Why is the Świecko area strategic for European logistics?
Świecko is not just one of several border crossings between Poland and Germany. It is the point where Poland’s A2 motorway ends and Germany’s A12 begins, where transit traffic of European scale, not merely local traffic, converges, and it sits closer to central Berlin than many German towns do. These three facts together explain why this stretch of western Poland has drawn the attention of developers and warehouse tenants for years.
In the previous article in the series I showed how to calculate the profitability of a warehouse investment using yield, ROI, cash flow and cap rate. In this article I return to the location itself and answer the question of why the Świecko area is today one of the most important points on the logistics map of Central Europe.
Why Świecko, and not another border crossing?
Several road crossings operate along the Polish German border, including Świecko, Kostrzyn nad Odrą, and Gubin. They do not all serve the same function. Świecko has long stood out because it concentrates transit traffic of European significance, while several of the other crossings handle mostly local and regional traffic between neighbouring towns on either side of the border.
The reason is straightforward. Świecko is where Poland’s A2 motorway meets Germany’s A12 directly, creating a continuous, seamless road corridor between Warsaw and Berlin. No other crossing on this section of the border offers such a direct link between the two motorway networks.
The A2 motorway: a direct link into Germany’s road network
The A2 motorway, known as the Motorway of Freedom, runs from the Polish German border at Świecko through Poznań and Łódź to Warsaw, and is planned to eventually reach the border with Belarus. On the German side, just past the border bridge over the Oder near Frankfurt an der Oder, the A2 flows directly into the A12 autobahn, which leads towards Berlin.
Since Poland joined the Schengen Area in December 2007, border checks at this crossing have been removed, so vehicles cross without stopping for inspection. In practice this means a continuous, uninterrupted transport corridor linking Western Europe with Poland and, beyond it, the Baltic states and Eastern Europe.
The importance of this node is underlined by an infrastructure project currently underway: an upgrade of the A2 near the border at Świecko, including a new connection between the motorway and the border bridge, aimed at increasing capacity for transit traffic. Work is expected to start in 2026 and finish in 2027, which in itself shows that both the Polish and German sides treat this corridor as an infrastructure priority rather than a peripheral connection.
How close is Berlin, really?
The distance from the border at Świecko to Berlin’s ring road (the Schönefelder Kreuz interchange on the A10) is around 72 kilometres. Reaching the city centre adds roughly 30 to 40 kilometres more, depending on the exact destination. In practice, this means goods leaving a warehouse right at the Świecko border can reach central Berlin in around an hour, and the edges of the metropolitan area even faster.
For comparison, the distance from Poznań to Berlin is already around 270 kilometres and takes more than two and a half hours to drive, while from Warsaw it is close to 575 kilometres and around five hours. No other major Polish warehouse location offers such a short drive to one of Europe’s largest consumer and economic markets.
It is this proximity, more than the mere presence of a motorway, that is the key argument for companies looking to serve the German market from the Polish side of the border: lower land and labour costs while keeping essentially the same delivery time as a warehouse located on the German side.
Germany: Poland’s largest trading partner
Geographic proximity would matter far less for logistics if it were not backed by the sheer scale of trade between the two countries. In 2025, trade turnover between Poland and Germany crossed 180 billion euro for the first time, reaching 180.41 billion euro. Germany remains Poland’s largest trading partner, and exports to Germany account for around 27% of all Polish exports.
The relationship works both ways. From Germany’s perspective, Poland climbed into the top four export markets in 2025, overtaking Italy and China, and German imports from Poland were the only ones among Germany’s top twenty trading partners to post double digit growth. In other words, the Warsaw, Poznań, Świecko, Berlin corridor is not simply a transit route towards the rest of Western Europe. It is the main channel for one of the most intensive trading relationships on the continent.
Świecko as a logistics node, not just a border crossing
It is worth distinguishing between a border crossing and a logistics node. A border crossing is a point that traffic passes through on its way somewhere else. A logistics node is a place where it makes economic sense to stop goods, reload them, consolidate shipments, or begin the next stage of distribution.
