Dunakeszi Járműjavító bankruptcy threatens Hungarian rail service

The Dunakeszi Járműjavító plant, which repairs and builds railway passenger cars, fell into severe financial distress after EU‑imposed sanctions limited its access to capital. By the end of 2024 the company recorded a negative equity of about HUF 5 billion, debts of HUF 16 billion to partners, an additional HUF 8 billion to related firms and short‑term liabilities of HUF 38 billion. The insolvency jeopardised hundreds of jobs and, because the plant supplies a large share of MÁV’s InterCity coaches, placed the Hungarian state railway’s summer operations at risk.

The government intervened: the MÁV group repurchased the Dunakeszi facility and allocated a special budget for its restructuring. To bridge the shortfall of climate‑controlled coaches, transport minister Vitézy Dávid arranged with Austria’s ÖBB to loan ten passenger coaches for the 2024 summer season, mainly on Balaton routes. The deal is part of a broader effort that also includes a historic EU funding agreement delivering €16.4 billion for new InterCity trainsets. The combined measures aim to keep the rail network running smoothly despite the plant’s collapse.