Spain blocks Hungarian Talgo train factory deal over Orbán’s Russia ties
Hungary’s Ganz-MaVag consortium made a generous offer to acquire 100% of the shares of the Spanish train manufacturer Talgo. However, from the start, the Spanish government opposed the deal, citing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s pro-Russian policies. Eventually, Spain successfully prevented the transaction, leaving Hungary reliant on outdated, 20–30-year-old Western European train carriages.
Generous offer derailed by political concerns
Months ago, Ganz-MaVag submitted an official bid for Talgo’s shares, but even before the formal offer, rumours circulated that Spain would block the purchase due to concerns over Orbán’s close ties to Russia. Spanish authorities had made it clear that such a deal was not on the table.
The decision-making process was drawn out. The Foreign Investment Council, part of Spain’s Ministry of Economy, delayed the anticipated July decision until 27 August, when it was finally confirmed that the sale would not go through, as reported by Portfolio.
Spain’s economic ministry issued a statement explaining that the cabinet agreed to reject the foreign direct investment from Ganz-MaVag in Talgo due to national security and public order risks identified during the investigation. Talgo holds access to sensitive information, which heightened the concerns.
National security fears lead to final rejection
Back in March, Ganz-MaVag had placed a bid of EUR 619 million for Talgo, which was valued at EUR 590 million at the time—a notably generous offer. Despite this, Spanish Prime Minister Óscar Puente strongly opposed the sale, citing Hungary’s close ties with Russia, and vowed to block the deal.
Spain followed through on this promise, consistently extending deadlines to give other potential buyers time to make offers. Companies such as Switzerland’s Stadler Rail and the Czech Republic’s Škoda were considered. Meanwhile, the Spanish government also repeatedly requested additional documents from the Hungarian consortium, further stalling the process.
Hungary’s railway situation remains precarious. According to János Lázár, Hungary’s Minister of Transport and Construction, acquiring Talgo would have provided valuable knowledge for producing new, domestically-made train carriages. Instead, Hungary now faces a 4-year wait for new carriages and, as an interim solution, plans to purchase decommissioned 20–30-year-old Western European train cars.
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Featured image: depositphotos.com
Partial operation begins on the Budapest-Belgrade railway line
Train service is set to begin between Subotica and Belgrade on the Budapest-Belgrade railway line, with trains operating from 25 November, according to Serbia’s Minister of Construction.
Trains on Budapest-Belgrade line to start running in November
Goran Vesić, Serbia’s construction minister, announced on Monday during an interview with Belgrade’s Pink TV that passenger trains will start running on 25 November between Subotica and Belgrade, covering the entire Serbian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line, Világgazdaság reports.
He also mentioned that the railway is currently undergoing tests between Novi Sad and Subotica. Meanwhile, the segment between Novi Sad and Belgrade has been operational since March 2022.
The 184-kilometer stretch between Subotica and Belgrade will take just 70 minutes to travel, with trains running in both directions from 5 AM to 10 PM.
Vesic highlighted that Serbia had not built a new railway since 1976, and until 2012, only 31 kilometres of railway had been renovated. Between 2012 and 2023, 108 kilometres of new rail lines were constructed, and approximately 843 kilometres were refurbished.
When will the Hungarian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway be completed?
The Hungarian portion of the Budapest-Belgrade railway is expected to be completed by 2026, and train service will begin that same year, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in an interview with Chinese state media CGTN. Orbán expressed confidence in the 2026 launch date.
The foundation stone for the reconstruction project was laid in October 2021. The project, valued at approximately EUR 1.7 billion, is being financed by Hungary, with 85% covered by a low-interest Chinese loan and the remaining 15% from domestic funds. Once completed, the travel time between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals will be reduced to 2 hours and 40 minutes.
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Services at Budapest Keleti railway station to resume after derailment
Train services at Budapest’s Keleti railway station were set to resume early Tuesday after a derailment halted traffic, Mávinform said overnight on Monday.
Trains arriving from the east and the southeast of the country will start arriving early in the morning. Trains coming from the west and the southwest are expected to be diverted to Kelenföld railway station until 9 AM.
