Years-long railway closure in Hungary: locals fear for their homes as new route planned for battery plant and airport expansion
The 106 railway line, Hungary’s second busiest regional route, will be shut down indefinitely from October 19. While the government promises a new track, the plan could displace residents in Debrecen’s Szepes district, as the new railway would cut through residential areas.
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A “temporary” closure that may last for years
On October 19, the trains will stop running between Debrecen and Nagykereki, marking the suspension of the country’s second most-used regional railway line. Operated by MÁV, the 106 line serves thousands of daily commuters from nearby towns who travel to Debrecen for work or school. The official reason for the closure is the construction of a new railway route, but the details remain uncertain, and even the design phase has not yet started, according to Telex.
The Debrecen–Nagykereki line was fully renovated just a few years ago through a joint effort of local municipalities and the European Union, iho.hu wrote. Despite that, the government decided to close the line “indefinitely,” citing the expansion of Debrecen Airport and the nearby industrial zone, where Chinese battery manufacturer CATL plans to build another factory. The rail track runs directly through this growing industrial area and will soon be in the way of large-scale developments.
Industrial priorities over public transport
According to the Ministry of Construction and Transport, the current line’s route will be replaced by a new one that will eventually connect Debrecen with Berettyóújfalu and, later, with Oradea (Nagyvárad) in Romania. The planned track would allow trains to reach 160 km/h, matching European standards.
However, critics point out that this project has been repeatedly delayed. The government knew as early as 2022 that the existing line would have to be moved, yet the public procurement for planning was only announced in May 2024.
Even if work started immediately, experts say the new railway could not be ready before 2028.
In the meantime, local commuters must rely on slower replacement buses, while residents fear that the “temporary suspension” may become permanent. As a MÁV employee told 24.hu:
What they close, they never reopen.
A new line through people’s homes
The ministry’s feasibility study shows that the new Debrecen–Berettyóújfalu railway would leave the city southward, skirting the airport and the planned battery factory. But the line’s route would run through or near the Szepes district, which is a small residential area of Debrecen with fewer than 200 inhabitants.
The new railway would pass just metres from existing houses, and in some cases, right where homes currently stand. Combined with the planned airport expansion, whose extended runway will also face Szepes, the neighbourhood could become practically uninhabitable. Debrecen’s mayor has already offered to buy residents’ houses, but many complain that compensation is uncertain and well below market value.
According to locals, first the airport, then the factory, and now the railway development are threatening their homes: many fear that soon there will be no livable space left for them.
From showcase project to abandoned line
When reopened in 2015 after EU-funded renovations, the Debrecen–Nagykereki route was hailed as a model for rural railway development. Modern stations, high platforms, and new trains made daily commuting faster and more comfortable. Over 350,000 passengers used the line annually.
Now, just a decade later, the same line has become a casualty of industrial expansion. As iho.hu noted, “the railway became a disturbing obstacle”, sacrificed to make room for investors.
Public criticism and political silence
Transport experts and opposition figures have criticised the government’s decision. Former transport secretary Dávid Vitézy called the closure “unthinkable in Austria or the Czech Republic,” while the civic group Közlekedő Tömeg described it as “a failure of Hungary’s suburban transport planning.”
Despite growing protests, government representatives insist that the new line will bring long-term benefits. Fidesz MP István Vitányi dismissed the backlash as “political agitation,” arguing that buses are currently faster than the ageing trains.
No timeline or plan
Still, no timeline or detailed plan has been announced for the replacement railway. With the design tender still ongoing and hundreds of properties yet to be expropriated, few believe trains will return anytime soon.