12 interesting facts about the Guinness World Records Children’s Railway Budapest
Construction of the Children’s Railway Budapest (Gyermekvasút) began on 11 April 1948, seventy-six years ago. Today, the Guinness World Record Children’s Railway brings smiles to faces of all ages.
The Children’s Railway is one of the capital’s unique attractions, linking the most beautiful hiking spots in the Buda Hills. The line runs from Széchenyi Hill to Hűvösvölgy, but on the way it passes through Normafa, Csillebérc, János Hill and Szépjuhászene. The viewpoints, forest playgrounds, shrines and other places of interest in the Buda hills are also close to the stations, making the Children’s Railway the perfect way to enjoy a day out.
It gets its name from the fact that school-age children’s train passengers, in various ranks, are on board.
10 interesting facts about this extraordinary means of transport.
1. It was unclear whether the Children’s Railway would be built on Svábhegy. When choosing the location, the Gödöllő Royal Castle, Népliget and Margit Island were also discussed.
2. According to the original plans, the Children’s Railway route would have been built up to Zugliget. However, due to the significant level differences, this would have been a huge challenge, so in the end, it was decided that it would go all the way to Hűvösvölgy.
3. Work began on April 11, 1948, and amazingly, not long after, on July 31, the first three-kilometer section was handed over.
4. The last station of the first construction phase was named Előre.
5. On the Children’s Railway, formerly known as the Pioneer Railway, only students with grades of four or five could serve, the advertised places were continuously oversubscribed.
6. The entire line of the Children’s Railway was handed over on August 20, 1950.
7. Its entire route is 11.2 kilometers long.
8. There is a 198 m-long horseshoe tunnel where you can scream.
9. In 2015, the Children’s Railway Budapest entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest railway line in the world on which commercial and traffic services are provided exclusively by children.
10. The Children’s Railway travels at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour through the Buda forests.
11. About 450 children serve on the Children’s Railway
12. The country’s first open-air escalator was built at the terminus in Küyüvölgy. The roughly twenty-meter-long escalator made a ten-meter level difference in 14 seconds, carrying up to 140 people.
Read more details HERE.
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MÁV’s railway maintenance spells chaos for Budapest-Austria commutes
MÁV has announced that spring maintenance will continue on the railway line linking Budapest to Austria. Upgrading one of the two tracks will take place which will result in delays and extended travel duration for commuters.
MÁV’s railway maintenance
In the lead-up to last December’s timetable change, there was a large improvement project on the main Győr railway line spanning from Biatorbágy to Szárliget. This work covered an area of 29 kilometres and included complete track reconstruction which is being completed with necessary temperature-controlled finishings.
From the middle of April until early July, a set of maintenance activities are scheduled to happen along various parts of the track. These involve adjusting tracks and switches, replacing ballast, releasing track tension and carrying out overhead line maintenance in partnership with MÁV FKG’s (Structure Maintenance and Machine Repair) subsidiary. Additionally, platform asphalting in Biatorbány will continue, slated for the latter half of June, according to MÁV.
The forthcoming retrofitting during spring-summer will be conducted in phases and smaller sections, guaranteeing that the whole 29 kilometres are not disrupted all at once. During these phases, traffic will be kept on one track. This means that most of the trains can still run without needing substitute buses. However, due to single-track operation, there may be alterations to departure and arrival times and some trains may not cover their full routes.
In contrast to the previous maintenance, these upcoming works are not predicted to cause similar passenger inconvenience. The period of maintenance that lasts until July might slightly increase journey times by 5 to 20 minutes. Passengers will be given notice about these alterations beforehand so they can adjust their travel plans accordingly, with minimum disturbance.
The schedule of the maintenance
Maintenance work on the Budapest-Győr-Hegyeshalom line has been planned from the 15th of April until the early hours of the 27th of April. This will affect different trains like the S10, S12 and G10 trains as well as Savaria InterCitys from Szombathely, InterCity trains coming from Sopron and other international ones too.
The objective of this maintenance is to increase reliability and punctuality for train services on one of Hungary’s key transport routes after renovations done in the past autumn season. Most tasks are dependent upon temperature conditions such as constructing or welding seamless tracks; so they have been scheduled during springtime and summertime periods.
