Hungarian motorway reaches Croatian border, runs into nowhere – PHOTOS
Construction of the extremely costly M6 motorway in Hungary has been completed. Interestingly, the road runs into nowhere at the Croatian border.
An expensive motorway that runs into nowhere
Telex has spotted that Főmterv, the company involved in the design of the last section of the M6, has posted pictures of the motorway running into nowhere. The motorway, which is almost completely paved, comes to an abrupt halt at the Croatian border, and there is nothing but endless farmland beyond.
Despite the terrible cost, traffic on the M6 motorway is very light. In August 2019, Unitef ’83 and Főmterv completed the technical and permitting plans for the section up to the border, Telex explains. In December 2020, the winner of the contractor tender was announced. Strabag was awarded the contract at a very high price (even though it was still cheaper than its competitors) of HUF 88.7 billion (EUR 236.7 million). This represents a road construction cost of HUF 4.5 billion (EUR 12 million) per kilometre.
Handover date is next January, but the Croatian part is not ready yet
The state shown in the photo is not yet final, the contractor will have everything ready by November, with an official handover date of 14 January 2024. However, the continuation in Croatia is not yet ready. The Croatian government was due to tender for the construction last year, but the date has been pushed back to this year. It is not yet known when it will take place.
As Telex writes, in the distant future, an international transport corridor (the pan-European corridor 5C) will run here, from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic (to the city of Ploče), including the Hungarian M6 and its Croatian continuation, the A5 motorway, as well as the still very rudimentary Bosnian section via Zenica and Sarajevo.
Still a long time before we can use the whole motorway
The 88.6-km-long A5 in Croatia is in good shape: from Osijek south to the Bosnian border, it was completed earlier and the section almost to the Hungarian border was opened last December. As the tendering process has slipped compared to the original plans, the 2024 completion date is unlikely to be met. This means that the missing link between the Hungarian M6 and the Croatian A5 will not be in place for at least a year.
Hungary among the best destinations for solo travellers!
Bounce, which offers luggage storage options in cities around the world, has sought out the best, safest and most affordable destinations for solo travellers. Hungary is also in the top ten of this year’s Bounce Solo Travel Index.
Bounce offers luggage storage in cities around the world. The company has now looked for the best, safest and most affordable destinations for solo travellers. The survey looked at leisure and restaurant options, public transport, food and accommodation prices. It also took into account the number of accommodation options, crime and safety indicators and the weather (average annual temperature and rainfall), turizmus.com reports.
European countries performed particularly well in the 2023 Solo Travel Index, but there are also Asian destinations in the top 10. Most importantly, Hungary is also in the top 10 best destinations for people travelling alone.
10. Israel
The country is a fascinating destination, a melting pot of cultures, traditions and customs, according to a compilation reviewed by Reisereporter.
9. Singapore
The Asian country is known for, among other things, its versatile high-end cuisine, bustling street markets and exciting restaurant scene. It is well worth exploring.
7. Spain and Hungary
With the same score, 6.01 out of 10, the two countries actually share 7th and 8th place. Hungary is in the top ten thanks to its cultural cities and spa resorts (Budapest, Veszprém, Hévíz, Eger, Hajdúszoboszló), cheap public transport, food and accommodation. Our recommendation: luggage storage in Budapest
6. Greece
One of the reasons why the destination is so popular with solo travellers is the sheer number of attractions, with 185 for every 100,000 people. In addition, the low cost of accommodation is another reason why it tops the ranking.
5. Iceland
The “Land of Fire and Ice” is known for its breathtaking landscapes, natural wonders and many film locations. Iceland has the most attractions per 100,000 inhabitants (583) of all the destinations surveyed.
4. Portugal
The country’s low prices for restaurants and hotels, among other things, have secured it fourth place: these services cost almost half as much in Portugal as in Iceland.
3. Slovenia
The country has jumped six places in the ranking since the 2021 assessment. According to Bounce, Slovenia is as beautiful as Austria or Switzerland, but without the tourist crowds. It is also much cheaper, with a night in a hostel costing around EUR 22. It should also be pointed out that Slovenia is one of the safest of all the countries surveyed.