Full service is expected to resume on these lines gradually, and certain trains will be arriving at and departing from other Budapest stations, Mávinform said.
Service at Keleti station was suspended after five carriages of an InterCity train arriving from Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár) derailed on Sunday evening.
János Lázár, the construction and transport minister, said later on Tuesday that rail traffic has resumed at Keleti station.
In a Facebook post, Lázár thanked the railway workers for their work to restore service and passengers for their patience and understanding.
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Budapest Keleti railway station reopening date announced after train derailment incident
Traffic at Keleti station, where a passenger train derailed on Sunday, is expected to return to normal by Tuesday morning. MÁV CEO told reporters that the causes of the train derailment will be investigated later.
As previously reported by DNH, five carriages of the Claudiopolis InterCity 5 train from Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár) to Budapest derailed near Keleti station on Sunday evening, blocking traffic to and from the station. Technical rescue operations have continued through Monday morning and afternoon.
According to 24.hu, traffic at Keleti station is expected to be restored by Tuesday morning. However, it remains uncertain whether rail traffic will be fully operational on all tracks. To speed up the process, experts have found a solution that avoids the necessity of dismantling overhead lines, bringing in cranes, and then rebuilding them. Instead, they used hoists to get the five derailed wagons off the ground and onto the tracks again.
The Hungarian Railways (MÁV) held a press conference at the site, where László Mosóczi, CEO of MÁV-Start, said that the Keleti station is substituted by the Rákos and Kőbánya-Felső stations. However, as the capacity of these stations is much lower, train services have been reduced. As an alternative, bus services are operating, and passengers can use metro line M4 to reach Kelenföld.
MÁV has estimated that up to 100,000 passengers may be affected by the delays. The Hungarian Railways is not aware of any personal injuries in connection with the accident.
The causes of the train derailment are to be investigated later
The Hungarian Railways has yet to release comprehensive details regarding the circumstances that precipitated the incident. Zoltán Pafféri, MÁV’s CEO, stated, however, that the first step is to repair the site, and that damage assessment and reconstruction of the accident will only commence once this process is complete.
As for a question about whether there was a possibility that another train could have hit the derailed wagons, the CEO said that “The driver of the train coming from behind stopped the train by applying the emergency brakes.”
According to Réka Németh, MÁV’s deputy general manager for track operations, a part of the switch broke. However, it is not yet possible to determine whether this caused the accident or whether the breakage was caused by the accident itself.
She emphasised that railway switches are inspected every month, and the switch that broke in the accident was inspected on 30 July, at which time no issues with its functionality were identified. Németh stressed that following the train derailment, all switches will be subject to inspection, and that the police will also be involved in investigating the causes of the accident.
Further information on the train derailment and the modified public transport timetables in the area can be found in DNH’s other report HERE.
A tragicomedy in the last three days of MÁV, while Lázár remains silent
Surveying the past weekend, 444 collected a myriad of issues MÁV passengers have had to face. It all started at noon on Saturday, when a rail broke between Szabadbattyán and Kiscséripuszta, paralysing trains on Lake Balaton, with events complicated by the fact that not all passengers could fit onto the replacement buses sent.
Then there was the derailment at Keleti, while traffic was brought to a standstill at Nyugati station after an InterCity train collided with a car on the main line to Cegléd.
On Monday morning, an InterCity train from Kassa to Hatvan and then a train on the Vác line near Felsőgöd hit someone, resulting in traffic being halted on both lines. Later that same day, a broken rail forced the closure of a track between Kőbánya-Alsó and Nyugati stations. Finally, an InterCity train from Szombathely to Budapest collided with a lorry on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, bringing traffic on the North Balaton line to a complete standstill.
444 also criticised the fact that a high-ranking figure – namely Pafféri – spoke out only 73 hours after the series of incidents began, all the while János Lázár, the minister responsible for transport, has so far said nothing about the train accidents.
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Watch: newly released video of train derailment at Budapest Keleti railway station
On Sunday evening, five carriages of the Claudiopolis InterCity 5 train from Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár) to Budapest derailed near Keleti station, blocking traffic at the main station. The technical rescue was still underway at dawn on Monday. A man traveling on the train broadcast the events on live video.