During the period between the 15th of April and the 27th of June, there will be intervals for track and switch adjustments along the open line between stations like Biatorbágy-Herceghalom, Bicske-Szárliget, as well as Herceghalom-Bicske. This involves the “breathing” of new gapless tracks installed in the autumn of 2023 and standardising temperature conditions.
The work will be done on one track at a time so that train services can continue without interruption on other tracks, impacting both domestic and international trains during day and night periods.
Maintenance work is ongoing on the catenary network, focusing on replacing longitudinal chains in sections where dismantling occurred during previous works, alongside inspections and periodic maintenance. This is happening along with inspections and periodical maintenance. A substructure problem near the lower Bicske stop from the 10th of May to the 20th of June will lead to a speed restriction of 40 km/h over a 400-metre area which will cause minor delays.
During this time, trains will run on one track between Herceghalom and Bicske. Maintenance happening from the 21st of June to the 1st of July will include station works at Bicske and Biatorbágy, affecting just night trains starting from the 28th of June. In late June, platform asphalting is planned at Biatorbágy station which is going to affect service on one platform temporarily. Track reconstruction continues between Ferencváros and Budapest-Kelenföld stations, which was taken into consideration for change in the timetable.
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PHOTOS: New train between Hungary and Austria – discover the world heritage landscapes!
The Fertő-táj train service will run between April and August this year between Sopron and Neusiedl am See in Austria.
Train between Hungary and Austria
The aim is to enable more people to visit the Hungarian and Austrian side of the Fertő Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in an environmentally friendly way, GYSEV Plc, the operator of the train service, told the Hungarian News Agency (MTI) on Saturday.
According to the announcement, the services will run on Saturdays and Sundays, until 25 August. The first train departed from Sopron to Austria today on Saturday.
The railway company has set up the timetable in such a way as to ensure optimal connections to the Fertő-táj trains for tourists arriving from Győr (Budapest) and Szombathely (Szentgotthárd), too, the statement said.
The services can be used by purchasing a Fertő Valley Discovery ticket (Fertő-táj felfedező jegy), which also provides free bicycle transport, they added.
Ticket prices and where to buy them
Find the ticket types and prices below:
|
Ticket types |
One-way ticket | 24-hour ticket |
48-hour ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Adult |
3,00 € |
6,00 € |
8,00 € |
|
Child (6-15 years) |
2,00 € |
3,00 € |
4,00 € |
|
Senior |
3,00 € |
6,00 € |
8,00 € |
|
Bicycle, dog |
Free |
||
Fertő Valley tickets are available:
- at any GYSEV ticket office;
- at MÁV-START international ticket offices;
- online: on the MÁV-START website or the MÁV app;
- on GYSEV domestic trains (if no ticket office is available at the boarding station);
- on board the Fertő-táj trains, from the ticket inspector.
More information about the Fertő-táj trains commuting between Hungary and Austria can be found HERE.
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What’s happening? Police raid trains in Hungary – PHOTOS
Almost 700 trains were checked by police officers as part of a 24-hour international operation to ensure rail safety in Hungary.
Hungary joined Railpol’s (European Organisation of Railway Police) action on Monday to prevent and disrupt violent acts against railway wagons, to detect unruly passengers, to prevent metal theft, drug-related crime, illegal migration and other related illegal acts, and to check trains at rail border crossings, Világgazdaság reports.
Police raid Hungarian trains
The officers, together with cooperating organisations, checked 683 freight and passenger trains and 589 stations, the authority said.
During the 24-hour operation, the identity of 4,623 people was checked, 15 criminal and 49 offence reports were filed; 27 people were arrested, 15 of whom were wanted. On-the-spot fines were imposed in 189 cases and administrative fines in 87 cases.
Raids like this have been carried out before: in January, uniformed officers raided domestic and international passenger trains, passenger luggage and luggage lockers at stations in a 24-hour operation, including the use of service dogs.
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Attention: Major change in Hungarian rail travel
MÁV-Start’s S76 trains between Pilisvörösvár and Rákos will operate without ticket inspectors, on an experimental basis, from 7 April, the railway company told the Hungarian News Agency (MTI) on Saturday.
Rail travel changes on an important route
They said that after a two-month trial and evaluation process, it is expected that the system will be extended to a number of other suburban and rural lines. Random ticket checks will continue on trains, they added.
