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Most of the funding will come from the European Union. The ministry said HUF 1,800 bln of recovered EU funds would be allocated to railway development in the current financial cycle. This will be supplemented by HUF 950 bln in commitments for projects in the next EU programming period, from 2028 to 2034.
The plan will also draw on a HUF 400 bln European Investment Bank loan and a further HUF 400 bln in concession-type funding.
The ministry said the program aims to create a modern, reliable, fast and competitive railway system that supports rural Hungary, improves economic competitiveness and promotes sustainable transport.
Under the 10-year program, Hungary will procure 35 new high-capacity InterCity multiple units for key IC lines and 42 new HÉV suburban railway trains for the Szentendre, Csepel and Ráckeve lines. Preparations will also begin for the renewal of the country’s 10 busiest railway stations.
The ministry said the InterCity network serving long-distance transport would be comprehensively renewed. New air-conditioned, accessible multiple units equipped with first-class sections and onboard buffet services are planned for routes from Budapest toward Győr, Sopron, Szombathely, Veszprém, Zalaegerszeg, Pécs, Kecskemét and Szeged, as well as circular IC routes toward Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Debrecen and Szolnok.
The nationwide development plan aims to significantly reduce the average age of railway vehicles, expand modern, climate-friendly and zero-emission rail services, and make both mainline and secondary rail services faster and more reliable.
The ministry said the plan would also mark an end to secondary-line closures, with the goal instead being to reopen and develop lines important to local communities and gradually eliminate speed restrictions.
Projects affecting Budapest and its agglomeration include the reconstruction, accessibility upgrades and vehicle replacement of the Szentendre, Csepel and Ráckeve HÉV lines.
Nyugati Railway Station and its surrounding area will be renewed, while the Southern Railway Ring will be reconstructed together with three new railway stations. Rákosrendező will be fully rebuilt and could become the center of a new urban district, with an extended tram line crossing the railway on a new bridge.
The ministry said the aim is for suburban rail to become a real alternative to car travel around the capital and an integrated part of public transport within Budapest.
Comprehensive upgrades will begin on the Veresegyház and Lajosmizse lines, including partial double-tracking and, in the case of the latter, electrification. The Baross Plan also includes the construction and preparation of further tram lines in both Pest and Buda.
In western Hungary, the ministry said a new era could begin for InterCity services on the Budapest-Győr-Sopron and Budapest-Szombathely routes. Győr station will receive accessible platforms, elevators and infrastructure suitable in the longer term for receiving the planned Budapest-Warsaw high-speed railway.
The Zalaszentiván connecting track, or delta track, will create a direct link between Szombathely and Zalaegerszeg, complemented by a new stop. The electrification and reconstruction of the railway line from there to Nagykanizsa will serve both freight and passenger transport.
In northern and eastern Hungary, one of the program’s largest projects will be the full reconstruction of the worst section of the Budapest-Miskolc railway line. The upgrade is expected to reduce delays, allow trains to run at 160 km/h, renew stations and shorten travel times toward Miskolc, Eger and Gyöngyös.
Railway development will also continue in the Debrecen area. The city’s main station will be rebuilt and made accessible, suburban rail around the county seat will be improved, and electrification toward Balmazújváros is nearing completion. The ministry said tram-train options to the south and north of Debrecen are also being examined.
The Debrecen-Nyíregyháza main line will also be renewed, allowing trains to run at 160 km/h.
In the southern Great Plain, the comprehensive modernization of the Budapest-Szeged main line will begin. The project could shorten the Budapest-Szeged InterCity journey time by 15 minutes, enable a track speed of 160 km/h, and improve the competitiveness of passenger and freight transport in the region.
Access to Békéscsaba and Szolnok, as well as suburban transport, will be improved through the reconstruction of the section between Nagykáta and Újszász.
In central and southern Transdanubia, the Székesfehérvár-Lepsény section will be rebuilt as a fully double-track, 160 km/h line, speeding access to both shores of Lake Balaton. Several railway stations around the lake will also be renewed and made accessible.
In Székesfehérvár, improvements around the station forecourt will create better bus connections. On the Pécs line, the aim is to provide hourly InterCity connections between Budapest and the Baranya county seat.
The ministry said the Baross Gábor Railway Development Plan is not limited to a few priority lines. At the national level, it will begin the renewal of the rolling stock fleet, the elimination of speed restrictions, the accessibility upgrade of stations, and the development of a unified digital passenger information and timetable system.
The goal is to create a nationwide railway network, coordinated with bus services, that offers a faster, more reliable and more competitive alternative to car travel while strengthening the Hungarian economy and rural regions over the long term.
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