2. Malta
The island country’s high average annual temperature (around 20 degrees Celsius) and low average rainfall make it an ideal destination. Malta is known for its historic attractions and dreamy beaches, and the capital Valletta is particularly worth a trip.
1. Croatia
With beautiful beaches, coves, islands and unspoilt national parks, the country offers a wealth of outdoor activities to tempt solo travellers. Croatia has 17 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants and accommodation is very affordable, with hostels costing an average of €13 a night. The country’s high safety rating (75.4 out of 100) and low crime rate (24.6 out of 100) make it one of the safest destinations in the ranking.
Hungarian delegation visits Croatia geothermal plant
A Hungarian delegation led by Csaba Latorcai, a state secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, visited Croatia’s sole geothermal power plant designed by Hungarians in Bjelovar-Bilogora County on Thursday.
Hungary’s government wants to support the construction of plants in Hungary like the 16.5 MW one in Bjelovar-Bilogora, Latorcai told MTI by phone.
“We would like more and more plants like this to be built in our country, since the Hungarian government, too, is committed to green energy,” he said, noting that Hungary’s recovery plan allocated a significant amount of funding towards the development of green energy.
Latorcai said Hungarian state-owned energy company MVM planned to build eight geothermal plants to make Hungary “as green as possible”.
“We, of course, are hopeful that other investors will see the potential in this, as Hungary also offers incredible opportunities at the European level when it comes to geothermal energy, which we must make use of,” he said.
Is the Croatian coast or Lake Balaton cheaper?
Holidays on the Croatian coast and at Lake Balaton have become exponentially more expensive in recent years. Spending a week at Lake Balaton mid-summer is considered a luxury by many nowadays. Locals believe that even Croatia can be less pricey.
According to data from Ynsight Research, Hungarians deem the holiday expenses at Lake Balaton to be out of proportion to the quality of local service. Although many vacationers are dissatisfied with the rapid surge in prices, they still visit Lake Balaton every year. This suggests that the appeal of Lake Balaton outweighs the hefty cost. In addition, others reckon that the prices on the Croatian coast have also jumped and even surpassed the Greek and Turkish price levels.
How much a week costs you at Lake Balaton?
According to haszon.hu, two people can book a week at a guesthouse-type accommodation with breakfast at Lake Balaton for HUF 175,000 (EUR 466.48), on average. Four people have to dig deeper in their pockets as the average price is HUF 350,000 (EUR 932.95) in their case. Nevertheless, if you are lucky, you can find accommodation in a four-star hotel for HUF 365,000 (EUR 972.94) for two people, and HUF 730,000 (EUR 1,945.87) for four. However, note that the average cost may differ slightly, for example, depending on whether you request all-inclusive or half-board.
Varying prices in Croatia
On the Croatian coast, a group of four can spend a week at a boarding house with half-board between HUF 330-440 thousand (EUR 879.64-1,172.85). For example, the price of a 7-day family getaway in a three-star hotel in Crikveniá sits at HUF 880,000 (EUR 2,345.71), while in a four-star hotel, it creeps up to HUF 1 million (EUR 2,665.58). The prices in Rijeka are more or less similar. However, in the settlement of Vrsar in Instria County, 6 nights in a four-star hotel, self-catering, costs HUF 575,000 (EUR 1,519.38) for two people. On the Makarska Riviera, a four-star hotel stay with breakfast costs HUF 380,000 (EUR 1,012.92) for two people.
Prices can vary significantly in Croatia. In Kvarner Bay, in Selce, you can spend a week in a 3-star hotel for HUF 400,000 (EUR 1,066.23), but the same in Rovinj, Istria, costs HUF 725,000 (EUR 1,932.54) in a 4-star hotel. If you prefer the country’s natural beauty over its spectacular beaches, you can get your hands on a 3-star deal for as cheap as HUF 125,466 (EUR 334.44) at the Plitvice Lakes.
Overall, the Croatian coast proves to be more affordable when it comes to mid-level accommodation. Having said that, if you want to up the notch, Lake Balaton can be a better option.