As we reported yesterday, on Sunday evening, the Claudiopolis InterCity 5 carriage from Cluj-Napoca derailed on the leading track section in front of the Keleti railway station, Budapest. No one was injured in the accident.
The technical rescue was still under way at dawn on Monday. Technicians are working continuously to recover the derailed wagons so that train services can resume as soon as possible. Keleti station is not accepting or accepting trains for an indefinite period, with trains arriving and departing from other stations in Budapest.
Train tickets are valid:
- M2, M4 metro and H8 HÉV on all lines,
- To get to Kőbánya upper station, take trams 23 and 24 between Keleti pályaudvar and Orczy tér, and trams 37 and 37A between Magdolna utca and Kőbánya upper station,
to Rákos train station from Örs vezér tér by bus 97E, 161, 161E, 168E, 169E (97E and 169E also stop at Rákos). - Replacement buses will run on the Keleti railway station (Kerepesi út bus terminus) – Kőbánya upper (Albertirsai út) – Rákos railway station section. The buses will run continuously.
VIDEO:
International railway lines
ICs from Szombathely and Sopron, Railjets, ECs from Vienna, and two-morning long-distance passenger trains from Hegyeshalom (9309, 9307) to and from Budapest-Kelenföld.
The Dacia international high-speed train from Bucharest to Vienna (346) does not call Keleti station. Instead, it can be caught at Ferencváros and Kelenföld stations in Budapest.
According to experts, it will take 1-2 days until normal traffic is restored on the Eastbound, please keep an eye out for more information.
Is the minister responsible for the accident?
After the accident, Dávid Vitézy, a transport expert and former candidate for mayor, sharply criticised János Lázár, the Minister of Transport and Construction, the condition of the capital’s main stations and the more than 50-year-old railway carriages, which, in his opinion, “are a shame to be used as long-distance trains at extra cost”.
So although we don’t know the cause of today’s accident, whether the derailment was caused by the track or by a vehicle failure, the transport minister bears a lot of responsibility, not only in the abstract political sense, but also in terms of direct decision-making – since his every action has not only failed to alleviate the growing crisis of the Hungarian railways, but has only deepened it in recent times
– he said.
UPDATE
One of our readers reported that the line between Gödöllő and Budapest is in chaos. During the morning, there were many delays, but there were also times when the train did not even start, and passengers were not informed.
UPDATE 2
Keleti Station reopening date announced after train derailment incident
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Breaking: InterCity derailed, paralysing train traffic at busy Budapest railway station – Photos
On Sunday evening, five carriages of the Claudiopolis InterCity, arriving from Cluj-Napoca in Romania, derailed near the tracks leading into Keleti railway station in Budapest. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident, according to an official statement by MÁV, Hungary’s railway company.
Traffic halted at Keleti railway station
Due to the derailment, access to the tracks leading into Keleti railway station has been completely blocked, causing the station to halt all departures and arrivals for the remainder of Sunday evening. Authorities have indicated that the investigation and recovery efforts could take an extended period of time.
Reports from readers of Telex suggest that passengers on halted trains were left without information about the situation. Many began walking toward the station on foot. “After waiting for 10–15 minutes, passengers started to disembark and walk along the tracks. We weren’t given any updates. After about 20 minutes, we also got off and left the area through the nearest exit, which was a gate in the soundproof fence. There was no panic, just impatient people,” wrote one reader.
Photo source: imgbb
MÁV’s Facebook page provided further details on the disruptions to train services:
- Trains running on the Budapest–Hatvan–Miskolc line will only operate as far as Kőbánya felső and will return toward Hatvan from there.
- Trains on the Budapest–Újszász–Szolnok–Békéscsaba line will terminate at Rákos, where they will then head back toward Újszász.
- Trains on the Budapest–Pécs and Budapest–Győr–Hegyeshalom routes will turn around at Kelenföld station.
