Tragic train collision close to Hungarian border, bomb alert on Budapest express – photos, videos, updated

There are numerous injured in a train accident near Szádalmás (Jablonov nad Turnou), with two people in critical condition. Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the incident, but according to one video, a passenger train is terrifyingly hanging off the mountainside railway track after derailing, with the locomotive almost vertical ahead of the carriage—reminiscent of scenes from films.

Train disaster near the Hungarian border

Two passenger trains collided this morning in Eastern Slovakia, near Szádalmás, just a few kilometres from the Hungarian-Slovakian border. The tragedy has left at least a hundred injured, with two in a critical state, according to the Hungarian News Agency. Firefighters and paramedics are arriving at the scene one after another.

The collision occurred shortly after 10 AM on a stretch where the railway narrows from two tracks to one. The Slovak railway company, ZSSK, has not yet been able to determine the cause of the accident.

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Five ambulance units are already on site, along with an air ambulance helicopter.

Here are some images from the scene of the disaster:

W poniedziałek przed tunelem w pobliżu miejscowości Jablonov nad Turňou w powiecie Rožňava na wschodzie Słowacji doszło do zderzenia dwóch jadących naprzeciw siebie pociągów.https://t.co/qufxSwj02E pic.twitter.com/Hg44XTv2MS

— TransInfo.pl (@TransInfo_pl) October 13, 2025

A video posted from the location shows one of the passenger trains dangling over the cliff on the mountainside railway, while some people are still aboard the carriage.

🚨 At least 20 people were injured after two trains collided in eastern Slovakia on Monday. Rescue teams, including helicopters and ambulances, rushed to the scene, while nearby hospitals prepared to receive trauma patients. No fatalities have been reported so far.#Slovakia… pic.twitter.com/KbuvtQy4lN

— SG News (@SGNews123) October 13, 2025

Bomb alert on the Budapest-Kyiv express

Explosive ordnance disposal experts and sniffer dogs have inspected several Ukrainian trains, including the Budapest-Kyiv international service, following reports of planted bombs. According to local police, no explosives were found on any of the trains, but the incident caused significant disruption to rail services, with delays of several hours for the affected trains, reports Portfolio.

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The alert was made on 12 October as the express train was near the Hungarian-Ukrainian border. Over 200 passengers were on board and were evacuated to a nearby grassy area while authorities carried out searches. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Here are two videos and a photo uploaded to X from the incident:

❗️🇭🇺💣🇺🇦 – Breaking: Bomb Threat on Budapest-Kyiv Train

On October 12, 2025, the international Budapest-Kyiv train (No. 9/10, operated by Ukrainian Railways) was halted due to a reported bomb threat. The incident occurred in Ukraine, likely near the border, amid ongoing regional… pic.twitter.com/q7tuVg3dBN

— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) October 12, 2025

Could Russia be behind this?

On 11 October, a similar event was reported by the Kyiv Independent. At that time, three trains were affected by the alert: services from Dnipro to Kyiv, Ternopil to Kyiv, and the international train from Kyiv to Warsaw. The paper noted that Russia has increased its assaults on Ukraine’s rail infrastructure, causing significant delays and cancellations, although bomb alerts have been rare in comparison. In the three incidents mentioned, trains were evacuated and searched in under an hour, so delays were not much longer than that.

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Ukrainian authorities have not identified who is responsible for the bomb threats. Military expert Dmytro Zhmailo suggests the attacks may be linked to a recent Western arms supply agreement signed by Ukraine. Since these weapons are transported by rail, the railway infrastructure is of strategic importance to Ukraine, a fact well understood by Russia.

UPDATE: No Hungarians injured

Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, talked with Slovak counterpart Juraj Blanar by phone on Monday, and expressed his condolences over the train accident near Roznava (Rozsnyó) in eastern Slovakia, and offering the help of the Hungarian ambulance service.

According to current information, no Hungarians were injured in the accident, the Slovak authorities have said. A Hungarian consul is onsite, tasked with following developments and maintaining contact with the authorities so Hungarian citizens can receive assistance as soon as possible should it be necessary.

Update 2: new photos, video, train drivers

According to Infóstart, the accident resulted in 93 injured individuals, of whom seven are in critical condition. Both train drivers managed to jump out before the collision; one of them is currently being treated in the hospital in kassel, where his condition remains serious. The other driver has already undergone alcohol and drug testing, and both tests came back negative.