Hungary and Austria finally connected by new motorway: Link opens this month!
From 20 September, drivers will finally be able to travel seamlessly from Körmend in Hungary to Austria’s A2 motorway via a continuous expressway. The opening of the S7 expressway section between Heiligenkreuz and Rudersdorf (Radafalva) in Austria marks the long-anticipated connection of the Hungarian M80 and Austrian S7 routes.
Until now, motorists heading towards Austria from the Hungarian M80 had to leave the modern road at Rábafüzes and use the old bypass, including traffic lights and detours. The completion of the missing S7 section now eliminates this bottleneck, allowing uninterrupted motorway-standard travel.
What the new road means
The 28-kilometre-long S7 expressway runs through southern Burgenland, linking Fürstenfeld (Fölöstöm) with the Hungarian border. With this extension, the M80 now ties directly into Austria’s road network, offering smoother travel not only for locals and commuters but also for tourists and freight traffic between the two countries.
The symbolic importance of the connection is also notable: the project represents deeper infrastructure integration between Hungary and Austria.
Festive opening before traffic launch
The new section will be officially inaugurated on 19 September with a ceremony and a running event. However, the road will only open to general traffic the following day. From then on, travellers will experience a quicker and more convenient border crossing by car.
New rules for frequent border crossers
The Hungarian Ministry of Interior has also published a draft regulation to make life easier for commuters who regularly cross the border. A special database would register frequent border crossers, simplifying and speeding up checks at crossings, G7 reports.
Applications would include personal details, travel documents, and the preferred border crossing point. According to the draft, authorities such as the police and customs would have access to this data, which would be stored for up to 180 days. The proposal aligns with EU rules and aims to reduce waiting times for those who live and work across the Hungarian–Austrian border.