Important change at Hungarian train, bus stations due to the heatwave!
We wrote this morning that a hellish heatwave will reach Hungary this week. Therefore, authorities introduced a third-degree heat alert from today until Saturday midnight.
According to portfolio.hu, during the heat alert, the Hungarian railway company, MÁV-Start, is to distribute mineral water at the busiest Budapest and rural railway stations between 10 AM and 5 PM on workdays. Volánbusz, Hungary’s biggest public bus service company, announced the same for Budapest’s Népliget and the bus stations of the Hungarian county seats between noon and 2 PM.
Hungarian train, bus stations: free water available for passengers
MÁV-Start will give water to passengers at the Nyugati, Keleti and Déli railway stations in Budapest. Rural stations include the train stations of Miskolc, Debrecen, Nyíregyháza, Békéscsaba, Szeged, Kecskemét, Szolnok, Győr, Veszprém, Pécs, Nagykanizsa, Siófok, Fonyód, Tapolca, Zalaegerszeg and Celldömölk.
Volánbusz will distribute mineral water at Népliget and in the following bus stations: Békéscsaba, Debrecen, Eger, Győr, Kaposvár, Kecskemét, Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Pécs, Salgótarján, Szeged, Székesfehérvár, Szekszárd, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabánya, Veszprém and Zalaegerszeg.
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MÁV summer schedule announced: More vehicles and easier access to Lake Balaton
Starting from 22 June, as the high season begins, MÁV will introduce additional trains, IC carriages and motor trains, providing more seats for passengers to make their journeys to lakeside holidays and beaches more comfortable.
The high-season timetable, with more frequent services to popular tourist destinations, will be in place until 1 September. After this date, a post-season timetable offering a similar service to the pre-season will be operational until 22 September, Turizmus.hu reports.
MÁV promises more frequent train services and increased bicycle transport opportunities.
In addition to the usual services between the capital and Lake Balaton (e.g. Balaton and Tópart InterCity, Déli->Parti InterRégió, Kék Hullám InterCity, Katica InterRégió, Vízipók trains), direct trains from eastern and south-eastern cities such as Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Debrecen, Békéscsaba, Szeged, Kecskemét and Szolnok to Lake Balaton will also be available from 22 June.
MÁV will also introduce extra trains to the lake every day from major cities in the Transdanubian region. The Tanúhegy Express from Győr, the Lesence Express and Kék Hullám InterCity from Szombathely, the Fenyves Express from Pécs and more frequent Jégmadár trains connecting the Danube Bend with Lake Velence and the southern shore of Lake Balaton. Night owl trains (Bagolyvonat) will connect not only the southern shore but also the northern shore with the capital at weekends.
Travellers to Lake Balaton are advised to use the brand new EMMA travel planning system, which allows passengers to plan their trips quickly and reliably, whether they wish to travel by train, bus or a combination of both, as we previously reported.
In addition to trains, Volánbusz also provides direct access to and around Lake Balaton with local and intercity services from many regions of the country, making it easier for tourists and holidaymakers to get around. The Tihany bus timetable will also change, with new Volánbusz services available between Balatonfüred and Tihany during the summer holidays and on weekends.
With some exceptions, exchanging a seat ticket for most InterCity and express trains to Lake Balaton is compulsory. During the weekends, it is advisable to purchase tickets several days in advance, as second-class InterCity tickets are cheaper than those purchased on the day of travel. On InterCity and express trains, it is also compulsory to buy a seat ticket even if you own a country pass. There will be a single fare for cyclists for guaranteed seats on all Balaton services.
For more information, visit MÁV’s website here.
Read also:
Better service for higher prices on trains? Here’s what you can eat on your way to Lake Balaton this summer – Read here
Trains in Hungary replaced on many lines as MÁV experiences huge shortage of vehicles
MÁV’s new application, EMMA makes planning your trips easier!
In addition to the intercity services provided by MÁV-Start, GYSEV, MÁV-HÉV and Volánbusz, EMMA will also offer timetable and real-time traffic data for more than 70 local services.
The system, called EMMA or Egységes Menetrend Magyarországon (Unified Timetable in Hungary), is the first integrated travel planning platform in Hungary. It will not only make Hungarian rail and bus timetables accessible through a single interface but also provide real-time data on routes, turizmus.com reports.
The system also accounts for potential delays and, for some operators (such as MÁV-START), provides important text-based passenger information in case of extraordinary situations causing traffic changes or disruptions. In the route view, the position of vehicles can be seen on a map, and users can filter for local and intercity timetables.