“The new fare and discount system introduced on 1 March has significantly simplified the ticketing and travel process, eliminating the need for ticket inspectors to be present on trains at all times,” the statement reads. It also said that a decision to extend the measure would be taken on the basis of current experience and, if necessary, “fine-tuned” beforehand.
A similar solution is common in Western Europe and in some countries in the region, the railway company noted.
Engine drivers to have more tasks than before
They also pointed out that the modernisation will impose more tasks on engine drivers than before: “They will be responsible for providing live verbal passenger information via the public address system in the event of an emergency or a stop for traffic reasons”.
In addition, drivers will be responsible for checking the safe boarding and alighting of passengers through the use of rear-view mirrors and the camera system, and for assisting disabled passengers or passengers with reduced mobility to board or alight by operating wheelchair lifting equipment.
The communication stressed that the safety of passengers is the most important. In this context, they said that passengers should be aware of the emergency call buttons next to the doors, which they can use to contact the driver in the event of an incident.
It will not be cheap to travel without a valid travel document
It was pointed out that between Pilisvörösvár and Rákos there are ticket offices or ticket machines at the stations and stops, and the use of the MÁV app was recommended.
During the first month of the test period, until 5 May, the railway company will charge a surcharge of HUF 2,600 (EUR 6.66) in addition to the ticket price for passengers boarding without a ticket, season ticket or valid travel document during ticket inspections, they said, adding that from 6 May, the surcharge will be HUF 25,000 (EUR 64).
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Busy Budapest railway station to be closed for 2 weekends
During two weekends in April, the Déli railway station will be closed for complex maintenance. The works at the Budapest railway station will be noisy during the day and night.
Maintenance work at Budapest railway station
On two weekends in April, on the 6th and 7th, and on the 13th and 14th, complex maintenance will be carried out at the Déli railway station, the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) said in a statement.
Due to the restriction, train services will be suspended on Saturday and Sunday, with most trains arriving at Budapest-Kelenföld instead of Déli station and departing from there to rural and suburban destinations.
The works will be noisy during the day and night, so the railway company asks for the patience and understanding of people living in the area around the Budapest railway station.
Some Friday evening and Monday morning trains will also be affected. Replacement buses will run all day between Déli station and Budapest-Kelenföld station, departing every half hour from dawn until late evening.
The changed timetables are now available on the MÁV website, as well as in the timetable search engines and the MÁV app.
Significant changes at Déli station
Maintenance work will be carried out on and around the tracks of the passenger station and the track network used for the storage and preparation of trains at the Budapest railway station over the two weekends in question, from midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday, 24.hu quotes MÁV.
It is also reported that during the complete closure, rail replacement, replacement of switch parts, replacement of 280 tonnes of crushed stone in the ballast, maintenance of the overhead line and the safety equipment, and the installation of new concrete sleepers on a 200-metre section will be carried out.
Green areas in the immediate vicinity of the railway track will be cleared of plant waste, and lighting throughout the station will be improved and upgraded.
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Surprise Twist: Budapest-Belgrade railway set to finish ahead of schedule!
There were rumours of a potential delay in the renovation of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line. However, recent developments suggest that, barring any unforeseen issues, the construction of the Hungarian segment of the railway, including the comprehensive overhaul of line 150, is on track to be completed soon.
This progress indicates that the travel time between the capitals of Serbia and Hungary could potentially be reduced to just 2 hours and 40 minutes. The Hungarian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line is now scheduled for completion on a newly announced date.
According to Világgazdaság, this update comes from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who shared this information during an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) at the end of February. CGTN, a relatively young Chinese state television network established just over seven years ago on the 31st of December 2016, serves as a platform for Vucic to provide specific insights into the progress of the Budapest-Belgrade railway construction.
Estimated completion date for the Budapest-Belgrade railway line
Aleksandar Vucic emphasised the strong bond between China and Serbia, portraying China as a close friend to Serbia with a history of positive relations between their peoples. Vucic highlighted the recent free trade agreement signed in October, which he believes will significantly expand the market for Serbian agricultural goods and wine, while also facilitating the import of Chinese products at competitive prices.
Vucic pointed out that the top three export partners of Serbia are Chinese companies, with ongoing negotiations for further investments in Serbia’s economy, particularly in infrastructure projects where Chinese firms play a pivotal role.
