Catastrophe unfolding? Train in Hungary forced to make “pee stop” after overflowing toilet spills into carriage
A routine InterRégió journey from Budapest Keleti to Eger turned into an unforgettable – and rather unsavoury – travel adventure on the last day of October, when a blocked on-board toilet forced the train to make an unscheduled “pee stop” at Vámosgyörk station.
Unforgettable, or rather unforgivable?
According to one passenger, trouble was already brewing the moment they boarded. A conductor and a cleaner were stationed at the locked lavatory door, disinfecting the floor outside the compartment. “You could already tell something was wrong with the toilet,” the traveller recalled.
With the only other toilet on the train also out of order, pressure from passengers eventually compelled staff to unlock the problematic lavatory after around 40 minutes. But the relief was short-lived. Not long after departing Hatvan, the movement of the train caused the overfilled toilet bowl to slosh its contents onto the floor – before slowly seeping under the door and into the passenger area.
As more passengers reported urgent needs, the train crew opted for an emergency stop at Vámosgyörk to allow travellers to use the station facilities. Unfortunately, those facilities were far from reassuring either, despite earlier government promises to renovate all station toilets nationwide.
The unplanned break resulted in a 25-minute delay, but it was the smallest problem. While Eger-bound travellers were only mildly inconvenienced, those changing towards Miskolc were less fortunate: their connection in Füzesabony did not wait.
More and more complaints as
Over the past six months, there were toilet-related complaints from rail passengers almost every other week, writes Telex. These recurring issues prompted us to approach MÁV, the Hungarian State Railways, for clarification.
Before doing so, Telex also spoke with railway workers and experts familiar with MÁV operations. They pointed to a key issue: an increasing number of suburban electric multiple units (EMUs) have recently been reassigned to longer regional routes.
This shift brings a number of problems. Suburban trains were designed for short trips and therefore contain fewer toilets. Their waste tanks are smaller, as they are meant to be emptied frequently. The specialised equipment required to empty these tanks is located primarily at suburban terminals, not at more distant regional stations. The result is that the tanks fill up quickly – exactly as described.
MÁV responds
When asked how many suburban EMUs regularly operate on regional lines, and whether toilet issues were anticipated, MÁV provided no direct answer. They did stress, however, that the number of toilets on trains is determined by public service contracts: one per EMU unit, three in double-deck EMUs, and one per traditional carriage. They emphasised that trains are never dispatched with fewer toilets than required.
So why do toilets keep overflowing? MÁV attributes most failures to “unforeseen technical malfunctions” and, increasingly, to blockages caused by items thrown into the toilet. Recent examples include shorts, used batteries, plastic bags and underwear – all of which have caused breakdowns that required entire trainsets to be withdrawn from service.
Regarding waste-tank emptying, MÁV explained that Hungary currently has 24 stations equipped with the necessary vacuum systems, mostly in county capitals and major terminals. Emptying schedules are planned in advance based on train rotations, tank capacity and passenger numbers.
Modern trains use closed toilet systems – meaning nothing is discharged onto the tracks, unlike older models – and tanks must be emptied using a vacuum device at equipped stations. If a toilet breaks down while the train is in service, staff organise a “pee break” at the next scheduled stop, MÁV said.