Over time, Świecko has been shifting more clearly from the first category into the second. A direct connection into both countries’ motorway networks, the absence of border controls, and proximity to Berlin mean that companies planning distribution into the German market, and more broadly into Western Europe, can treat this location as a natural consolidation point rather than simply a place to pass through on the way to a warehouse deeper inside Germany.
What this means for warehouse investors and tenants
For companies considering serving the German market from the Polish side of the border, a location near Świecko means, in practice, access to a trading relationship worth more than 180 billion euro a year, while keeping a roughly one hour drive to Berlin and lower operating costs than on the German side of the border. This is exactly the logic behind the warehouse projects taking shape in this area, including Gateway A2, which allows for the development of around 80,000 sqm of warehouse and logistics space directly on the A2 motorway at the German border.
FAQ: why Świecko matters for European logistics
Why Świecko specifically, and not another crossing into Germany?
Because Świecko is where Poland’s A2 motorway connects directly with Germany’s A12, creating a continuous road corridor between Warsaw and Berlin. Most other crossings along this border handle mainly local and regional traffic.
How far is Berlin from the Świecko border?
Around 72 kilometres to Berlin’s ring road, and roughly 100 to 110 kilometres to the city centre in total, which under good driving conditions means about an hour on the road.
Are there border checks at the Świecko crossing?
No. Since Poland joined the Schengen Area in December 2007, border checks at this crossing have been removed, and traffic passes through without stopping for inspection.
How large is trade between Poland and Germany?
In 2025, trade turnover between the two countries crossed 180 billion euro for the first time, and Germany remains Poland’s largest trading partner, accounting for around 27% of Polish exports.
Are there infrastructure projects planned at Świecko?
Yes. An upgrade of the A2 near the border, including a new connection to the border bridge, is underway to increase capacity for transit traffic. Work is expected to start in 2026 and finish in 2027.
Summary
Świecko’s strategic importance for European logistics comes from the combination of three factors: a direct, seamless connection between the A2 and A12 motorways, a distance to Berlin measured in kilometres rather than hundreds of kilometres, and the scale of trade between Poland and Germany, which crossed 180 billion euro in 2025. This is a rare combination of infrastructure, geography and real trade volume, and it is why the Świecko area is today one of the most natural locations for warehouses serving the German market, and Western Europe more broadly, from the Polish side of the border.
If you are considering a warehouse location to serve the German market, get in touch with EcoProperty and take a look at the Gateway A2 project.
What’s next
In the next article in the series I take a closer look at Świecko, this time from the perspective of a concrete investment offer. I answer the question: Świecko, a logistics gateway between Poland and Germany, showing what the Gateway A2 project looks like from the perspective of a company looking for warehouse space in this location.
Sources used in this article
Polish German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Polska), “Poland closing in on France as a trading partner of Germany.” Data on Poland Germany trade turnover in 2025 (EUR 180.41 billion) and Poland’s position among Germany’s trading partners.
https://www.ahk.pl/pl/aktualnosci/2026/polska-dogania-francje-jako-partner-handlowy-niemiec
Trade.gov.pl, “Central and Eastern Europe and Poland becoming more important for German trade.” Data on Germany as Poland’s largest trading partner and on the structure of Polish foreign trade.
pieniadze24.com, “German foreign trade 2025: exports, imports and main partners.” Data on Poland’s rise into Germany’s top four export markets and the double digit growth in German imports from Poland.
Wikipedia, “A2 autostrada (Poland)” and “Świecko.” Technical data on the route of the A2 motorway, its direct connection to Germany’s A12 near Frankfurt an der Oder, and the removal of border checks in December 2007 under Schengen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A2_autostrada_(Poland)
przewodnik-po-berlinie.pl, “How to drive to Berlin by car.” Data on the distance from the Świecko border to the Schönefelder Kreuz interchange (approx. 72 km) and onward to central Berlin.
TRUCKER ON ROAD, “Świecko border rebuild: new connection between the A2 motorway and the border bridge.” Information on the planned upgrade of the Świecko border crossing in 2026 to 2027.