Hungary plans to increase funding for railway track and station renewals to HUF 80 billion (€218m) in 2027, from HUF 30 billion this year, while launching a wider investment programme intended to modernise the national network over the next decade. Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy announced the proposed increase last week, as the government presented its draft 2027 budget.
The increased funds are intended for routine track maintenance and renewal, smaller station reconstruction projects and the removal of temporary speed restrictions, rather than major projects supported by EU funding. Vitézy said the existing budget had been insufficient even to maintain infrastructure in its current condition.
The government has not yet published a complete list of projects to be financed from the increased allocation, but a priority will be the comprehensive renewal of the Cegléd main line between Városligeti elágazás and Kőbánya-Kispest, in Budapest. Works are expected to begin in March 2027 and will require a temporary track closure.
Long-term plans
Separately, the government intends to begin implementing its Baross Gábor Railway Development Plan, which envisages HUF 3,550bn (€9.73bn) of investment in Hungary’s railway infrastructure and rolling stock over ten years. The government says HUF 331bn of EU development funding will be available for railway and transport projects in 2027, HUF 271bn more than in 2026. The domestic budget is intended to provide the national co-financing required to launch major EU-supported investments.
Priority infrastructure projects include reconstruction of the most degraded sections of the Budapest–Győr, Budapest–Miskolc and Budapest–Szeged main lines, together with modernisation of the Debrecen–Nyíregyháza route. The works are intended to enable speeds of up to 160 km/h on upgraded sections.
The programme also envisages refurbishment of Hungary’s ten busiest regional railway stations and development around Budapest Nyugati station. Other planned measures include electrification of the Lajosmizse suburban line, upgrading the Veresegyház route and reconstruction of Budapest’s HÉV suburban railway network. For rolling stock orders, the total investment programme is worth approximately HUF 700bn.
Just a proposal for now
The 2027 budget remains a proposal, and the announcement does not mean that individual contracts have been awarded or construction has started. Detailed project schedules, procurement procedures and final funding allocations will determine how quickly the programme translates into improvements in infrastructure condition, reliability and operating speeds.