Croatia helicopter crash: Coffins of Hungarian victims taken home
The coffins of the three Hungarian soldiers who died in a military helicopter crash in central Croatia last week were received with military honours at a ceremony at an army base in Szolnok on Tuesday.
The soldiers, Captain Ádám Radnai, Lieutenant Dávid Konrád and Ensign Tamés Lőrincz, were on board the helicopter which crashed during an exercise in Croatia on June 21. We reported on the tragedy HERE.
Their coffins covered with the Hungarian national flag were taken to a hangar at the base in front of a line of servicemen paying a salute.
At the ceremony, Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said “today is the day of mourning”, adding that the three Hungarian soldiers had died serving their country. He expressed on behalf of the government, the defence ministry and the Hungarian Armed Forces the deepest condolences to the families of the deceased.
An investigation into the circumstances of the crash is still ongoing, he said, noting that the site of the crash is “an extremely difficult terrain”. The results of the investigation will be released to the public once those are available, the minister said.
The ceremony was attended by the victims’ family members, Hungarian army chief Gábor Böröndi and local politicians.
Hungarian leaders from Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia met at the Adriatic
Hungarian parties beyond the border must represent the interests of the Hungarians who want to prosper in their homeland, János Árpád Potápi, state secretary for Hungarian communities beyond the border, said at a Carpathian Basin roundtable held on Saturday in Rijeka (Fiume).
Potápi said it was agreed at the roundtable that the chief achievement of national community policy of the past 13 years had been strengthening Hungarian communities in the Carpathian Basin. He said central Europe, including Hungarians of the Carpathian Basin, had confronted a tough situation in the wake of the epidemic, the Russian-Ukrainian war and European sanctions, “and responses to challenges must be found together”.
All these factors would have had a far worse effect had these communities not pulled together, he said. Also, census data, he added, indicated that Hungarian populations were dwindling in all regions beyond the border as well as in Hungary. “Without our work, the rates [of deterioration] would be far worse,” he said. Potápi noted that throughout the Carpathian Basin, “very important elections” were coming up, “and we must work together to make sure that Hungarian parties do well…”
Attending the roundtable at the headquarters of the Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia (HMDK) were Hunor Kelemen, leader of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), István Pásztor of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ), László Brenzovics of the Cultural Alliance of Hungarians in Sub-Carpathia (KMKSZ), Hungarian Community Party, Róbert Jankovics of the HMDK and Orbán Dusan of the Hungarian Self-Governing Ethnic Community of Pomurje, as well as staff of the State Secretariat for Hungarian Communities Abroad who maintain contacts with these leaders on a daily basis.
Body of third Hungarian soldier found after helicopter crash in Croatia
The body of the third Hungarian soldier who died in a helicopter crash in Croatia on Wednesday has been found.
As we reported yesterday, a Hungarian military helicopter crashed in Croatia. It was known that two of the three soldiers on board had died, but the third was still being sought.
On Thursday morning, n1info.hr reported that a third body, believed to be under the wreckage of the helicopter, had been found.
According to reports, the body will be removed from under the wreckage today, Thursday.
Two Airbus H145 helicopters of the Hungarian Air Force have been on a training mission in Croatia. According to unofficial reports, the accident may have been caused by the pilot of the aircraft failing to notice a wire rope stretched on a cableway, which the aircraft caught on and then crashed. No explanation has yet been given as to why the helicopter flew so low that it could not avoid the rope stretched over the Cikola stream, index.hu reports.
Two killed in crash of Hungarian military helicopter in Croatia
On Wednesday, a Hungarian military helicopter crashed, killing two and leaving a third crew member missing.
Croatia’s N1 reports that the Hungarian Armed Forces helicopter was taking part in a training exercise in Croatia when it crashed. Two bodies were found, the third crew member is still being sought.
The accident occurred in the Cikola Canyon and the Ministry of Defence said: “The rescue teams have found the wreckage of the helicopter, and during their search they have so far found the bodies of 2 soldiers, while a third is still being searched. The Ministry of Defence has immediately begun to inform the families, and the Ministry of Defence and the Hungarian Defence Forces will keep the families informed of developments.”