Additionally, train tickets will be valid for travel on alternative public transport options, including the M2 metro line between Keleti and Déli stations, the entire M4 metro line, tram 37A, and buses 161 and 168E.
UPDATE
Newly released video of train derailment at Budapest Keleti railway station – watch here
UPDATE 2
Keleti Station reopening date announced after train derailment incident
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International train delays expected in Hungary next week: Czech, Slovak trains affected
Significant delays are expected in international trains arriving from Czechia and Slovakia over the coming days. Trains entering Hungary at Szob are generally delayed by 40-60 minutes.
International train delays in Hungary
The delays are due to maintenance work being carried out on the Czech railway network. As a result, until 29 August, international trains travelling to and from Budapest are running on modified schedules. Some services are also rerouted, resulting in longer travel times, according to an announcement by Mávinform on Sunday.
The notice further warned that trains entering Hungary at Szob may face delays of 40-60 minutes, with occasional longer delays also possible.
Changes affecting the international sections of the impacted trains can be found HERE.
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Budapest’s iconic Keleti Railway Station turns 140 – here are 8 fascinating facts
Budapest’s Keleti Railway Station, an iconic example of Eclectic architecture, first opened to passengers on 16th August 1884. Renowned Hungarian painters Károly Lotz and Mór Than created the station’s stunning frescoes, but here are eight more intriguing facts about this historic Hungarian transport hub.
According to Lelépő, the Keleti Railway Station is built on three thousand piles. Due to the high water levels discovered during construction, the building required significant reinforcement. The station was designed by architects Gyula Rochlitz and János Feketeházy.
The first train departed from Keleti Railway Station on 16th August, bound for Miskolc, pulled by a steam engine. Remarkably, the station was equipped with electric lighting from the start, with 644 bulbs illuminating both the interior and exterior for passengers.
Keleti’s original name was ‘Budapest Central Station’, but it was renamed in 1892. During the Second World War, Allied bombings by American and British forces caused severe damage to the station, hitting the waiting rooms and main halls.
Keleti Railway Station still shines
In front of the station, on today’s Baross Square, a pool served the bathers built for protection purposes as a firewater tank.
The station’s façade stands 43 metres tall, crowned with an allegorical figure sculpted by Gyula Bezerédi (1858-1925), a celebrated Hungarian artist. Bezerédi’s works can also be seen in Pannonhalma and Budapest’s City Park, including his notable statue of George Washington, unveiled in 1906. Interestingly, Budapest features statues of three American presidents: Washington, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush.
Interestingly, the original Bezerédi sculpture on Keleti’s façade had to be replaced in the 1990s.
Lastly, beneath the station lies an extensive network of cellars, which served as a shelter during the war.
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Dramatic rise in train-related accidents sparks concern in Hungary
An alarming rise in railway accidents has been observed in Hungary this year, with most incidents caused by reckless driving, speeding, and the disregard of railway signals. Drivers often ignore red lights and use their phones while driving, leading to collisions at railway crossings. This year alone, 570 instances of barrier damage have been reported, marking a significant increase from the previous year.
Rail service disruption, significant delays
Such accidents not only disrupt rail services but also cause severe delays, sometimes affecting thousands of passengers. The damaged trains often need to be taken out of service for repairs, and in some cases, they are beyond repair and must be scrapped, turizmus.com writes, based on MÁV.
The number of pedestrian accidents, often involving people illegally on the tracks, has also increased. So far this year, 32 such incidents have occurred, resulting in 20 fatalities. Comparatively, during the same period last year, there were 20 pedestrian accidents, with 6 resulting in death.
Cyclists and pedestrians at high risk
Cyclists and pedestrians are also at high risk, especially those who cross tracks without paying attention or using designated crossings. Distractions like headphones, hoods, or mobile phones often prevent them from noticing oncoming trains, leading to tragic outcomes.
Tragically, there has also been a rise in railway suicides, with 73 cases reported this year compared to 52 during the same period last year.
“Get Home Safely!”
MÁV, Hungary’s national railway company, has been actively working to prevent accidents for years. In April 2022, they launched a nationwide safety campaign titled “Get Home Safely!” (“Érj haza bizonságban!“) aimed at educating the public, improving road safety awareness, and reducing accident rates. The campaign includes eye-catching posters placed near railway crossings across the country.