This discussion seamlessly transitioned to the topic of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line, illustrating its strategic significance in the broader context of economic cooperation. Vucic confirmed Serbia’s commitment to finishing the construction of the over 180-kilometre Belgrade-Szabadka railway line by the end of 2024.
Additionally, he expressed confidence in Hungary’s progress, stating that he trusts their Hungarian counterparts to complete the Hungarian section by the end of 2025 or possibly by February-March 2026. This timeline aims to establish crucial connectivity between Belgrade, Budapest and Vienna.
This updated timeline marks a significant advancement compared to the previously expected completion date, which was anticipated to be around six months later.
The importance of the Budapest-Belgrade railway
The renovation of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line would significantly reduce travel time between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals to 2 hours and 40 minutes. 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. The Budapest-Belgrade railway project involves extensive upgrades, including doubling the track to 152 kilometres and renovating a total of 339 kilometres.
These enhancements will allow for an increased authorised speed of 160 km/h, improved passenger access to platforms, construction of new station buildings and pedestrian underpasses, installation of new lifts and modernised passenger information system and implementation of safety equipment such as platform surveillance cameras.
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Long overdue: New FLIRT Intercity trains revolutionise Hungarian railways
Stadler and Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurt Railways (GYSEV) Ltd. have recently concluded a contract for the provision of nine FLIRT Intercity electric multiple units, with an option for an additional four. These trains are scheduled for service on the Sopron-Budapest and Szombathely-Budapest routes starting in 2027.
The dual-current vehicles are designed for seamless travel across Hungary and Austria, offering versatility and efficiency. These state-of-the-art five-car trainsets are being manufactured at Stadler’s Szolnok plant. The supply contract will come into effect upon the finalisation of a financing agreement with GYSEV, which secures a European Investment Bank (EIB) loan to facilitate the procurement, as reported by infostart.hu.
GYSEV Ltd. has a three-month window after the contract takes effect to determine the number of optional trains it will order. The delivery timeline indicates that Stadler will deliver the first vehicle 36 months after the contract enters into force, with the final unit of the initial order entering service within 44 months. Subsequently, Stadler will have an additional two years to acquire the required licenses for operating the trains in Austria.
In three procurement rounds between 2013 and 2019, the railway company ordered a total of 20 FLIRT trains from Stadler, marking the first acquisition of new intercity trains in Hungary in three decades.
The new GYSEV trains
The new intercity vehicles represent a departure from the existing GYSEV fleet, featuring a maintenance-friendly design and state-of-the-art electric traction motors that enhance energy efficiency, therefore reducing overall lifetime costs. These five-carriage trains, capable of speeds up to 160 kilometres per hour, span 106.2 metres in length and offer flexible seating arrangements to accommodate seasonal demands.
In winter, the configuration includes 280 seats, including 32 in first class, while in summer, the seating is adjusted to accommodate up to 18 bicycles in response to increased demand for bicycle transportation.
The new vehicles, built to meet recently implemented international standards, boast modern amenities such as advanced passenger information systems, security cameras and charging sockets for electronic devices.
Additionally, they feature air-conditioned, low-floor passenger compartments and disabled-accessible toilets. According to the announcement, the FLIRT model is Stadler’s highly successful product with over 2,500 units sold across 21 countries since 2002. In Hungary alone, GYSEV operates 20 of these vehicles, while MÁV operates 123. Notably, Stadler’s Szolnok Factory has contributed to the production of nearly 1,000 FLIRT trains, equating to 3,883 carriages.
The signed order includes the potential production of up to 65 Flirt Intercity carriages for GYSEV in Szolnok, subject to the total number of option orders received. Stadler, renowned for manufacturing large railway locomotives, switching locomotives and passenger coaches, has a workforce of approximately 14,000 employees. The group is headquartered in Bussnang, Eastern Switzerland.
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Traffic between Slovakia and Hungary to resume on several railway lines
Great news emerged: the Slovak Ministry of Transport plans to reopen several regional rail links between Slovakia and Hungary.
The Slovak Ministry of Transport plans to restart several Slovak-Hungarian regional rail connections, the ministry in question told the Hungarian News Agency (MTI).