The Croatian Ministry of Defence and the Croatian mountain rescue service confirmed the news to 24Sata, as well as the fact that the helicopter was Hungarian. It also emerged that the plane did not crash in the Krk National Park, but in a Natura 2000 area.
UPDATE
Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky also voiced his condolences, adding that his ministry would arrange for the funeral rites.
The minister said a search for the third crew member was under way. He added that a committee from the Croatian air force, the country’s chief of staff, and political leaders were at the site.
Gábor Böröndi, chief of staff of the Hungarian military, and an expert team are on their way to Croatia, the minister said. Details of the accident will be made public once the investigation is completed, he added.
The minister declined to comment on press reports suggesting that the helicopter had collided with a steel cable.
Before the investigation is concluded, the Hungarian military will not fly its helicopters of the same type, Szalay-Bobrovniczky answered to another question.
Important change for the popular train from Budapest to the Croatian coast
The Adria InterCity connecting Budapest with Split on the Croatian coast is running again this year from 9 June. Advance tickets for the international service had been available from the beginning of April. Since then, almost 9,000 people have booked a seat in a couchette or sleeper car. Due to increased travel demand, a change to the overnight train service will take effect from 16 June.
Increased demand – hurry up if you want to book seats!
Since the launch of the sale at the beginning of April, almost 9,000 people have already booked seats on the Adria InterCity, Pénzcentrum reports. This is an outstanding figure, as a total of 11,900 people chose the direct rail journey between Budapest and Split during the whole of last year’s tourist season.
This year, the Adria InterCity is so popular that more than 80 percent of the seats in the highest-quality sleeper coaches have already been booked. For this reason, all those who would like to travel in the 1-3 berth sleeper cabins, should hurry to buy their tickets. These cabins offer more comfort, are more ideal for couples and smaller families and also offer a higher level of service.
Adria InterCity: What is the change exactly?
In order to meet travel demand, MÁV-START adds an extra couchette to the Adria InterCity trains from 16 June. Thus, the capacity of each train will be increased by up to 50 passengers.
The Adria InterCity is ideal for those planning a holiday in Croatia, as it arrives in the centre of Split, in the immediate vicinity of the Old Town and the port. In addition, you can spend most of the journey sleeping, so you can arrive relaxed and enjoy the journey as part of your holiday experience. A wide range of food and drink is available on board the train throughout the journey.
Timetable and stops
From 9 June to 30 September, the train departs from Budapest every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, and from Split every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Split and the Croatian coast can be easily reached by train not only from Budapest, as the train also stops at Székesfehérvár, Siófok, Fonyód, Balatonszentgyörgy, Nagykanizsa, Gyékényes, and in Croatia at Knin, Perković, Kaštel Stari, Split predgrađe, mavcsoport.hu reports.
Volánbusz launches holiday services to the Adriatic
Not only MÁV, but also Volánbusz is trying to bring the breathtaking Croatia closer to Hungary. From 23 June to 27 August, the Adriatic Express will offer direct and low-cost bus services to Croatia’s most beautiful cities of Rijeka, Opatija, Pula, Rovinj and Poreč, departing from Budapest on Fridays every week, with connections to Siófok and Nagykanizsa, iho.hu reports.
During the summer, Volánbusz operates comfortable, air-conditioned premium buses to the most beautiful cities in Croatia. Holidaymakers can travel to the aforementioned cities at a discounted price of up to HUF 9450/ride (EUR 25.25) (“MiniÁr”, meaning “MiniPrice”), without changing buses.
The Adriatic Express will depart every Friday from 23 June to 27 August from Budapest, Népliget bus station at 10:30 PM and return every Sunday at 7:15 AM. You can also connect to the service at Siófok, bus station and Nagykanizsa, bus station.
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are not available on the bus. Buy your tickets now HERE!
Crossing the Hungarian-Croatian, Hungarian-Serbian borders changes fundamentally
Traffic will change at the southern “gate” of Hungary, the Serbian-Hungarian border crossing near Röszke. Furthermore, you will be able to cross the Croatian-Hungarian border faster soon.
