M1 Motorway Upgrade to Finish Earlier Than Planned

The renovation of the M1 motorway is progressing faster than originally planned. The temporary traffic diversions currently in place may be lifted as early as September this year, and the deadline for the entire project has also been shortened.

The project, launched last September, involves the replacement of the entire road structure, that, based on previous announcements, will take years. The existing pavement will be removed in both directions, a thicker layer of asphalt will be laid, and a so-called “smart lane” will be created, that can be flexibly incorporated into traffic. As planned, by the end of the summer, the work will reach the stage where the entire width of the section between Budapest and Tatabánya will be closed. However, based on the latest information, construction may proceed faster than expected.

Magyar Építők, citing the communications director of MKIF Hungarian Concession Infrastructure Development Zrt., that operates the expressways, reported that

the temporary 2+1+1 lane diversion on the M1 may end in September 2026.

At that time, the two-lane traffic will be diverted to the Budapest-bound side of the road, meaning traffic will be able to travel in both the Győr and Budapest directions on this side. At the same time, complete demolition will begin on the side leading to Hegyeshalom, to a depth of 100-120 centimeters in places.

Road diversion due to renovation work on the M1 motorway at the Szárliget exit on September 22, 2025. Photo: MTI/Kocsis Zoltán

As a result of the expansion, there will be two lanes in each direction, supplemented by a full-fledged, digitally controlled smart hard shoulder. These can be opened to traffic when necessary, for instance in the event of congestion or an accident, increasing capacity and safety.

The development goes far beyond lane widening:

a total of 72 bridges and overpasses will be rebuilt or modernized,
11 junctions will be renovated,
four new ones will be built,
rest areas will be renovated,
around 300 new truck parking spaces will be built,
the engineering sites in Bicske and Komárom will be expanded,
the drainage system will be modernized, and
noise barriers will be installed along longer sections.

Road diversion due to renovation work on the M1 motorway at the Bicske exit on September 22, 2025. Photo: MTI/Kocsis Zoltán

The construction schedule is tight: the section between the M0 and Bicske must be completed by August 31, 2028, while the section to the Concó rest area – at the 94 km mark, in the Bábolna area – must be completed by August 31, 2029. There are 36 months available for the former section and 48 months for the latter.

the current deadlines can be considered particularly tight: previously, when the project was still a public investment, the construction period was estimated at 60 and 72 months, respectively.

The scale of the work is well illustrated by the fact that Ministerial Commissioner Dávid Fekete earlier described the construction project as “one of Europe’s largest road development projects.”

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