With the new service, anyone can now plan their journey easily, quickly and reliably, whether travelling by train, bus or a combination of both. In addition to the intercity services provided by MÁV-START, GYSEV, MÁV-HÉV and VOLÁNBUSZ, the service displays both the timetable and real-time traffic data of 70 individual local services. There are also plans to expand the range of available cities in the future. The service is now available on the emma.mav.hu website.
To use EMMA, you need the latest version of Chrome or Edge browsers, and it can be accessed on both smartphones and computers.
“From now on, those who have a country pass are not only entitled to use all public transport but there is also a platform where they can plan it precisely. With the EMMA map search engine, anyone can plan bus and rail journeys between any two points in Hungary,” Zsolt Hegyi, CEO of MÁV-START, added.
EMMA also allows passengers to search for tourist attractions
Another useful feature of the service is that users can search for local and intercity stations, stops and points of interest, such as attractions, city markets and offices. Users can also mark any points on the map and adjust their walking speed to match their usual pace for more accurate planning. The platform is available in English as well as Hungarian, and the interface for the visually impaired is also active, though it is currently under development.
It is important to note that EMMA does not replace the usual ticketing interface; however, once users have planned and selected the appropriate route, they can start purchasing their train ticket by simply clicking on ELVIRA or jegy.mav.hu.
Read also:
Trains in Hungary replaced on many lines as MÁV experiences huge shortage of vehicles – Read here
Details of a new Hungarian motorway and rail ring road revealed, featuring new Danube bridge
János Lázár, Minister of Construction and Transport, spoke about the V0 railway ring road bypassing Budapest and the new motorway ring road to relieve the Hungarian capital’s traffic congestion, in Dunaújváros on 29 May.
According to Magyarépítők, the M8 motorway will be one of Hungary’s most prominent road projects, stretching from the M7 motorway to Kecskemét via Sárbogárd and Dunaújváros. This also means the government has no plans to build the M1 (Vienna-Budapest) and M7 (Budapest-Balaton-Slovenia) motorway sections. He said the construction plans will be ready this year, and the implementation will start in the next four years.
He said that after the Hungarian government had agreed with the Chinese government to build the V0 rail ring road, its rail bridge over the Danube “can only be built in one place in Hungary, a few kilometres north of Dunaújváros, because of the interoperability of the river”.
The full trail was first discussed last autumn. Even then, they said that the route would cross the river above Dunaújváros using Line 5, and from there to Szolnok. In the long term, Főmterv expects that the V0, which will provide a fast link between Hungary’s eastern and western borders, will eventually become “congested” due to the increase in the volume of goods transported and the number of trains, and that it will be necessary to bypass the city.
In time (25 to 30 years), Székesfehérvár, which will be affected by the high-speed railway, will also have to be avoided. But the question is, what will be the right solution for Kecskemét? This city could be crossed by twice the number of trains seen today, and avoiding the city could cause social conflict and would be complicated by the extensive farmland.
As we wrote earlier, during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Budapest, 18 important agreements were signed between Hungary and China. These include the construction of a rail ring road bypassing Budapest and a high-speed railway connecting Budapest Airport with the capital, details HERE.
He also noted that the most important rail crossing point would be next to the city, as will the M8 motorway, creating a “Budapest logistics ring” to create jobs, businesses, and regional profits.
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- New EU proceedings launch against Hungary over motorway concessions, details HERE
Watch: green Trabant drives on railway tracks – VIDEO
The German “paper Jaguar,” the Trabant, has played many roles around the world, but until now, it had never served as a rail vehicle.
Closed down in 2003, the Palotabozsok station was given a new lease of life a few years ago when the Palotabozsok Railway Museum was established, thanks to Károly Ludvig and his enthusiastic team of helpers.
Line closure
The MÁV line 64 between Pécs and Bátaszék was once an important route, as it connected via Baja to Kiskunfélegyháza and then to Szeged. In the spring of 1997, two derailments led to the temporary closure of a section between Pécsvárad and Palotabozsok. After that, the line slowly became unmanageable, making it less passenger-friendly, which led to its permanent closure. The suburban section in Pécs continued to operate until 2009 when it was finally shut down.
A section of the former MÁV line 64 between Pécs and Bátaszék is being revitalised by civilians who have taken it to heart. Through a great deal of volunteer work, the Palotabozsok station building has been converted into a museum, and the closed section of the track has been renovated. The team is organising a 3-kilometre-long tracking project and has constructed a self-made track trap.