According to the statement, the first rail links to be reopened are those between Lučenec (Losonc) and Hatvan and between Košice (Kassa) and Hidasnémeti. In a second phase, four other interstate regional rail connections could be revived, pending negotiations with Hungarian MÁV-Start, Paraméter reports.
According to the Slovak Ministry of Transport, the Lučenec-Fiľakovo-Salgótarján-Hatvan line could be connected to the Zvolen (Zólyom), Rimavská Sobota (Rimaszombat) and Rožňava (Rozsnyó) lines in Slovakia and to the Košice-Budapest EC in Hatvan, Hungary.
Once-popular Slovakia-Hungary railway lines to reopen
It is planned that trains would run every hour during peak hours and every two hours off-peak. On the Košice-Čaňa-Hidasnémeti line, trains are also expected to run at hourly intervals during peak hours.
“We want to improve cross-border relations and thus strengthen the bonds between people living in border regions,”
Slovak Transport Minister Jozef Ráz is quoted as saying by MTI.
According to the Minister, the former rail connections were discontinued in 2003, but they are still very much needed. According to the ministry, representatives of the Slovak State Railways (ZSR) and MÁV will hold talks on the subject on Thursday.
The Slovak Ministry of Transport wrote that there is also a possibility of reopening further rail links on the lines connecting Hungary’s Komáron with Slovakia’s Komárno, the Lučenec-Ipolytarnóc-Szécsény-Balassagyarmat line, the Slovenské Nové Mesto-Sátoraljaújhely line and the Šahy-Drégelypalánk-Balassagyarmat line.
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Featured image: depositphotos.com
Remarkable: Partially Hungarian-built hydrogen train sets Guinness record – PHOTOS, VIDEO
Stadler’s hydrogen train, named FLIRT H2, has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest distance travelled by a hydrogen-powered passenger train without refuelling or recharging, the company announced in a statement. The world record-breaking train was partly built at Stadler’s carriage factory in Szolnok, Eastern Hungary.
About Stadler’s hydrogen train FLIRT H2
According to the official website of Stadler, rail transport is the most sustainable mobility solution of all, due to its low energy consumption per passenger kilometre. “Electric drive via overhead contact line is particularly efficient and enables emission-free operation of trains, trams and locomotives,” they write. “Stadler has developed the hydrogen-powered FLIRT H₂ model for routes where diesel trains are still in use today,” the company adds.
The Guinness record
According to Telex, the range of hydrogen trains – the distance they can travel without refuelling – is typically around 1,000 kilometres. The FLIRT H2 has now far surpassed this:
it covered a total of 2,803 kilometres in more than 46 hours on a single refuelling between 20 and 22 March.
With this, Stadler’s FLIRT H2 officially holds the world record for the longest distance travelled by a hydrogen-powered passenger train without refuelling or recharging. The record attempt was carried out at the ENSCO test centre in Pueblo, Colorado, under the close supervision of the Guinness World Records team.
Not the first Stadler railway vehicle to set a Guinness record
The FLIRT H2 is Stadler’s second Guinness World Record-winning alternative propulsion train. The FLIRT Akku, the battery-powered FLIRT model, set the world record for the longest journey in pure battery mode by a battery-powered motor train in December 2021, covering 224 kilometres in Germany, Telex writes.
The FLIRT Akku, the battery-electric variant of the bestseller FLIRT and built in 2017, is Stadler’s first battery-powered railway vehicle. The vehicle concept is based on the well-established FLIRT electric multiple units and is designed for operation under overhead lines.
The FLIRT Akku is a single-decker, lightweight aluminium vehicle, which can be used in two or four-car trains. As Stadler reports, like the FLIRT, it can be manufactured according to the customers’ needs and tailored to the network it will operate on. Multiple traction with purely electric single and double-decker vehicles is also possible.
How does a railway vehicle run on hydrogen?
Stadler’s FLIRT H₂ vehicle is an electric multiple unit with hydrogen fuel cells where hydrogen is converted into electricity. This electricity serves several functions including powering the train, charging the lithium-ion traction batteries and feeding the HVAC system on board. The vehicle accelerates and brakes using electric energy alone, and kinetic energy is stored in the batteries during braking.
Green hydrogen is produced from water by electrolysis, allowing surplus renewable electricity to be stored chemically. This is kept in tanks on the train, making it possible to cover long distances without recharging the batteries. State-of-the-art hydrogen technology can thereby replace diesel-powered railway vehicles on short and medium sections of track, Stadler writes.
