Photo tips for the Dart
The angular nose shape is a photographic gift: it has clear edges that take light well and already looks three-dimensional at a slight angle.
Look for flat light
In the morning and late afternoon, the edges of the front section stand out. Midday light makes them look flat and unremarkable.
Angled rather than head-on
An angle of 30 to 45 degrees shows the nose and flank together and is what actually makes the wedge shape recognisable.
Use the end of the platform
From there the train's flank runs cleanly out of the frame. Always stay behind the safety line – track areas are off limits.
Two shots per sighting
One overall shot for the subject, one tight shot of the markings for the archive. That saves you any guesswork later.
How to turn sightings into an evaluable archive rather than a loose collection of pictures is shown in the guide to a sighting logbook. And if you want to build a general method for systematically identifying unfamiliar vehicles, you’ll find it in the guide to identifying classes.
Common mix-ups
It points to the ED161 if …
- the train is a multiple unit with no locomotive coupled ahead
- the nose shape looks angular and wedge-shaped
- it's running in PKP Intercity colours
- the markings read ED161
Take a closer look if …
- the front looks modern but not clearly angular – then the ED160 comes into question
- you only see a side view or the rear
- a special livery replaces the usual colours
It isn't an ED161 if …
- a locomotive is coupled ahead
- the train is three-part with a central pantograph and high-floor boarding
- the markings start with EN, EU or SA
Verdict
The ED161 shows how modern long-distance multiple units can be told apart without wading through data sheets: the manufacturer’s house style in the nose shape, the operator livery, the class designation. Three layers that together give a confident identification. Master the Polish letter system alongside this and you can tell, from the designation alone, what any vehicle in the country was built for.
In short
An angular multiple unit with no locomotive, in PKP Intercity colours, marked ED161: that's the PESA Dart. On the ED160, the rounded FLIRT nose plays the same role.
Collect long-distance multiple units systematically
Class, number, operator and date in one place – and you'll see which units you're still missing.
Summary
- The ED161 represents Poland's own contribution to the modern long-distance multiple unit: developed and built by PESA in Bydgoszcz.
- In the field, the nose shape is what mainly sets it apart from the FLIRT vehicles in the same service category.
- Its designation follows the Polish scheme of traction type, purpose and class number.
- Where it runs is decided by the current timetable – always check specific routes before a trip.
Frequently asked questions
What is the PKP IC ED161?
The ED161 is an electric long-distance multiple unit from the Polish manufacturer PESA of Bydgoszcz, marketed under the product name "Dart". It runs for PKP Intercity under 3 kV DC. The traction equipment and passenger space form a fixed unit – there is no separate locomotive.
What does the designation ED161 mean?
It follows the Polish system. The first letter names the traction type – E for electric – and the second the purpose: D marks long-distance service on multiple units, N regional service. The number 161 is the class number. EN57, EU07 and ET22 are built on the same pattern.
How do I tell the ED161 and ED160 apart?
By the manufacturer, and so by the styling. The ED160 belongs to Stadler's FLIRT family and has a rounded nose with a windscreen swept far down. The ED161 comes from PESA and looks more angular and wedge-shaped. In both cases, the markings on the side wall give you certainty.
Why is the train called Dart?
"Dart" is a product name from PESA, not an official code. Manufacturers give such names for marketing purposes – comparable to FLIRT at Stadler or Impuls at Newag. The operationally binding designation is ED161, and that's what appears on the vehicle too.
Does the ED161 run to Germany?
Cross-border use requires type approval for the relevant country and matching electrification systems. Poland runs on 3 kV DC, Germany on 15 kV AC. Whether and to what extent a vehicle crosses the border changes with the service offering and vehicle fit-out – check the current picture rather than assuming a blanket rule.
Where are the best chances of catching an ED161?
At major Polish long-distance hubs where long-distance routes converge, and at terminus stations with longer turnaround times. You'll rarely encounter it at purely regional platforms without long-distance stops – which holds for long-distance multiple units in general.
What belongs in a good multiple-unit sighting?
The class designation, the unit's running number, date, location and ideally the train number. For multiple units, the unit is the identifier, not a single car. An extra photo of the side markings keeps the sighting verifiable even months later.
Why does Poland build its own long-distance multiple units?
PESA is an established Polish rolling-stock manufacturer with its own development work, covering a broad range from trams to diesel railcars to long-distance multiple units. The ED161 is thus less an exception than the long-distance building block of a portfolio you encounter almost everywhere on Poland's railways.
Log your sighting of the PKP IC ED161 (DART)
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
Related classes
PKP IC ED160 (FLIRT)
The PKP IC ED160 is a Stadler FLIRT in Polish long-distance service. The familiar FLIRT silhouette meets the Polish designation system here – here's how to read both.
High-speedPKP IC ED250 (Pendolino)
The ED250 is PKP Intercity's Pendolino and Poland's fastest train in regular service. Its designation reveals traction, purpose and design speed.
EMUPESA Elf (EN76 / ED78)
The Elf is PESA's electric multiple unit family from Bydgoszcz. Its class codes EN76 and ED78 show how the Polish system encodes use rather than origin.
EMUPESA Swing
The PESA Swing is a low-floor articulated tram from Bydgoszcz. Here's how to recognise it, how to tell it apart from the Twist – and how to photograph it well.
EMUPESA Twist
The PESA Twist is the newer low-floor tram family from Bydgoszcz. Here's how to recognise it in city traffic and tell it cleanly apart from the Swing.
EMUPKP EN57
The PKP EN57 is Poland's most-built electric multiple unit and has been the face of Polish local services for decades. Here's how to identify it and its many refurbishments.
Who is behind it
Groups, brands, manufacturers and operators – who owns whom and how to recognise them out in the field.
Where to see the PKP IC ED161 (DART)
Specific viewpoints with lighting times, coordinates and an honest verdict on whether the trip is worth it.
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