Museum on the Abandoned Railway Line
A museum has been set up at Palotabozsok in Baranya County, featuring a working light barrier with a cover signal, a turnstile with a bowling pin, a voice-over by Pál Szalóczy, a steam locomotive well, beautifully restored switches, an ABmot train, a working rail car in the form of a green Trabant 601 station wagon and a motorised hairpin. We have the complete traffic office and steam locomotive shed. In addition to the uniforms, the building houses communications equipment, telexes, telephones, telegraphs, pictures and other railway-related items.
– András Becsky, who travels 170 kilometres from Dunavarsány to Palotabozsok for the team’s weekend work, told 24.hu.
There are currently 800 metres of track in the direction of Bátaszék and 2.2 kilometres in the direction of Véménd (Pécs), all well-maintained and offering an authentic railway atmosphere. This spring, the team cleared the station’s tracks 1 and 2 of decades of forest and scrub. Replacing the rotten sleepers is a challenge, and currently, travel is limited to 10 km/h.
The long-term goal for the museum and the civilian team is to complete the section to Véménd and run occasional services from Palotabozsok between the two stations, creating a major attraction.
The impressive track Trabant is used by the civilian team for work on the line. Additionally, a seven-seater hairpin, powered by a lawnmower engine, is available to the public.
The next all-day programme at Palotabozsok station will be on 15 June, Railmen’s Day, but you can visit the museum and the maintained line all year round by appointment.
Read also about Trabant:
- Journey of tribute: Zsolt Vadász and the Trabant Expedition’s African adventure, details HERE
- Halfway around the continent with a Trabant, trip starts from Hungary, details HERE
Better service for higher prices on trains? Here’s what you can eat on your way to Lake Balaton this summer
Trains with dining cars will operate again this summer on the southern shore of Lake Balaton between Budapest and Keszthely, MÁV announces. In the dining car of the Balaton InterCity trains, MÁV-START’s catering service provider, Utasellátó, welcomes passengers with chilled and warm drinks, snacks and a variety of main dishes and desserts.
Last summer, six out of ten dining cars were renovated both inside and out. Not only has passenger comfort improved, but new kitchen technology and modern equipment have also been installed in the vehicles, MÁV announced last year. The railway company offers chilled and hot drinks, snacks and a variety of main dishes and desserts in the dining car of the Balaton IC again this year, running on the Budapest – Székesfehérvár – Siófok – Fonyód – Keszthely route.
New kitchen technology and higher prices on the trains
According to Pénzcentrum, the selection of MÁV catering cars has been expanded, with more meat-free and vegan options, and presumably, certain products will be replaced or added to the selection based on demand. However, there are permanent products whose prices have increased since last year due to inflation. With a few exceptions, all food and drinks cost roughly 10-20 percent more. Mostly, the prices of soups and burgers have gone up.
For example, a breakfast consisting of fried eggs or scrambled eggs with two slices of bread will cost HUF 1,250 (EUR 3.25) in 2024, whereas last year it was HUF 1,100 (EUR 2.86). You will be able to buy a pair of sausages with two slices of bread for HUF 950 (EUR 2.47); in the summer of 2023, it was HUF 690 (EUR 1.80).
A hot dog will cost HUF 850 (EUR 2.21) in the dining cars of trains to Lake Balaton in 2024, 200 forints more than last year. An American hot dog this year will be HUF 1,090 (EUR 2.83); last year it was only HUF 890 (EUR 2.30). There are different pies to choose from as well. Pre-packaged sandwiches can be purchased for HUF 1,190 (EUR 3).
For your main course, you can choose chicken paprikash for HUF 3,890 (EUR 10.11), gyros plate for HUF 2,790 (EUR 7.25) and many more. Soups include fruit soup and goulash soup.
It is important to note that, according to MÁV, you can pay by credit card or SZÉP card in dining cars, but if you would like to pay by cash, they only accept forints on the trains towards Lake Balaton.
Seat reservation is obligatory on most of the trains to Lake Balaton
From 13 May 2024, trains will operate in the Lake Balaton area according to the pre-season timetable, which means that more trains will be available to the lake from Budapest than before. However, there are certain trains that you can only use by purchasing a seat ticket. On InterCity and express trains, it is mandatory to purchase a seat ticket, even if you have a country pass or a Hungary24 ticket. Those who do not have a seat ticket must pay an additional fee of HUF 1,000 (EUR 2.60) in addition to the price of the seat ticket.
