A new motorway may lead to the mesmerising Danube Bend from Budapest

Based on Világgazdaság, a Hungarian economy-focused outlet, the Budapest-Esztergom motorway will be one of the most complex highway-building projects in the country, including multiple tunnels and viaducts. When ready, it will connect the Hungarian capital with the mesmerising Danube Bend, where you may visit the charming and historic towns of Esztergom, Visegrád or Vác.

Railway disaster and new motorway

János Lázár, Hungary’s construction and transport minister, has been slammed recently for the struggling Hungarian railway system, where delaying and cancelled trains and broken railway tracks have become all too common. This summer, MÁV (the Hungarian State Railways) even recommended all passengers NOT to choose their services due to the lack of air conditioning in the carriages.

Maybe that is why the minister never mentions the problems with MÁV. He regularly posts about successes and plans despite Hungary’s budgetary crisis. Yesterday, he wrote about a new Hungarian motorway on his official Facebook page, connecting Budapest and Esztergom. He added he conducted talks about the new highway with the MPs of the region, who were glad to hear the good news.

MÁV struggles with the summer heat. Photo: FB/MÁV

According to Világgazdaság, the government will announce the relevant public procurement this year, but the project is quite complex because the new road will cross hilly terrain. Világgazdaság believes tens of thousands of people living in the Southern regions of the Danube Bend would welcome the development.

One of the most complex motorway building projects

The new M100 highway will have 2X2 lanes and has been on the schedule for decades. In 2021, the Hungarian government announced the winner of the public procurement, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine killed the development just like many other road renovations and buildings. The decision-maker was János Lázár, the newly-appointed construction minister of the fifth Orbán cabinet.

Mr Lázár said in a Tuesday Facebook post that the Hungarian government’s strategic aim was to connect all Hungarian county-ranked towns with Budapest with motorways. Today, three towns still lack such expressways and the time for Esztergom has come.

The M100 will be one of the most spectacular and expensive Hungarian highways. It will be 32.3 kilometres long, but its plans contain at least four valley bridges, six tunnels, and six intersections. Therefore, the cost goes up to HUF 14 billion (EUR 35.57 million) per kilometre. The number of bridges needed is above 50.

Photo: FB/János Lázár

Years ago, the estimated cost was around EUR 890 million, but now it is higher. The calculated time was at least seven years.

Co-ruling Fidesz and KDNP MPs Eszter Vitályos, Gábor Erős, and Zoltán Tessely took part in the discussion with the minister.

János Lázár, Tamás Menczer and Eszter Vitályos. Photo: FB/János Lázár

Trucks “terrorising” small settlements

Mr Menczer said cars must wait hours bumper to bumper in the morning peak between Solymár and Budapest. Therefore, the region badly needs an expressway connection. He added the railway line had been revamped recently, and only new Stadler trains carried passengers there. But even if some people choose public transport, trucks will remain, touching charming small settlements like Piliscsaba, Pilisjászfalu, Páty and Perbál in the Buda Hills. And that is unfavourable for locals and transport companies, as well.

According to Menczer, Lázár promised to announce the relevant public procurement concerning the new highway this year. The road obtained a construction permit years ago. Furthermore, he said the government would start planning the M10 bypass (2X2 lanes) between Budapest and Kesztölc.

Read also:

• These new motorways will be ready in Hungary in 2024 – read more HERE
• The new highway between Budapest and Esztergom can make everyday life easier for thousands