MÁV emphasises that reducing the number of accidents is a shared responsibility and urges both drivers and pedestrians to follow traffic rules diligently, as adhering to them can be a matter of life and death.
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Container transport in Budapest may stop: How will this affect Hungarian economy?
Budapest’s rail freight network faces a major disruption as none of its five largest intermodal terminals will be accessible by rail for 16 days. The closure of rail tracks over Soroksári Road is necessary due to maintenance constraints, severely impacting transport in Budapest and national freight transport in general.
Closures
As G7 writes, transport in Budapest will be difficult, as none of the city’s five largest intermodal freight terminals will be accessible by rail for an extended period. This disruption, lasting 16 days, is akin to temporarily halting transport on the M1, M3, M5, and M7 motorways, critical routes for the Hungarian economy. The closures are necessary as the rail tracks over Soroksári Road must be shut in August due to restrictions imposed by the capital’s public road authority, which will not permit narrowing the road to two lanes until the winter school holidays.
Vital for transport in Budapest
The tracks connecting Ferencváros station with the Budapest–Belgrade line, crucial for access to four container terminals on Csepel Island and the Budapest Intermodal Logistics Centre (BILK), will be closed for several days due to maintenance on the Gubacsi Bridge. These intermodal terminals, crucial for transport in Budapest, have handled a tenth of Hungary‘s international freight traffic over the past decade, and are vital for the combined transport of containers and semi-trailers in international freight.
Much-needed renovation
The Gubacsi Bridge is in such poor condition that trains have been forced to operate at a slow pace with lightweight locomotives, incurring high costs. Despite a 2017 government decision to renovate the bridge with HUF 10 billion (EUR 25 million) and a recent allocation of HUF 44 billion (EUR 112 million) in EU funding, no full renovation is planned due to financial constraints. MÁV’s limited budget and the delay in the Budapest-Belgrade line construction exacerbate the situation, preventing easier access to the Budapest Intermodal Logistics Centre (BILK) from the south.
What effects will this have?
A few days of closure might not seem significant for transport in Budapest, but experts warn that delays in train services could last for months, increasing freight transport costs and reducing the competitiveness of Hungarian manufacturing companies. This could lead companies near the national borders to opt for terminals outside Hungary, resulting in lost traffic, reduced track access charges, and lower tax revenues for the under-resourced domestic rail infrastructure. However, the bridge over Soroksári Road is not in critical condition and could be completely overhauled once the Budapest–Belgrade line is finished in 2026.
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- Hungary and Romania sign agreement on new railway line
- Heatwave: Even MÁV doesn’t recommend you to travel by trains in Hungary!
Featured image: depositphotos.com
Hungary and Romania sign agreement on new railway line
Representatives of Hungary and Romania have signed a transport agreement aimed at starting preparations for a new railway line between Szeged, in southern Hungary, and Romania’s Timisoara (Temesvár), as well as opening a new border crossing facility at Kübekháza, the foreign minister said in Bucharest on Wednesday.
Péter Szijjártó spoke after talks with Sorin Grindeanu, the Romanian traffic and infrastructure minister, and said the two governments would bid for European funds to finance the Szeged-Timisoara line. Under the agreement, a joint working group will be set up and a feasibility study completed, the minister said, adding that the railway service would benefit both countries “both from an economic and a patriotic point of view”.
The Hungarian and Romanian governments have also submitted a joint bid to the EU for funding to rebuild a bridge over the river Maros at Magyarcsanád, Szijjártó said, adding that he was hopeful as “the bid has been given a good evaluation”.
The new links will make “the fabric of cross-border cooperation stronger,” he said, adding that “it is good to have good ties with neighbours rather than being on bad terms … it is especially true when the neighbouring country has a large Hungarian community.”
He said both countries had an interest in Romania’s Schengen integration, adding that the Hungarian EU presidency would work to eliminate border controls at the Hungary-Romania border.