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Trains in Hungary replaced on many lines as MÁV experiences huge shortage of vehicles – Read here
Much-needed upgrade: modern Eurosprinter trains to arrive to Hungary
Trains in Hungary replaced on many lines as MÁV experiences huge shortage of vehicles
Even closing some railway lines due to the lack of railway vehicles couldn’t fix the issues MÁV had with managing their diesel vehicles. It seems that the number of diesel trains that could be put into service only continued to decrease.
According to a statement sent to Telex by the non-governmental organisation Közlekedő Tömeg, the number of MÁV diesel locomotives running on non-electrified railway lines has only continued to decrease, even after last year’s low numbers. As they report, there are certain lines where replacement buses have been in operation for weeks now.
The number of trains replaced by buses due to vehicle failure operating on branch lines increased dramatically after the appointment of János Lázár as Minister of Transport, they added. They also think that the destruction of competitive public transport is another sign that the government is neglecting rural Hungary.
As Index reports, since January 2021, the number of vehicles replaced by buses due to the fact that multiple units were unable to operate, skyrocketed in June 2023 marking the lowest point in a long time, as 15 times as many trains were missing (856) than the year earlier (56).
The number of trains missing and requiring replacement at the last minute only fell to the 2022 level by the end of last year, below 100 per month, but approximately 3,000 trains per month are currently missing due to railway closures, or they are also replaced by buses.
Many of MÁV’s locomotives are unable to operate, as one-third of their most modern diesel locomotives (Desiro), which are over 20 years old, 40 percent of Uzsgyiks, which are also considered modern, and more than half of the 50-year-old M41 (Csörgő) diesel locomotives used on main lines cannot be put into service.
Modern trains are promised to take over
As we previously reported, news broke earlier this month that MÁV is planning on modernising its locomotive fleet. The state-owned railway company intends to further expand its fleet of Siemens Eurosprinter electric locomotives. Currently, there are 15 state-of-the-art, high-powered electric locomotives in the country, all of which are used trains in good condition, presently leased by the MÁV-START Group.
These new Siemens electric locomotives started operating in the second half of October 2023 in Hungary. They had to be put into service primarily because, as of December of that year, Austria ceased to accept trains on its domestic lines that lacked onboard equipment capable of employing the European Train Control System Level 2 (ETCS L2). The modern Eurosprinter trains initially operated in the eastern part of Hungary, primarily on domestic InterCity lines, however, they can also access networks in Germany, Austria, Romania, Croatia and Serbia.
Read also:
- Great news: It will be easier to reach Lake Balaton by train very soon – Read here
- Hurry up: Tickets to Adria InterCity from Hungary to Croatia selling out!
Hurry up: Tickets to Adria InterCity from Hungary to Croatia selling out!
One of MÁV-START’s most popular overnight services is without a doubt the Adria InterCity which takes tourists to the Croatian coast. It has become so popular in recent years that tickets are running out fast this season: if you still haven’t bought yours, you should hurry up!
Tickets to MÁV’s Adria InterCity selling out fast
This year, two months after the start of pre-sales, nearly 7,000 tickets for MÁV-Start’s Adria InterCity service have already been sold. That is half of last year’s total ticket sales, which was nearly 14,000 tickets.
Adria InterCity trains departing between 18 June and the end of July have a seat occupancy rate of around 90 percent in the couchette section, while the figure is 65 percent for sleeper coaches. In view of the high interest, MÁV-START has decided to add extra couchette coaches from 18 June.
“Our service connecting the Croatian coast with Budapest will run 3 times a week until 30 September with couchette, sleeper and dining car services. Those who would like to travel to the Adriatic by train in the summer can even find discounted tickets for August or September,” MÁV writes.
For longer journeys, taking the train at night is the greenest transport option, with significantly lower emissions than flying. There has also been a steady increase in the number of passengers travelling by night train over longer distances, including the Adria InterCity. The line was voted one of Europe’s 10 most beautiful rail routes by The Guardian in 2022, with nearly 14,000 passengers travelling from Hungary to Split in 2023.
The popularity of the Adria InterCity is unbroken this year, with almost half of last year’s total season ticket sales, some 7,000 tickets, already sold two months after the start of the advance sale,
MÁV writes.
For the first month of the train’s operation, almost all services from Budapest have been sold out. Thus, in response to the high demand, passengers can now buy tickets for an extra couchette carriage from the very first departure. This will increase the number of seats available between 18 June and 14 July.
In addition to the Adria InterCity, MÁV-START will also operate the Retró Istria express train this year. These trains will run daily between Budapest and Koper (Slovenia) and Rijeka (Croatia) from 28 June to 31 August, with seated, couchette and sleeper trains to both destinations.
