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Gale-force winds uproot trees and disrupt trains in Hungary as cold front sweeps the country
A powerful cold front brought storm-force winds across Hungary on Sunday, causing widespread disruption to rail services, particularly in Transdanubia and around Lake Balaton. Fallen trees and damaged overhead lines have forced cancellations, delays and replacement buses on several major routes, railway authorities confirmed.
The national weather service, HungaroMet, issued a first-level (yellow) weather alert for the entire country as strong northerly winds intensified overnight. Gusts in exposed and mountainous areas may exceed 100 km/h, while temperatures have dropped sharply.
Major rail disruption on Balaton lines
According to MÁV, extreme winds uprooted trees and caused faults in the overhead power network, significantly affecting train operations throughout the region.
On the southern shore of Lake Balaton, trains are currently running only between Budapest and Fonyód. Fast services from Fonyód are operating separately towards Kaposvár and Pécs.
Replacement buses have been introduced on two key sections:
- Balatonszentgyörgy – Nagykanizsa
- Fonyód – Balatonszentgyörgy – Keszthely
Passengers heading to the western Balaton basin are advised to consider long-distance coach services operated by Volánbusz.
Further complications were reported between Tapolca and Keszthely, where a fallen tree blocked the tracks, causing trains to wait and leading to significant delays. Although the obstruction has since been cleared, normal timetables may only gradually resume during the late morning.
InterCity and regional changes
Several additional adjustments are in place:
- The 8:30 Balaton InterCity from Déli station to Keszthely requires a change of train at Székesfehérvár
- InterCity services are making extra stops at Lepsény
- Trains towards Budapest may depart Fonyód 20–40 minutes late, depending on replacement bus connections
- From Siófok, passengers are advised to use regional trains to Székesfehérvár, which are operating more reliably
On the Győr–Pápa line, some trains have also been replaced by scheduled buses.
Cold, windy weather to persist
The cold front is expected to bring mixed precipitation to parts of the country, with rain occasionally turning to sleet or snow showers, especially in southern and south-eastern areas. Daytime highs are forecast between 1°C and 7°C, before falling below freezing overnight.
Railway crews are working at pace to remove debris and repair infrastructure, but travellers should prepare for longer journey times and check schedules before departure.
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Authorities warn that further gusts and falling temperatures could continue to affect transport throughout the day.