According to Pénzcentrum, border check will change at the busiest Hungarian-Serbian border crossing station near Röszke. That is because authorities will check EU and third-country individuals in different lanes. Police told press they will introduce the new border check system on 26 June. Signs above the gates will show motorists which lane they can use. The reason is international agreements and police expect the border control process will become quicker thanks to the change. If experience supports the idea, the temporary modification will become constant.
Meanwhile, Hungarian and Croatian authorities began dismantling the border crossing station buildings at the Croatian-Hungarian border near Letenye. As a result, drivers can cross the border without reducing speed. Furthermore, lorries will not have to leave the M7 motorway, napi.hu said. Work started on 12 April, and the buildings had been dismantled by mid-May. Furthermore, by the beginning of the touristic season, the road will be renewed to help motorists. Croatia joined the Schengen Zone this January.
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán sends greetings to Croatian counterpart on national holiday
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Monday sent his greetings to Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenkovic on the occasion of Statehood Day of Croatia, Orbán’s press chief said.
“National sovereignty is one of the most important values for us here in central Europe,” Orbán said in the letter marking the national holiday.
“We are proud that Hungary was among the first countries to assure Croatia of its support [in achieving statehood] and was also among the first countries to recognise the country’s independence,” he added.
Bertalan Havasi cited Orbán saying that Croatia’s Schengen accession was also a common historic success for Hungary and central Europe. Eliminating the internal borders of the European community brings several new opportunities in developing ties, in economic cooperation, and also in terms of citizens’ daily lives, he added.
At the same time, Orbán said that protecting the external borders of Schengen was a common responsibility. “We must succeed as neighbourly Schengen countries in the protection of a southern borders, and I can assure you that my country is ready to give all its support to Croatia,” Orbán said in his letter.
PHOTOS: Travel to the Adriatic from Budapest by train
The Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) offers relatively cheap international train tickets between Budapest and Split touching Zagreb and with a connection to the Northern Croatian seashore with Rijeka (Fiume) and Pula (Póla) on the Istria peninsula.
According to the official website of MÁV, you can easily get to the astonishing islands of Brac and Hvar from Split. You can reach Zagreb easily with daytime direct trains. Furthermore, you can travel to Pélmonostor (Beli Manastir, East Croatia, close to the Serbian border) from Pécs and Villány by passenger trains.
Moreover, from 9 June until 23 September, you can travel by night trains to Split every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. The return journey is on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. HERE you may find everything about those two Croatian railway possibilities. You can find the details about the one-way trip on the left side of the table. The right side of it contains data on the return journey. Would you like to check out the journey on a map? HERE is the official one.
The prices are relatively cheap. The ticket prices from Budapest to Zagreb begin from EUR 15 to Rijeka, Pula and Eszék from EUR 24, and Split from EUR 30. However, you only have to pay EUR 5 for kids (6-15). Children under 6 travel for free. Those prices are valid for 2nd class travel. For the 1st class, there will be additional fees. HERE you can buy your ticket.
There are special offers. For example, you can buy a cabin for 4-6 people for EUR 209. If you have a Start Klub card, you can buy tickets cheaper. Moreover, you can buy an Interrail ticket for Croatia for only EUR 62 (for adults), and EUR 54 (for people under 26).
Expert: Fuel prices will increase significantly in Hungary after hurtful deal
József Balogh, a Hungarian energy expert, said that the MOL Group signed a disadvantageous oil delivery agreement out of necessity. However, the result will be higher fuel prices soon.
According to index.hu, the Janaf Croatian crude oil pipeline operator and the Hungarian gas and oil giant, MOL, signed an agreement about the shipment of 2.9 million tonnes of crude oil. Mr Balogh believes MOL did not have a choice but to accept the new deal. But it is very disadvantageous for the company.
The Hungarian company will pay several times any reasonable current market benchmark for the Croatian firm. Balogh told ATV that the agreement was much more important for the Hungarians than for the Croatians. That is why the price had to be accepted.