You arrive directly in the centre of Split with Adria InterCity trains
The Adria InterCity arrives in the centre of Split, in the immediate vicinity of the Old Town and the port. You can sleep most of the 789 kilometres, all the cars are air-conditioned and there are power sockets in the cabins.
The Adria IC departs from the Keleti railway station at 18:45, crosses the southern shore of Lake Balaton, crosses the border and descends to the coast of Split, where it arrives at 9:49 the next day.
The return train from Split departs at 17:54, arriving in Budapest at 9:35 the next day. In addition to Budapest (Keleti railway station and Budapest-Kelenföld), the Adria InterCity can be boarded in Székesfehérvár, Siófok, Fonyód, Balatonszentgyörgy, Nagykanizsa and Gyékényes, and disembarked on the way home.
Mineral water is served in the evening and hot drinks and breakfast in the morning, with a choice of breakfast menus for sleeper passengers, which can also be enjoyed in the dining car. In the dining car, you can pay in forints, euros, by credit card and all SZÉP cards in the territory of Hungary.
Six- and four-berth coaches are available from EUR 49 per person, while single, double and triple sleeper coaches are available from EUR 88 per person. MÁV-START offers special discounts for families, with children’s tickets for children aged 6-15 available from EUR 30.
Passengers travelling in an Adria InterCity sleeping car can also use the Premium Lounge at Keleti railway station, MÁV adds.
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Budapest-Belgrade railway line: Construction resumes, date of the Hungarian section’s completion out
Track construction work has resumed on the Hungarian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line after the Sino-Hungarian construction team halted it last September, according to a 9 May article on China’s state-run China Global Television Network (CGTN). In an interview, Viktor Orbán also revealed when the Hungarian section will be completed.
Hungarian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line
After Telex and Daily News Hungary reported last September that there were serious problems with the construction of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line, Chinese state-owned CGTN has now announced that construction has resumed.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave an interview to CGTN. In it, he shared that
the Hungarian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line will be completed in 2026, and traffic will start in that year.
In response to a question from the reporter, he said that he was absolutely certain that the line would start in 2026.
Orbán also revealed that Hungary will seek to improve relations between the EU and China during its EU Presidency, Világgazdaság writes based on the interview.
Background of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line
The foundation stone for the reconstruction was laid in October 2021.
The project is worth around EUR 1.7 billion, 85% of which is financed by a fixed-rate loan from China, with the remaining 15% financed by the Hungarian state from its own resources, Világgazdaság writes.
After construction, it will take 2 hours and 40 minutes to cover the distance between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals.
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Much-needed upgrade: modern Eurosprinter trains to arrive to Hungary
In the near future, the MÁV-START Group will lease 9 Siemens Eurosprinter trains, thereby expanding its existing fleet to a total of 24 trains. Speculation is already rife regarding the lines on which the new locomotives will operate.
The internet magazine Indóház Online (iho.hu) has received news that the MÁV-START Group, Hungary’s state-owned railway company, intends to further expand its fleet of Siemens Eurosprinter electric locomotives.
Currently, there are 15 state-of-the-art, high-powered electric locomotives in the country, all of which are used trains in good condition, presently leased by the MÁV-START Group.
Contracts were finalised between MÁV Rail Tours, a subsidiary of the group, and Akiem SAS, a French-based company specialising in leasing railway vehicles. MÁV-START, in turn, uses the locomotives under an existing cooperation agreement with MÁV Rail Tours Ltd.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Iho.hu queried MÁV about the forthcoming leasing of new Eurosprinter trains, to which the railway company responded:
“Short-term solutions are also necessary to alleviate the vehicle shortage; therefore, as previously planned, we will use the option as part of the leasing of the 15 used Siemens Eurosprinter ES64 U2 V7 type dual-current, high-power electric locomotives chartered from Akiem, allowing nine more vehicles to be delivered to MÁV-START.”
Leasing Eurosprinter trains was a necessity for the Hungarian railway company
These new Siemens electric locomotives started operations in the second half of October 2023 in Hungary. They had to be put into service primarily because, as of December of that year, Austria ceased to accept trains on its domestic lines lacking onboard equipment capable of employing the European Train Control System Level 2 (ETCS L2).
ETCS L2 is a radio-based signalling and control system that monitors the train’s position and direction, enabling continuous communication between the train and the trackside. ETCSs can convey all trackside information to the driver’s cab, eliminating the need for trackside signals, which lays the groundwork for future automatic train operation.
