MÁV faces setbacks as 1950s safety system delays Budapest–Belgrade rail line
MÁV’s flagship Budapest–Belgrade railway project is facing major delays and soaring costs after a Chinese investor abandoned plans to install modern safety equipment. With no EU-compliant alternative in place, Hungary may be forced to rely on the outdated Domino 55 system, casting doubt on the project’s ambition to modernise MÁV and its rail infrastructure.
Outdated system
As Szabad Európa writes, the Hungarian section of the Budapest–Belgrade railway is facing significant setbacks after a Chinese investor reportedly abandoned plans to install its own modern safety equipment. As a result, Hungary may be forced to rely on the Domino 55 system—a technology developed in 1955 in Switzerland. While once widely respected, this outdated device lacks software integration and relies solely on mechanical and electronic components. Industry insiders describe it as simple and robust, but ironically outdated for a project intended to usher MÁV into the future.
Chinese system fails EU standards
The core of the issue lies in incompatibility with European Union standards. While China uses standardised station designs and safety systems nationwide, Europe’s railways are far more diverse, requiring tailor-made solutions. The Chinese party, according to professional sources, was unable to adapt its technology to these requirements and has now ceased efforts to do so. The Urban and Suburban Transit Association (VEKE) highlighted this shortcoming, explaining that the complexity of European systems proved too challenging for the investor to accommodate.
Laughable speed restrictions
Despite being a fallback, even the Domino 55 system is not ready for immediate deployment. Due to its custom manufacturing requirements, installation and commissioning may take another two to three years. Until then, basic inter-station communication will be necessary, allowing only one train between stations at a time. This limits speeds on the Hungarian section to just 100 km/h, far below the 160 km/h target, and significantly behind the Serbian side, where speeds could reach 200 km/h under optimal conditions.
Mounting costs
Financially, the implications are steep. With the Chinese investor unwilling to fund non-Chinese safety systems from the loan provided, Hungary may need to cover an additional HUF 50–80 billion (EUR 123–198 million). This adds to a growing budget, already ballooned from an initial HUF 470 billion (approximately EUR 1.2 billion) to around HUF 800 billion (approximately EUR 2 billion). In response to the controversy, MÁV has maintained that the railway is being built to full EU specifications, including modern signalling and protection systems. However, it has not denied that temporary measures such as Domino 55 may be needed until permanent solutions are approved.
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