Breaking! EUR 1 billion high-speed airport rail and new cargo aviation hub for Budapest

National Economy Minister Márton Nagy announced a government decision to build a EUR 1bn rapid airport rail link between Liszt Ferenc International Airport and Nyugati Station, in the centre of Budapest, at a press conference on Tuesday.

Nagy said the government had also decided on the construction of a new cargo airport at a cost of between EUR 400m and EUR 1bn. Both investments will be completed in a concession framework, he added.

Airport rail to facilitate travel

The rail link would require the addition of a new line only between the airport and the capital’s District X. The concession tender could be called within six months. The minister emphasised that there will be no direct railway line between the two destinations, but it will be integrated into the national railway network, making it easier to reach the airport not only from the city centre but also from surrounding towns.

Nagy noted that passenger traffic at Liszt Ferenc had climbed by an annual 14pc, on average, in recent years, and reached a record 17.6 million in 2024. Annual passenger numbers could exceed 20 million by 2030 and reach 35 million by 2040, he added. Nagy said cargo turnover at the airport would soon reach full capacity of 400,000-450,000 tonnes a year.

The cargo airport could be built next to the current airport, so the rail development would not only benefit passenger transport but also cargo transport.

Work is starting

“Work is starting, we’re picking a spot for the cargo airport and looking for the right investors,” the minister said. He added that they’re only interested in partners who will not only build the facility but also fill it with actual traffic.
The exact route of the high-speed railway is not yet known, but according to the minister, based on the existing railway tracks, it is almost certain that the investment will not affect residential areas. The government is weighing 5-6 possible locations for a new cargo airport, greenfield and brownfield, he said. The site must be remote from residential areas to ensure non-stop operation and be close to railway and road infrastructure, he added.

As most cargo at Liszt Ferenc comes from Asia, including 43pc from China, the project is expected to draw the interest of investors from China, the Middle East, Kazakhstan or Azerbaijan, he said.

He said that the more than HUF 100 billion in dividends paid by Budapest Airport this year will go into the budget. In the longer term, the state expects dividends of HUF 20-30 billion per year from the airport, and he also pointed out that the government was able to realise HUF 200 billion in dividends from MVM, Index reports.

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