Although, as iho.hu previously explained, MÁV has several modern locomotives, none of them is equipped with this equipment. However, the Siemens ES64U2 Eurosprinters, which were first deployed in 2004, were equipped with ETCS L2 around 2008.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Where will the new trains operate?
“The vehicles will be in continuous service following technical preparation,” MÁV stated. “We plan to operate the locomotives primarily on international services. At this stage of the technical discussions, we are unable to furnish further information. Our objective remains to put new locomotives into service as soon as possible on the most advantageous terms, and we are not abandoning the acquisition of new rolling stock.”
The modern Eurosprinter trains initially operated in the eastern part of Hungary, primarily on domestic InterCity lines, where they are authorised to operate at speeds of 160 km/h. However, they can also access networks in Germany, Austria, Romania, Croatia and Serbia. According to iho.hu, they will predominantly operate as EuroCity trains to Vienna, as well as serving other parts of Austria, to offset the mileage of Austrian Railjet-Taurus carriages in Hungary.
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Hungarian rolling stock production to be revived with Chinese help
Hungary’s Acemil on Friday evening said it has signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese rolling stock maker CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive.
The agreement extends to the procurement of locomotives and the joint creation of production capacities in Hungary, Acemil said in a statement. The sides agreed to set up four joint centres in Hungary for rolling stock production, maintenance, railway education and R+D.
Acemil said it had previously also reached an agreement with CRRC Shandong, the world’s leading rail freight wagon manufacturer, on the joint assembly and production of freight wagons in Hungary.
The talks and the signing ceremony were attended by representatives of the construction and transport ministry, railway company MAV-Start, Rail Cargo Hungaria, railway maintenance unit TS-MAV Gépészet and MAV Rail Tours.
Read also:
- Hungarian public media to broadcast Chinese propaganda movies? – Details HERE
- Rail ring road around Budapest, airport high-speed railway to be built with Chinese investment
Rail ring road around Budapest, airport high-speed railway to be built with Chinese investment
During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Budapest, a total of 18 important agreements were signed between Hungary and China. These include the construction of a rail ring road bypassing Budapest and a high-speed railway connecting Budapest Airport with the capital.
In the framework of China’s Belt and Road strategy for the development of east-west connectivity, the two countries have drawn up a list of projects to be jointly implemented, iho.hu writes, based on the Hungarian News Agency (MTI).
New plans: rail ring road, high-speed railway to Budapest Airport
This list of projects has been extended to include the preparation of the construction of a rail ring road bypassing Budapest, formerly known as the V0 project, as part of a joint Sino-Hungarian development.
According to foreign minister Péter Szijjártó, this is very much needed due to the fact that there is significant Chinese investment in Hungary, mainly in the eastern half of the country; however, the products produced here will be mostly sold in the western half of Europe. Thus, transport needs to be made more efficient and sustainable.
At the same time, a high-speed railway link is being prepared to ensure fast and civilised access from the airport to the centre of Budapest (read details about the high-speed railway link HERE). The minister pointed out that Hungary offers direct flights to seven major Chinese cities, with 19 flights a week.
Electric car charging network
In addition, the parties also agreed to start developing the electric car charging network, in order to charge electric cars as quickly as possible in as many parts of the country as possible. According to the minister, “electric cars are the future, and this is how we can protect our environment.”
Read also:
- Surprising: Private super railway may connect Budapest Airport with city centre – UPDATED
- Another Chinese city to be directly accessible from Budapest this summer!
Featured image: depositphotos.com
Attention: Timetable changes on Budapest-Vienna railway line
From Friday onwards, the spring reconstruction works of the Budapest-Győr-Hegyeshalom-Vienna railway line (Budapest-Vienna railway line) between Herceghalom and Bicske will continue, the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) announced on its website.
On the Budapest-Győr-Hegyeshalom line, maintenance work has been carried out between Bicske and Szárliget in the second phase of the spring retrofitting work, from the end of April until Thursday, 9 May.
The next phase, from 10 May to 31 May, will see the technicians and machinery move to the track between Herceghalom and Bicske,
Timetable changes on the Budapest-Vienna railway line
As stated, similar to the previous two phases, the work will include track and switch adjustments, ballast replacement, as well as track tension release and overhead line maintenance.
From 10 May, the timetable on the Budapest-Győr-Hegyeshalom line will change again. This will affect the S10, S12 and G10 trains, the InterRegio Győr and Szombathely on Sunday, the Savaria ICs in Szombathely and the InterCity Sopron, as well as the international trains Dráva and Mura ICs.
