New trains, younger buses, bigger motorways: Hungary’s transport future in numbers
State-owned railway and bus group MÁV-Volán is “on the path of renewal” following a merger, Construction and Transportation Minister János Lázár said at a press briefing on Monday.
Transport developments in Hungary
In an update on transportation developments, Lázár said rail passenger capacity would climb from 130,000 to 160,000 in the coming years, supported by fleet expansions. The share of trains that run on time could rise to 85-88pc, he added. The average age of Hungary’s state-owned bus fleet could fall to eight years with new procurements, he said.
Sharing the podium with MÁV-Volán CEO Zsolt Hegyi, Lázár acknowledged progress made in the area of rail passenger transport, but said success was “still a long way off”. He added that criticism of MÁV-Volán had been “disproportionate”.
Upgrading train fleet
Lázár said an upgrade of the locomotive fleet was underway, financed with state monies and credit from a consortium of local banks. He added that an application for EUR 1bn of credit from the European Investment Bank (EIB) had been submitted and a decision on the loan could be taken in September or October.
M1 motorway
Lázár said the expansion of the M1 motorway to three lanes would start in mid-September. The HUF 800bn investment could finish in 2029, he added. Lázár said his ministry had proposed allowing local councils to deduct road maintenance costs from their solidarity tax, at a rate of at least 20pc.
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