Fuel prices will soar again
MOL has to produce fuels from non-Russian crude oil in their Bratislava refinery in Slovakia due to EU sanctions. That is how they can satisfy needs in the nearby markets. However, non-Russian oil can be delivered only through the Adriatic Sea and via a pipeline running through Croatia. That is the Hungarian company’s only alternative. The other reason is that it is one of the strategic aims of MOL to diversify its supply since the Druzhba pipeline crosses Ukraine, and a possible sabotage or attack is always imaginable. That is what Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenskyy suggested.
Eszter Bujdos, the CEO of holtankoljak.hu, thinks that the unfavourable deal will cause increasing fuel prices in Hungary. We do not see MOL’s expenditure structure or how the changing cost of the raw material modified, she added. “But such a high fee will raise prices”, Mrs Bujdos highlighted.
Index did not share the price MOL will pay for the Croatian crude. Reuters wrote MOL and Janaf did not disclose the transit fees. The news outlet added “Janaf and MOL have been in drawn-out talks over transit fees. MOL’s chairman said last month that the Croatian company wanted to raise fees on the Adriatic pipeline to four times the benchmark fee charged on the Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan (BTC) Pipeline.”
The view from MOL’s new skyscraper headquarters in Budapest:
Like in the good old days: Hungary’s military protects Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia
The Hungarian Air Force will protect the airspace of Slovakia, Slovenia and partly Croatia. Why do we write “good old days”? Because of our common History. Before the Peace Treaty of Trianon (1920), the Hungarian military protected these lands from hostilities. The Armed Forces of Hungary is on the verge of a “historic opportunity” to become a reformed, capable and dedicated military force, Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said on Friday, addressing a National Defence Day celebration, MTI wrote.
Temporarily, Hungary and Italy will protect Croatia’s airspace, a local newspaper wrote. The Croatian defence minister said that their pilots and service staff would go to prepare for the use of the French Rafale fighters. However, he did not tell the press when that would happen. The first Rafales will arrive in Croatia in Q1 2024. By then, the Croatian Air Forces need to be ready. Hungary has JAS 39 Gripen fighters, while Italy will use Eurofighter Typhoons and F–35 Lightnings to accomplish the task. The Hungarian pilots will monitor the East and Central Croatia, index.hu wrote.
The pilots and the aircraft will not be in Croatia, but, in case of emergency, they will be allowed to enter Croatian airspace. Currently, Hungary protects the airspace of Slovenia and Slovakia. Croatia and Hungary agreed in 2019 about allowing Hungary to monitor Croatian airspace.
Minister: Hungary military ‘on verge of historic opportunity’
Hungary’s military is now presented with a big, perhaps final chance, the minister told the event at the Balna Centre on the Pest side of the River Danube, arguing that though the development of the country’s army had been talked about and pursued in the past, the war in Ukraine had “created a completely new situation”. Though the Hungarian army has already had many positive elements, “it hasn’t been what we all want to see it as: a force capable of fully guaranteeing the security of the Hungarian people within NATO”, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said. “But now, it has all come together,” he added.
Szalay-Bobrovniczky said President Katalin Novák, as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and he himself were all committed to Hungary’s military reform. Despite the difficult economic situation caused by the war, Hungary has all the resources needed for the necessary upgrades, he said, noting that next year’s budget again allocates 2 percent of GDP towards defence. He noted that the defence ministry had launched a recruitment campaign earlier this year to raise awareness of how defence was a shared national issue.
National Defence Day approaches
As regards the tasks before the Armed Forces, Szalay-Bobrovniczky noted the importance of procuring new NATO-compatible equipment. Also, a profound change in organisational culture is needed so that the army is a combat ready force, he said, emphasising the importance of the military’s rejuvenation. The appointment of Gábor Böröndi as the chief of staff ensures that this change in organisational culture “is spearheaded by the best people possible”, he added. National Defence Day marks the anniversary of May 21, 1849, when the independent Hungarian army succeeded in recapturing the castle of Buda after a three-week siege.
Direct train access from Budapest to the Adriatic this summer!
