Hungary’s new train timetable will come into effect on 13 December, bringing changes to domestic and international services. While some routes will become faster, passengers travelling to Pécs and Szeged should expect longer journey times due to railway speed restrictions.
The 2026–27 timetable aims to improve commuter services, international connections and travel to tourist destinations, according to the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV). However, the company says it has had to adjust schedules to reflect the current condition of the railway network, meaning some journeys will take longer.
Longer journeys to Pécs and Szeged
Passengers travelling on the Pécs and Szeged main lines will be among those affected.
Mecsek InterCity trains will take nine minutes longer to reach Pécs and two minutes longer on journeys towards Budapest. Regional trains between Dombóvár and Pécs will also see increases of eight minutes towards Pécs and 17 minutes towards Dombóvár.
Some Fenyves and Helikon InterRégió services will arrive in and depart from Pécs 11–21 minutes earlier or later than before, depending on the direction and service.
On the Szeged line, Napfény InterCity trains will take seven minutes longer, while some regional services between Kiskunfélegyháza and Szeged will see journey times increase by around ten minutes.
There is better news for passengers on other routes: Mátra InterRégió trains between Budapest and Gyöngyös will become three minutes faster, while services between Kiskunfélegyháza and Orosháza could save up to eight minutes following major maintenance work.
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Some trains will move from Keleti to Kelenföld
Construction-related capacity restrictions between Ferencváros and Kelenföld will also affect Budapest services. Several trains currently departing from or arriving at Keleti Railway Station will instead use Kelenföld. These include most G10 services and a number of InterCity trains serving western and southern Hungary.
The S36 suburban trains will run only between Kelenföld and Tárnok, although a new evening service will be introduced.
There will also be a new direct Railjet Xpress connection between Miskolc and Austria and Bavaria, with one train in each direction extended to Miskolc.
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International connections and HÉV services
MÁV says trains between Budapest and Vienna will continue to run hourly, while services to Prague and Košice will operate every two hours. Tickets for many international services in the new timetable are already on sale.
The usual HÉV suburban railway schedules will remain unchanged in 2027.
Passengers are advised to check their journeys before travelling, particularly if they use services affected by the changes. The updated timetable is available through the MÁVPlusz app and website, as well as the national railway ticketing website.
