Dávid Vitézy leads major Hungarian rail and municipal reforms

Minister of Transport and Investment Dávid Vitézy is overseeing significant shifts in Hungary’s infrastructure and municipal management. Regarding rail, the Budapest–Belgrade line is entering a critical testing phase on October 3–4, with trains expected to reach speeds of 160 km/h between Budapest and Kelebia. Additionally, the Baross Gábor Railway Development Plan includes major projects such as the construction of a new 31 billion HUF Gubacsi railway bridge, the modernization of the Gyékényes junction to facilitate transit toward Croatia and the Adriatic, and the planning of a high-speed rail link connecting Budapest to Győr, which would integrate Hungary into the Central European high-speed network including Vienna and Prague.

In municipal governance, a new agreement between the state and Budapest aims to resolve the city’s financial crisis. Under this arrangement, the government will provide 120 billion HUF in extraordinary support, though approximately 91 billion HUF will be immediately redirected to the central budget to settle tax and solidarity contribution debts. This leaves roughly 30 billion HUF for the city’s operations. The deal also settles long-standing legal claims totaling 144 billion HUF.

Despite these developments, recent MÁV data shows increased delays during the summer period, with total delay minutes exceeding one million. However, improvements were noted on the Balaton railway lines. On a separate note, Minister Vitézy has announced he will file a police report following death threats made against him, Péter Magyar, and Gergely Karácsony in an online comment.