This summer, the Adria InterCity will again be heading from Budapest to the Croatian coast of Split. The night service of the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) was chosen by The Guardian as one of Europe’s best rail journeys in 2022.
Adria InterCity from Budapest
The service will run 3 times a week from 9 June to 30 September, with couchettes, sleeping and dining cars, mavcsoport.hu reports. As a new feature compared to last year, trains will run three times a week, even outside the high season: until 17 June in the pre-season and from 28 August in the post-season. From Budapest, the Adria InterCity will run every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. From Split, it will run every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Despite the pandemic situation, MÁV welcomed 5,500 passengers on board the Adria InterCity in 2021. Last year, the number of passengers doubled: 11,900 tourists chose the direct rail service between Budapest and Split. A third of them, nearly 4,300 passengers, took the higher class, more comfortable sleeping cars.
No border control
This year, travel will be even more convenient with the abolition of border controls. In Croatia, later arrivals and earlier departures will guarantee more time to relax during your trip. The Adria InterCity arrives in the centre of Split, right next to the Old Town and the port. You can sleep through most of the 789 kilometres, so the journey will not be tiring for any member of the family or the group you’re travelling with. All the cars on the route are air-conditioned and the cabins have power sockets, mavcsoport.hu writes.
The breathtaking route from Budapest to Split
The Intercity train departs Budapest at 6:45 PM. It crosses the border along the southern shore of Lake Balaton, then leaves Zagreb and heads for the Dinarides. There, it descends to the coast after crossing passes almost 900 metres above sea level, arriving in Split at 9:44 AM. On the return journey, the train departs Split at 5:55 PM, arriving in Budapest at 9:35 AM the next day. In addition to Budapest (Keleti Railway Station and Budapest-Kelenföld), the IC can be boarded in Székesfehérvár, Siófok, Fonyód, Balatonszentgyörgy, Nagykanizsa and Gyékényes, and disembarked on the way home.
Dining cars, eating and drinking
You can meet one of the most elegant dining cars of the Hungarian railways on the Adria InterCity. The Passenger Service offers a wide range of food and drinks for a pleasant dinner or breakfast. Sleeper car passengers can have breakfast here or in their cabins. The trolley will be open throughout the 15-hour journey. In addition, all passengers are offered mineral water and sweets in the evening and hot drinks, fruit juice and breakfast in the morning.
MÁV-START offers special discounts for families thanks to children’s tickets for children aged 6-15, available from EUR 31. For larger families, groups and groups of friends, offers start from EUR 209, with a full berth cabin for up to 6 people.
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Historic moment: MOL Group ships Azeri crude to the Bratislava refinery
Hungary’s MOL Group on Monday said it has started delivery of crude from a field in Azerbaijan to its refinery in Bratislava (Pozsony).
The Azeri Light is from a field in which MOL owns a 9.57 percent stake.
The 90,000 tonnes of seaborne crude has arrived in Croatia and is being delivered to the Slovnaft refinery via the Adria pipeline.
The Group’s priority is to increase the flexibility of oil procurement. In doing so,
Mol has created a fully integrated value chain, which means it will be able to sell petroleum products processed in its own refinery from oil extracted from a field it owns.
The shipment was transported from the Sangachal oil terminal near Baku to Ceyhan via the BTC oil pipeline, which is also partly owned by the Mol Group.
The processing of Azeri Light extracted from the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oil field, of which 9.57 percent is owned by Mol, will start in April.
“This is another important milestone in Slovnaft’s and MOL Group’s journey toward greater crude sourcing flexibility amid European sanctions prohibiting the export of petroleum products from EU member states,”
MOL Group said.
“MOL continues to import Russian Export Blend via the Druzhba pipeline, as it is convinced that the best way to guarantee the security of the fuel supply in the Central and Eastern European region is to keep traditional supply channels intact while exploring and securing alternative ones,” it added.
The Mol Group is becoming an increasingly important economic link between Azerbaijan and East-Central Europe. In 2020, the company acquired a stake in the ACG oil field, one of the flagships of the Azerbaijani economy, and an 8.9 percent stake in the BTC (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan) pipeline.