Read also:
- Official: Austria and Hungary to connect their motorways
- Outrageous: Hungarian government frees another almost 1000 human traffickers
Featured image: illustration, MÁV
Heatwave: Even MÁV doesn’t recommend you to travel by trains in Hungary!
As an extreme heatwave arrived in Hungary, more and more passengers experienced significant delays in train traffic. RTL Klub now has numbers: more than 10 thousand trains were delayed in ten days, while 500 were cancelled. Meanwhile, the workload on Volánbusz increased by 30%. The government also shared the number of ongoing procedures concerning flight delays.
Most trains are not climatised, many are delayed
According to RTL Klub, in the first ten days of the red warning due to the extreme heat, more than 35 thousand trains started their journey. 70% were punctual or arrived at their destinations with less than 6 minutes delay. Between 5 and 15 July, 30% of the trains were delayed, meaning more than 10,500. 1.6% of them were cancelled, which is 560 trains. Passengers could continue their journey with replacement buses only 73 times. MÁV said they substituted the trains with climatised buses.
That comes after the warning of László Kormányos, Deputy CEO of MÁV-Start, who recommended postponing travel or opting for bus services if possible (where, according to them, “at least the AC is working”). That is because the trains of MÁV’s fleet are 40-50 years old, they were not designed for the current climatic conditions, and most of them do not have an operable AC device. Meanwhile, 84% of Volán buses do.
MÁV highlighted that trains and the railway infrastructure (overhead wires, tracks) suffer from the extreme heat. For example, the expanding track material harms the structure, and MÁV must introduce a speed limit on the section. That is why trains are so slow in Hungary. We wrote HERE how that led to record delays in 2023.
Former Fidesz candidate slammed Lázár for MÁV’s performance
A Hungarian transportation engineer, Botond Szalma, said that Hungary has four seasons, so summer heat is not an explanation. He added that the government should build high-quality railways instead of letting companies steal 30% of the allocated money.
Dávid Vitézy, a former mayoral candidate in Budapest backed by Orbán’s Fidesz, harshly criticised transport minister János Lázár, who was outraged because of the fruit content of the Fanta in Hungary (which is lower than in Italy) but did not do enough for an operable railway transportation. Vitézy highlighted that MÁV has not been this inaccurate for decades. We wrote about the Coca-Cola’s Fanta scandal and its consequences HERE.
Hungary may fine 5 airlines due to delays
Delays made air travel chaotic in the last few weeks. The government said in a reply to an MP question that there were 12 ongoing procedures against five airlines concerning flight delays between 21 June and 1 July. The fine can span from HUF 1 million to HUF 650 million (EUR 2,557 – EUR 1.662 million), 24.hu wrote.
Read also:
- Will Chinese super strain stationed in Dunakeszi run in Hungary? – VIDEOS and more in THIS article
- Budapest to Taipei made simple with China Airlines’ Rail & Fly service!
Attention: Trains running in Hungary not fit for this climate – MÁV’s advice
In recent days, travellers of MÁV in Hungary have often experienced significant delays, with many having to wait in non-air-conditioned carriages under sweltering conditions.
Many MÁV trains do not have an AC
László Kormányos, Deputy CEO of MÁV-Start, told RTL that the railway cars are 40-50 years old and were not designed for the current climatic conditions.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Due to the summer heat, a large number of people are travelling across the country to find a cooler place where it’s easier to take this weather. Meanwhile, the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) faces multiple challenges: downed overhead wires, significant delays, and melting tracks. Even on trains with air conditioning, it often doesn’t work properly.
While MÁV distributes water at stations, they recommend postponing travel or opting for bus services if possible (where, according to them, “at least the AC is working”).
Take the bus if you really need to travel
Kormányos also mentioned that all their staff are working hard to ease the passengers’ situation, which is difficult for them as well. He reiterated the advice to postpone travel or take a bus during the extreme heat. He noted that only 40% of trains have air conditioning, and nearly half of those have subpar systems.
On Friday, MÁV advised passengers sensitive to the extreme heat or those with health risks to travel only if absolutely necessary during the heatwave. They suggested using Volánbusz intercity buses, which offer a parallel solution and noted that 84% of these buses are equipped with air conditioning, recommending the use of county and national passes for travel.