During maintenance, you should expect a 5-10, sometimes 10-30, minute longer journey time on the Budapest-Vienna railway line.
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Great news: It will be easier to reach Lake Balaton by train very soon
The so-called pre-season train timetable of the MÁV-VOLÁN Group is to be introduced before Pentecost. From mid-May, it will be easier than ever to travel to Lake Balaton via train, as more trains and more comfortable conditions will await passengers.
From 13 May to 21 June, the MÁV-VOLÁN Group will implement its pre-season timetable for trains to Lake Balaton in preparation for the upcoming summer holidays. Every year, Hungarian railways prepare for the increased summer traffic on the lake with more trains and additional services.
“From 13 May, a month before the official school holidays, we will provide a more frequent service to the lake shore and increase the capacity of bicycle transport,” the railway company announces on its website.
In general, the larger towns along the lake will be more easily reachable by additional services besides the usual trains that run every hour. Compared to the winter off-season, there will also be more bicycle carriages, and more InterCity (IC) coaches to provide more seats for holidayers.
The expansion of services is much needed, since, as the company writes, around 3 million passengers used the Balaton services in the whole season, both last year and the year before.
Changes in train services running to the South of Lake Balaton:
The so-called “Déli->Parti” InterRegion trains between Budapest’s Déli Station and Fonyód and Balatonszentgyörgy will run every two hours.
Balaton InterCity trains will have first-class carriages, and from 25 May, dining cars will also be available on these services.
On weekends and public holidays, air-conditioned KISS double-decker trains will also operate between Szob and Fonyód under the name Jégmadár express train, providing a direct connection from the Dunakanyar region to the Balaton.
“Owl-trains” will be running on Friday and Saturday nights between Keszthely and Déli Station.
Changes on the Northern coast of Lake Balaton:
Kék Hullám express trains will run every two hours between Budapest and Tapolca. These trains are the fastest way to reach Balatonalmádi, Balatonfüred, and the villages beyond Balatonfüred. From the high season onwards, premium 1+ class bistro services will be available on this line.
Between Budapest and Balatonfüred, Vizipók trains will run every two hours. These trains are the fastest way to reach Balatonakarattya, Csittényhegy, Balatonkenese, Balatonfűzfő, Alsóörs, Csopak and Balatonarács.
On weekends, Katica InterRegion trains will run between Budapest and Balatonfüred, stopping at all stations and stops from Székesfehérvár to Balatonfüred, thus serving smaller stops.
You can choose from multiple ticket options when boarding the trains to Lake Balaton
For those travelling with County or Hungary passes, as well as with a Hungary24 or a County24 daily ticket, all passenger trains and wagon trains will be available on the Balaton route, but on certain sections of the trains (on InterCity and express trains that require seat reservations), the purchase of a supplementary ticket will be mandatory.
On the Déli->Parti and Katica InterRegion trains, as well as the Balatonfenyves narrow gauge railway, passengers may travel with a county or country ticket or the new daily tickets.
In preparation for the increased passenger traffic, reservations will be mandatory on priority trains, i.e. on the Balaton and Tópart InterCity trains and the Jégmadár and Kék Hullám express trains.
Another option for vacationers is the Balaton24 ticket, which is a 24-hour ticket that allows unlimited travel between the lake shore settlements by train and Volán bus services. It makes reaching the tourist attractions and entertainment venues of the coastal towns by train and bus easy and comfortable, for the cost of only HUF 1,090 (EUR 2.80).
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Budapest-Belgrade railway: Construction reaches new milestone
As part of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line, Serbia will complete the construction of the more than 180-kilometre Belgrade-Subotica railway section by the end of 2024. Construction of the Novi Sad-Subotica section is already 80% complete.
Budapest-Belgrade railway construction at new milestone
Track-laying works on the 108-kilometre section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line between Novi Sad and Subotica were completed on Thursday, China Railway said in a press release sent to Global Times. Upon completion of works, the results of dynamic tests showed that trains on the Novi Sad section could reach a top speed of 200 kilometres per hour, the company said,
noting that the railway could be operational by the end of the year,
Hungarian section to soon be completed
Earlier, Daily News Hungary reported that if all goes well, the construction of the Hungarian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway, the complete renovation of line 150, will soon be completed. This would mean that the distance between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals would be covered in 2 hours 40 minutes. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said, “We are confident that our Hungarian friends will finish on the Hungarian side by the end of 2025 or February-March 2026”.
