Hungary has unexpectedly modified the timetable of the upgraded Budapest-Belgrade railway line, adding an additional domestic stop for international services just weeks before the route enters operation.
According to BAON, international trains will now also call at Kiskőrös, in Bács-Kiskun county, despite earlier plans for only two Hungarian stops: Kiskunhalas and the border station Kelebia.
The change was announced by Sándor Font, Member of Parliament for the region, who said he had reached an agreement with Zsolt Hegyi, CEO of the MÁV Group. Serbian partners will also be notified about the updated timetable.
Major preparations underway
Railway specialists are currently finalising the last steps before launch. These include securing the necessary operating permits, activating train control and safety systems, recruiting operating staff, publishing the final timetable, reopening station buildings and installing surveillance cameras, Világgazdaság reports.
Road safety improvements are also part of the works, with barrier systems being installed at level crossings and bus services coordinated with train departures.
All services on the line will start and terminate at Budapest Keleti railway station. The route will carry a mix of international, express, regional and suburban trains. International, express and regional services are expected to run every two hours, while suburban trains will operate hourly.
Meanwhile, the HUF 800 billion (EUR 2 billion) modernisation project is entering its testing phase.
According to Blikk, between 10 and 26 February, trains will run at higher speeds of 80–160 km/h along the Hungarian section, which stretches 166 kilometres from Budapest to Kelebia. The line has been completely rebuilt, double-tracked and electrified to allow faster and more frequent services.
During the tests, residents and drivers should expect longer waiting times at railway crossings, in some cases exceeding 20 minutes.
Several crossings will be supervised by signal guards, while pedestrian and cycle crossings will be temporarily closed when trains approach. Authorities warned that crossing the tracks during closures is strictly forbidden and dangerous.
Once fully operational, the line is expected to significantly shorten journey times between Hungary and Serbia.
According to Serbian railway officials, eight trains per day will run between Budapest and Belgrade, with two services continuing to Vienna. Travel time between Belgrade and Subotica will be reduced to around 70 minutes, while the full Budapest-Belgrade journey could take as little as 2 hours 45 minutes.
Freight services are scheduled to begin on 27 February, with passenger services likely launching between late February and mid-March.
Passenger services are likely to launch on the Budapest-Belgrade line between late February and mid-March. Photo: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter
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