The new railway schedule is to take effect from 15 December, 2013, offering the most significant increase in service supply in recent years. It is the completion of the railway modernisation between Budapest and Székesfehérvár that brings about developments affecting the highest number of passengers. Thanks to the second track inaugurated between Kelenföld and Tárnok this summer, the capacity of the Székesfehérvár line has increased and trains may travel at a speed of up to 120 km/h. With the professional support of the Ministry of National Development, MÁV-START Ltd. has worked out a new schedule structure for several Transdanubian railway lines. International rail transport is also to be expanded by new trains and destinations added.

Commuters from Érd can now expect an access time of 9-12 minutes to the capital and a wider range of options offered by the train schedule.  The railway company offers passengers from Székesfehérvár more trains than ever and an access time of 39 minutes to Budapest. Between Zalaegerszeg and Budapest, Inter City trains are to run once again after five years, whereby access times will shorten. Travellers from and to Veszprém will have six more pairs of trains as well as IC trains to choose from and new IC trains are to be added along the Budapest-Kaposvár and Budapest-Győr lines. Travellers from and to Debrecen will have the option to choose a fast train that stops nowhere else but at Budapest stops and in Debrecen. The railways will now offer an access time of 14 minutes from Kelenföld to Kőbánya-Kispest, which mainly passengers heading for Liszt Ferenc International Airport and commuters from the South Pest agglomeration will profit from. So as to make orientation easier, MÁV-START is to introduce a train numbering scheme in the Budapest suburban transport.

So as to facilitate a better service for a growing number of passengers to Germany, another direct Railjet is to run from Keleti Railway Station to Munich at 9.10 a.m. The international fast train Dacia from Vienna to Bucharest will be at passengers’ disposal all the year round. A new pair of trains, under the name Rippl-Rónai, is to run between Budapest and Zagreb, facilitating travelling to Croatia. To Slovenia, there will be direct access from Hungary once again, from Budapest via Veszprém and Zalaegerszeg to Maribor, to which the Slovenian Railways are to provide connections from and towards Ljubljana.

With a view to strengthen railway transport, the Ministry of National Development is to continue the comprehensive refurbishments started along the national railway network. After the completion of the currently ongoing or future investments, the Ministry intends to continue widening service supply. New suburban FLIRT multiple units to arrive from next year onwards will add improved comfort to the schedule developments.

(Ministry of National Development - Communications Department; MÁV-START Ltd.)