The Serbian president said last October that the Hungarian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line could be completed by summer 2026 at the latest.
In its first year of operation, the completed section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway between Belgrade and Novi Sad carried nearly 3 million passengers. Trains can now travel at speeds of 200 kilometres per hour, Világgazdaság writes. According to Global Times, in March, the Chinese-built Belgrade-Novi Sad high-speed railway marked its 2nd anniversary. The railway has transported over 7 million people between Serbia’s two largest cities since its operation started in 2022.
According to China Railway, the north-south Hungary-Serbia railway is a double-track electrified railway with a total length of 341.7 kilometers, including 183.1 kilometers in Serbia, with a designed maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour. There are 158.6 kilometers in Hungary, with a designed maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour.
Long-distance trains within Hungary are expected to see a one-hour reduction in travel time between Budapest and Kelebia, while suburban passengers can anticipate up to a 20-minute decrease in journey time to Kunszentmiklós-Tass. Additionally, plans are underway to shorten the Budapest-Vienna train journey to just 2 hours by 2025-2026, making it possible to travel from Belgrade to Vienna in less than 5 hours via a fixed route.
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Trains and buses in Hungary now easier to track real-time!
Ever wanted to track trains and buses in Hungary in real-time? Thanks to a new development, from the end of April, BudapestGO users will be able to track in real-time, along the entire route, where the MÁV train or Volánbus service they want to travel on is going to in Budapest.
According to the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK), following the introduction of the tariff community on 1 March, the route and current status of all MÁV trains in Budapest will be displayed in the application for the entire route, turizmus.com writes.
Trains and buses in Hungary can now be tracked real-time
As an example, it is possible to plan the journey from Szeged or Debrecen railway station to any Budapest or agglomeration location in real-time, and the return journey as well.
This means that if a train or bus does not arrive at the scheduled time, BudapestGO will immediately take this into account and suggest the most convenient itinerary for users, BKK said.
According to the announcement, since January last year, the regional buses of Volánbus with the numbers 300 to 899 can be tracked in BudapestGO. Now, 29 more long-distance routes are added with real-time information.
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Tunisia upgrades its railway network with Hungarian help
Hungarian Ganz Machinery Works has signed an cooperation agreement with its Tunisian counterpart on upgrading Tunisia’s railways, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said in Tunis on Monday.
Before a meeting with Tunisian counterpart Nabil Amar, Péter Szijjártó noted that bilateral trade between the two countries last year hit a record high at over 270 million US dollars.
The Tunisian railway company has announced tenders worth hundreds of millions of euros to develop its rail network and carriages, Szijjártó noted. “Large Tunisian companies want to upgrade national and suburban lines as well as rail carriages with Hungarian partners,” he added.
Meanwhile, Hungary and Tunisia are also looking to boost cooperation in agriculture, the food industry, agricultural science and water purification, he added.
Szijjártó said Hungary will raise the number of higher-education scholarships offered to Tunisian students from 200 to 250, he said.
He is scheduled to meet Tunisian minister of trade Kalthoum Ben Rejeb on Wednesday.
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Attention: Budapest-Vienna railway line renovation continues in Hungary, timetable changes
The renovation of the Győr (Budapest-Vienna) railway line, which started last autumn, will continue from 27 April. The works will last until 9 May, during which time MÁV’s timetable on this main line will change.
MÁV will carry out track maintenance on the main Győr line (Budapest-Vienna) from mid-April to the beginning of July in several phases on different sections, based on the necessary technological specifications, the railway company said on Thursday.
The renewal will be a follow-up to the upgrade between Biatorbágy and Szárliget last autumn. Work on the line will run from 27 April to 9 May, between Bicske and Szárliget.
Timetable to change on the Budapest-Vienna line
MÁV said that on the Bicske-Szárliget line, track and switch adjustments, ballast replacement, track tension release and overhead line maintenance are carried out.
The maintenance on the Budapest-Győr-Hegyeshalom line will affect the S10, S12 and G10 trains, the Savaria ICs of Szombathely and the Sopron intercity trains, Világgazdaság writes based on MÁV.
The departure and arrival times of the majority of international trains, including railjets, will remain unchanged from the original schedule, but the Kálmán Imre EuroNight, the Dráva and the Mura IC will operate with a modified timetable.
In addition to the maintenance work carried out by MÁV, track reconstruction is also taking place between Ferencváros and Budapest-Kelenföld stations during the same period, so the experts took this into account when designing the timetables.
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