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Hungary’s favourite direct train to the Croatian coast will be back this summer
For many years, MÁV’s night train to the Croatian coast, the Adria InterCity, has been enjoying enormous popularity. In 2022, it was even voted one of Europe’s 10 best rail journeys by The Guardian. The train connecting the Hungarian capital, Budapest, and the sunny Split will depart three times a week this year. Here are the details concerning the direct train.
Growing popularity
According to the MÁV PLC Communications Directorate, despite the pandemic situation, the railway company welcomed 5,500 passengers on board the Adria InterCity in 2021. In 2022, the number of passengers choosing the direct rail journey between Budapest and Split doubled, with 11,900 travellers. It is only natural that this number grew even more in 2023. Last year, more than 13,000 people travelled by train to the sunny Croatian coast.
The Adria InterCity train invites you on a journey to the centre of Split, just a stone’s throw away from the Old Town and the port. The train journey is 789 kilometres, but do not let that scare you! You can sleep, thus your travel will be peaceful and not tiring at all. For even more comfort, all carriages are equipped with AC and the cabins have power sockets. This year, the train will operate between the 18th of June and the 30th of September.
From Budapest to Croatia
The Adria InterCity departs from Budapest every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, and from Split every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. The train departs from Keleti Railway Station at 6.45 PM, after the journey along the southern shore of Lake Balaton, it passes the Dinaric Mountains and finally arrives in Split at 9.49 AM. The return train from Split departs at 5.54 PM, arriving in Budapest at 9.35 AM the following day.
The train stops at the following stations: Keleti Railway Station, Kelenföld, Székesfehérvár, Siófok, Fonyód, Balatonszentgyörgy, Nagykanizsa and Gyékényes. This year, MÁV will also operate the Retró Istria express train between Budapest and two Croatian destinations (Koper and Rijeka) daily from 28 June to 31 August.
The pricing
Six- and four-bed sleeper coaches start from EUR 49 per person. Meanwhile, single, double and triple sleeper coaches are available from EUR 88 per person. As per usual, MÁV offers special discounts for families. Children’s tickets for youngsters aged 6-15 years are available from EUR 30. For larger families and friend groups, you can book a private sleeping cabin for 3-6 passengers for about EUR 256. From 15 March, tickets for Adria InterCity services can be purchased at ticket offices and online, on MÁV’s Elvira.
About the coaches
The four- or six-bed sleeper cabins offer an affordable alternative to travel to the Croatian coast. However, for a hotel-like experience, you should choose the one-three bed sleeper cabins. Passengers are welcome to refresh themselves with mineral water in the evening and hot drinks and breakfast in the morning in the dining coach. The coaches’ staff will ensure the comfort and safety of passengers throughout the journey. Additional food and drinks can be purchased from them. You can pay in forints, euros or by credit card. In Hungary, the SZÉP card is accepted too.
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Attention: Important changes in railway traffic in Hungary
Maintenance work will be carried out in Budapest from 16 to 28 March. For this reason, railway traffic will be restricted between Déli station and Budapest-Kelenföld.
From 16 to 28 March, maintenance work will be carried out on the railway bridge over Nagyszőlős Street in Budapest. Thus, railway traffic will be restricted between Déli station and Budapest-Kelenföld, Mávinform reported on Thursday.
Railway traffic changes in Hungary
The change will also affect suburban and long-distance traffic on the Budapest-Győr-Hegyeshalom, Budapest-Székesfehérvár-Nagykanizsa, Székesfehérvár-Szombathely, Székesfehérvár-Tapolca and Budapest-Pusztaszabolcs lines.
From 16 to 28 March, several services will also change their terminals in the capital, moving to Kelenföld or Keleti railway station instead of Déli station. On some nights, there will also be work between Ferencváros and Budapest-Kelenföld, so some trains will be modified, according to Mávinform’s information.
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Delays expected: German rail strike to affect trains running via Hungary
Traffic information service Mavinform, citing German railway company Deutsche Bahn, said on the MÁV Group’s website on Monday that travelers should expect longer travel times in the case of several international train services running through Hungary due to a rail strike by German train drivers.