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MÁV’s new policy and dog-friendly beaches make holidays with four-legged friends easier this summer
Summer is here, and for many, it’s the time of year when we don’t leave our dogs at home. To facilitate more dog-friendly travel, MÁV is introducing changes to make journeys more comfortable for our four-legged friends. Feedback from last year’s travel experience showed a growing demand among people travelling to Lake Balaton to bring their dogs. Additionally, we have compiled a list of places where you can enjoy a dog-friendly beach holiday.
More dog-friendly travel this holiday season
Under previous regulations, dogs were only allowed on trains in closed carriers with a ticket. However, MÁV is now revising its policy on boarding dogs, reports Pénzcentrum. According to MÁV-START’s current rules, dogs weighing no more than 20 kg can be transported on trains without a reserved seat, provided a dog ticket or a dog country pass is purchased, and the dog is muzzled and on a leash. On trains requiring a reserved seat, dogs must travel in a closed carrier no larger than the maximum permitted size for hand luggage.
However, this summer, the railway company is piloting a programme to extend dog transport on trains to Lake Balaton. From 26 June, on the Balaton and Tópart ICs, as well as the Jégmadár, Panoráma, Napfürdő, Aranypart, Aranyhíd, Ezüstpart and Fenyves express trains on the south shore of Lake Balaton, and the Kék Hullám ICs, Csabai Tekergő, Szabolcsi Tekergő, Lesence and Tanúhegy express trains on the north shore, passengers may bring dogs weighing less than 20 kg into the passenger compartment with a relative dog ticket or dog country pass.
It’s important to note that neither the dog’s leash nor muzzle should be removed during the journey, and the leash must be kept in the passenger’s hand. A valid vaccination certificate (not older than one year) must be presented during the journey. If a passenger objects to the presence of a dog, the railway company will provide a new seat for the dog owner in accordance with the rules on non-compliant seating.
As before, large dogs weighing more than 20 kg may only be carried on trains where purchasing a seat ticket is not mandatory, and only on the platform, not in the passenger compartment.
For more information, visit MÁV’s website here.
Dog-friendly beaches in Hungary
Many people don’t leave their pets at home even when they go to the beach. Since 2015, Kutyabaráthelyek has compiled a list of dog-friendly beaches where you can take your pets for a swim.
The 22 places on the list include Fonyód, which has the oldest dog-friendly bathing site. The beach, open since 2016, features a large grassy area, shade trees, and steps and ramps to get into the water. Around Lake Balaton, there are also dog-friendly beaches in Balatonföldvár and Keszthely.
On the shores of Lake Velence, the Drótszamár Campsite in Velence is a great place to take your dog. Additionally, there are many places along the banks of the Danube and Tisza, such as Dunavarsány, Dunakeszi, Tiszakécske, Szolnok and Tiszafüred, where you can bring your pet to the beach. Other dog-friendly beaches can be found in Tata, Zalaegerszeg, Kőszeg, and Pécs.
For the full list and map visit Kutyabaráthelyek here.
Read also:
MÁV summer schedule announced: More vehicles and easier access to Lake Balaton – Read here
MÁV’s new application, EMMA makes planning your trips easier!
Will Chinese supertrain stationed in Dunakeszi run in Hungary? – VIDEOS
The Dunakeszi Workshop (Dunakeszi Járműjavító Ltd.) has a Chinese supertrain stationed, and Világgazdaság wanted to know whether that superfast iron horse would carry passengers in Hungary.
Chinese supertrain in Dunakeszi
Experts regularly say that the problem with the slowness of the Hungarian railway system is not caused by the slow trains but by the many slow signs on the outdated Hungarian railway system. Therefore, it was surprising to see the Chinese CRRC’s double-deck EMU model in a workshop in Dunakeszi. The train is capable of 200 km/h.
The number of passengers it can carry is more than 1,280, and 571 people can be seated. The Chinese CRRC is the world’s largest train manufacturer.