As we wrote in January, PM Orbán meets Azeri President Ilham Aliyev in Budapest, details HERE.
New flight opened: London comes closer to Hungary
Ryanair is to reopen one of its most popular flights to London-Sansted, bringing the capital of the United Kingdom closer to Hungary.
New flight twice a week
According to airportal.hu, the flight will commute between London and Eszék (Osijek) in Northeast Croatia. The city has almost 100,000 residents with its suburbs and is just 50 kilometres away from the Hungarian-Croatian border. Thus, the connection will prove useful for Hungarians living in Baranya county and foreigners visiting that astonishing region of Hungary.
The Irish low-cost airline will operate the flight twice a week from 2 June. However, it will remain seasonal, and it will be included only in the summer timetable. It will depart the Croatian city on Monday evenings and Friday afternoons.
The airport of Eszék is just 1-1.5 hours from Pécs and its neighbourhood. Provided you want to come home from London to Pécs, it will be quicker to use the Eszék flight instead of landing in Budapest. That is because the driving time between Pécs and Budapest is still above 2 hours despite the direct motorway connection.
Hungarian wine region reachable from London quicker
Of course, Budapest’s advantage is that you can use public transport from here. For example, you can travel by train, but you cannot come to Hungary from Eszék by railway. But by car, that flight will provide an excellent alternative for foreigners coming to visit, for example, the Villány wine region.
Ryanair operated that flight between 2013 and 2016 in the summers. Afterwards, they extended it even to the winter half of the year. As a result, it became the only full-year service of the airline. However, it did not last long. The Irish budget airline cancelled the flight in January 2017 unexpectedly because the local airport did not give financial support anymore to maintain it.
Ryanair operates seasonal flights to the Croatian seashore and is expanding in the capital, Zagreb, at the disadvantage of Croatia Airlines. However, they suspended many flights concerning that destination during the winter season.
Read alsoHere is Ryanair’s Budapest 2023 schedule with one new route
Hungarian FM calls for ‘realistic’ approach to energy supply issues
The international community should approach energy supply issues realistically rather than through political or ideological considerations, to have a better chance to find solutions to the challenges in the sector, the foreign minister said in Zagreb on Thursday.
Péter Szijjártó told a meeting of the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC) that energy security was facing major challenges due to the war in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed in response to that conflict, and due to a tendency to make the issue increasingly a subject of political and ideological considerations, the ministry said.
Solutions would be easier to find with a more realistic approach, he said. “Ideologies do not heat houses or flats, and dreams do not create energy resources,” he added.
Political and ideological debates have already cost European supply lines “tens of billions of cubic meters” of natural gas, he said. “Hungary does not want to sacrifice nuclear energy and other resources to those artificial debates,” he said.
Goals in environmental protection see the same problems, he insisted.
“The debate on energy should return to normality and common sense,” he said.
To do that, national competencies should be respected more, he said. Each country has the right to set up its own energy mix. Energy supply security is also an issue of sovereignty, he added.
Physical characteristics of the region are also key, as energy security hinges on safe resources and tranport lines, he said. “If any of those are missing, then we don’t have a realistic solution, and ideology cannot override that,” he added.
Energy diversification is also a key point, Szijjártó said. While other countries see diversification as “merely changing the geographical direction of energy dependence”, Hungary does not want to give up energy resources but wants to acquire new routes, he said.
Green goals should also be discussed with common sense, and environmental protection should go “hand in hand with economic development”, he said.
Environmental goals cannot be reached without nuclear energy, which is key to long-term energy security, competitiveness and to green transition, he said.
Nuclear energy is safe, cheap, sustainable and reliable, and Hungary will continue to fight against its “discrimination”, he said.
“We reject all measures curbing nuclear cooperation, with Russia for example. That would put global nuclear security and energy supply at risk,” he said.
Szijjártó insisted that movements opposing nuclear energy were “well funded and well organised, and we will have to prepare for further attacks, mostly on an ideological basis, because none of them are based on physical or realistic arguments,” he said.
European energy security can be guaranteed only if it is considered a “physical issue” and will not be sacrificed to political and ideological debates, he said.