The strike from Tuesday 2am until Wednesday 2am will affect the Budapest-Stuttgart-Budapest, Budapest-Vienna-Salzburg-Munich-Budapest, Budapest-Berlin-Budapest and Budapest-Hamburg-Budapest services, Mavinform said.
Tickets purchased by March 11 for train services running to, from or via Germany on March 12 can be refunded free of charge.
As we wrote earlier, there are more trains to commute between Budapest and Vienna; details HERE.
Good news: More trains to commute between Budapest and Vienna!
From 4 April, four more RegioJet trains will commute between the Hungarian capital and Vienna, the Austrian one. Ticket selling for the new trains started today.
According to iho.hu, 724 thousand passengers used the Prague-Budapest line in 2023. That is an 11% rise compared to 2022. Demand is high for the Vienna-Budapest line as well. Therefore, four RegioJet trains will be launched between the two capitals each day after 14 April.
More trains to commute between Budapest and Vienna
In Hungary, the trains are scheduled to stop at Budapest Déli, Kelenföld, Győr and Mosonmagyaróvár train stations. From Vienna to Budapest, they will leave at 7.34 a.m., 10.27 a.m., 2.34 p.m., and 5.27 p.m. In the opposite direction, they will commute at 7.45 a.m., 10.58 a.m., 2.45 p.m., and 6.45 p.m. The travel time is 2h 31 mins.
RegioJet believes they will offer high-quality service for an acceptable price. Passengers may choose from four classes: budget, standard, relax, and business.
Prices start from EUR 9 in the budget class and from EUR 15.9 in the business class where you can sit in a cabin of four couches drinking prosecco for free.
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German rail disruptions expected due to strike, Hungarian trains affected
Several international trains departing from or arriving in Hungary are expected to have longer running times from Wednesday to Friday due to the planned walkout on German railways, the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) said on its Mávinform website.
Mávinform reported that a walkout will be held on German rail from 2 AM on Thursday until 1 PM on Friday. This is expected to cause significant disruption and longer journey times.
Trains affected
The strike will affect the Kálmán Imre EuroNight with direct trains to Stuttgart, the Railjet xpress to Munich, the Metropol EuroNight with direct trains to Berlin and the Hungária EuroCity trains to Hamburg.
The German rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) advises passengers to postpone their journey if possible or to choose an alternative travel option. Travellers heading for Germany should consult the DB and MÁV information platforms and customer services.
Tickets and reservations purchased by 4 March for Thursday or Friday (7 and 8 March) for travel to, from or via Germany can be returned free of charge or used until 15 March. Tickets can be validated for other dates at international ticket offices.
Tickets purchased online can be redeemed in the mobile app and by emailing es********@ma*******.hu.
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UNEXPECTED: Hungarian railways halved ticket price cost!
Unexpected turn concerning a MÁV ticket: the Hungarian State Railways reduced its cost by 50%, which is good news mostly for bikers.
According to infostart.hu, MÁV plans to introduce a new tariff system from 1 March. As a result, they would have modified bike transport prices, which would have meant a significant cost increase. Based on the original regulation, bikers could buy a national monthly pass for HUF 9,450 (EUR 24.2), which would have been an average 500-700% price rise for commuters using train+bike between the suburbs and their Budapest, Győr, or Debrecen workplaces. Közlekedő Tömeg, a public transport association, said the measure would make many people travel by car instead of bike and public transport.
Based on the new fares, you should have paid the same price to haul your bike between Vecsés and Budapest (5 kilometres) daily as between Budapest and Sopron (210 kilometres).
Several bikers’ associations were outraged because of that plan mostly because there was no alternative for them, only the national monthly pass.
Therefore, MÁV announced on Saturday that the monthly pass for bikers will cost only HUF 4,950 (EUR 12.7). The pass would allow you to transport your bike on every train without a compulsory seat reservation. However, they could not convince the decision-makers to lower the bike single ticket’s new price from HUF 500 (EUR 1.3) to HUF 400. Here is their announcement post:
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High-speed railway to link Budapest and Athens
Athens has also joined the high-speed train project from Budapest to the south. This will extend the railway linking the Hungarian capital to the Serbian capital in the first phase to 1,500 kilometres.
“Historic victory”
According to the Tanjug news agency, the Serbian transport minister called the agreement between President Aleksandar Vučić and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to extend the European Corridor X to Greece a “historic victory”, Index reports.