Being made of light aluminium and other composite materials, the Chinese DDEMU’s weight is just 10% above the weight of single-deck trains’, Világgazdaság wrote. Furthermore, it has 1.5-meter doors to help passengers get on and off.
The Chinese trains did not get licenses in Austria
Moreover, passengers’ experience includes board services like snack and coffee machines, bike storing zones and places for disabled passengers. Finally, there is intelligent Wi-Fi and a real-time passenger information system.
CRRC has been supplying the European market with EMU trains for long. Two years ago, they delivered the first to the Austrian Westbahn, a railway company operating trains between Vienna, Munich, Innsbruck and Salzburg. Westbahn signed the relevant contract to lease four DDEMUs from the CRRC in 2019.
The second one arrived in autumn 2022, the third in winter 2023. The Austrian company got the fourth this summer. However, the trains have not received the needed licenses yet. Westbahn CEO Thomas Posch said in a March video interview that they ran out of time but highlighted he was sure the DDEMUs would be in service. However, he added that it would not happen this year.
How did the Chinese superfast train get to Hungary?
Bence Kuhár, a YouTube railway influencer, shared the first video of the new superfast Chinese train in Hungary. However, he could not find out why the train was in Dunakeszi. Here is his video:
The Dunakeszi Járműjavító said they repair and revise hundreds of trains each year. They added such tasks are not newsworthy and are sometimes business secrets. They highlighted they would rather talk about the 1,350 Hungarian railway wagons that will run on Egyptian tracks. We detailed that and shared some images of the new trains in THIS article.
Here is a video of them:
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Bus and train crashed near Érsekújvár, heavy casualties
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has expressed his condolences to his Slovak counterpart over a train crash that happened at Nove Zamky (Érsekújvár) on Thursday.
In his letter to Juraj Blanar, Szijjártó expressed his sympathy with family members of the five victims and wished a speedy recovery to those that had been hospitalised with injuries.
In the accident, a high-speed train on its way from Prague to Budapest crashed with a bus at a railway crossing.
The consular services have not reported Hungarians involved in the accident.
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Budapest to Taipei made simple with China Airlines’ Rail & Fly service!
Hungarian travellers often prefer to start their long-haul flights from Vienna Airport. In response, Taiwan’s China Airlines has introduced a new “rail & fly” service tailored for them.
China Airlines’ Rail & Fly service
In collaboration with the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), the airline now offers an interline service. This allows Hungarian passengers to book Austrian train tickets from Győr and Budapest that connect with China Airlines flights, turizmus.com writes.
The train ticket is issued on the same reservation as the China Airlines flight ticket, enabling passengers to receive both bookings simultaneously. This new, affordable service can be booked directly through the airline’s website.
The airline offers non-stop flights between Vienna and Taipei. Besides Vienna, the airline provides excellent connections from Europe with daily non-stop flights from Frankfurt and four weekly non-stop flights from Amsterdam.
Additional non-stop routes to Taipei include departures from London, Rome, and Prague. Taipei serves as a convenient hub for further travel to destinations in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand, according to Sárdi Rezső, the GSA of China Airlines.
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Horrible accident: Prague-Budapest Eurocity collides with bus in Slovakia, 4 dead – VIDEO
There was a serious accident at a level crossing near Érsekújvár (Nové Zámky) in Slovakia, where a Eurocity train No 279 from Prague to Budapest collided with a bus. Four people were killed and five injured in the accident.
Fatal accident in Slovakia
The accident caused the bus to split in two, drift to the side of the road and then catch fire, overturning. The locomotive, owned by the Czech railway company České dráhy, also caught fire as a result of the collision, 444.hu reports.
About 100 people were on the train, which was driven by a Czech railway company employee. The passengers were evacuated and the road was closed. The Slovakian railway company sent replacement buses to the scene, where several ambulances and rescue helicopters arrived in the meantime.
According to Slovakian news site Napunk, Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj-Eštok and Deputy Police Commissioner Rastislav Polakovič will arrive at the scene of the accident shortly.
The Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) said that due to the accident, the arrival of Eurocity trains from Bratislava-Štúrovo on Thursday evening is uncertain.
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