The Hungarian government had recently hoped that the first section of the line (between Budapest and Belgrade) would be completed next year. Serbia was a little more realistic, putting 2026 as the likely delivery date.
Prior to the signing of the Serbian-Greek agreement, Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesić guided his Greek counterpart, Christos Staikouras, along the section under construction, Blic reported.
The journey on the Falcon (Sokol) took just over half an hour to Novi Sad, 76 kilometres from Belgrade. From there, it will take a further 108 kilometres to reach Subotica, near the Hungarian border.
Belgrade-Budapest in 2027
This phase will be completed by March next year, said Vesić. He also announced a new deadline change:
From Belgrade to Budapest, we will be able to travel by train in less than 4 hours in 2027.
The renovation of the Hungarian section of the line is the most expensive Hungarian railway investment of all time. The original budget of EUR 400 billion was already estimated at EUR 750 billion at the start of the project. It is almost certain that the final price will be even higher, despite the fact that the renovation will be carried out on a flat section, Index wrote. In addition, the bulk of the renovation costs, 85%, will have to be financed by a Chinese loan.
Budapest-Athens in 13 hours
Once the renovation and construction work is completed, a 1,512-kilometre high-speed railway will link Budapest and Athens.
It will take just under 13 hours to get from Budapest to the Greek capital by train.
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MÁV hits a new negative record: Statistics regarding the delays in 2023
Over the years, MÁV’s punctuality has taken a significant dip. Among the main lines, those in Győr, Siófok, Vác, Miskolc and Debrecen have notably struggled to maintain their schedules. Interestingly, only the Pécs and Esztergom lines have shown any signs of improvement according to statistical data.
In recent years, Hungary’s state railway company has come under criticism for its performance. These criticisms are not unfounded; last year alone, MÁV’s services experienced astonishing delays totalling 5 years and 8 months, as reported by Telex. The primary reason could be attributed to the extensive maintenance needs across these lines. However, due to budget constraints, the railway company can only prioritise one line at a time, as exemplified by its recent focus on the Győr line.
The statistics
Statistics from MÁV indicate a significant deterioration in railway lines over the past few years. However, it is important to note that not all delays stem from the poor condition of the lines; some were also due to recent maintenance work carried out on the Győr line. These lines, which are in a sorry state, are not only crucial for Hungarians but also for foreigners, as they serve as vital connections between Hungary and other countries. For instance, the Győr line holds significance due to its connection to Vienna. Below are the statistics illustrating the change in delays from 2019 to 2023, presented in minutes:
- Budapest – Győr : 171,747 minutes (2019) – 555,214 minutes (2023)
- Budapest – Siófok : 179, 668 minutes (2019) – 516,904 minutes (2023)
- Budapest – Debrecen 503,224 minutes (2019) – 680,309 minutes (2023)
- Budapest – Miskolc 217,353 minutes (2019) – 697,950 minutes (2023)
The statistics reveal a substantial deterioration over the years, with some figures even showing an increase of more than threefold. Nevertheless, there were improvements observed on certain lines over the years. For instance, the Budapest – Esztergom line saw a decrease in delays from 174,446 minutes in 2019 to 55,118 minutes in 2023. Similarly, the Budapest – Pécs line reduced its delays from 230,381 minutes in 2019 to 191,411 minutes in 2023. These declines are promising indications that not all hope is lost, suggesting that deteriorating lines can be rescued with adequate attention from both the government and the company.
MÁV against delays
Over the years, the railway company has endeavoured to combat delays by reconstructing certain lines and enhancing the overall travel experience. Despite efforts such as increasing the frequency of trains departing from cities, these measures have had limited success in addressing the delay issue. Despite an uptick in the number of trains, delays persist. The condition of the trains presents another potential source of delays. In Hungary, the trains often suffer from age-related issues, with malfunctions being a common occurrence. These trains are generally old, rusty and in dire need of modernisation. While the government has prioritised improvements to the railways, efforts to update the train fleet are lagging behind. Furthermore, the overall system infrastructure remains outdated, despite MÁV’s attempts to integrate technologies such as the mobile application. This discrepancy in technology adoption contributes to inefficiencies within the system. Additionally, the company faces challenges due to a shortage of personal, with numerous job vacancies placing added strain on ticket inspectors and other staff.