Neglected Railway Stations to Undergo Extensive Renovations

Based on the decision of János Lázár, Minister of Construction and Transport, MÁV (passenger transport company) is announcing a nationwide station renovation program at over thirty locations. These are not the busiest railway stations in the country, but ones that handle outstanding traffic in their own regions, said the CEO of the MÁV Group in a video uploaded to Facebook on Wednesday.

Zsolt Hegyi highlighted that, as part of the Hungarian Village Program, 11 locations will receive brand-new passenger waiting rooms equipped with heating and cooling systems. These are places where either no station building existed before or where the old buildings were in such poor condition that they had to be demolished.

At 19 other sites, the existing station buildings will be renovated. Upgrades will include refreshed passenger areas, heated and cooled waiting rooms, renovated restrooms, and improved building facades. The surrounding areas will also be cleaned up and revitalized.

Where applicable, underpasses and stairways leading to platforms will be renewed as well. Among all the works, the renovation of the reception building in Gyula stands out, the CEO said, adding that the building, restored in its original historic appearance, will be worthy of the title “gateway to the spa town of the Great Plain.”

It is important to renew the tracks and vehicles, but railway stations also contribute to the quality of railway services, and in 2025 and 2026, we will already be able to make progress here,”

said Hegyi, adding that the work has already begun in Leányvár and Esztergom-Kertváros.

According to the information posted on Hegyi’s social media alongside the video, the station renovation program covers over 30 locations, affecting 14 counties. The goal is to create modern, passenger-friendly stations. The investment’s value approaches 15 billion forints (37.8 million euros), funded by MÁV’s own resources and supported by the Hungarian Village Program.

The locations included in the station renovation program are: Ács, Ajka, Aranyosapáti, Balmazújváros, Bashalom, Berettyóújfalu, Demecser, Esztergom-Kertváros, Felsőzsolca, Gárdony, Győrasszonyfa, Gyula, Jászberény, Kisvarsány, Kőbánya alsó, Leányvár, Magyarbánhegyes, Martonvásár, Mátészalka, Nyíradony, Nyírbogát, Ópályi, Pécsudvard, Poroszló, Püspökhatvan, Salgótarján, Sárrétudvari, Szalatnak, Szerep, Szépjuhászné, Tiszaalpár, Tiszajenő alsó, Tokaj, Várpalota, and Villány.

Fact

In August 2024, the government announced a five-point transport action plan, aiming to change, reform, and transform the Hungarian transport system to improve the quality of services. The action plan includes:

guaranteeing passengers’ rights
building railways
purchasing rolling stock
improving passenger comfort
reorganizing MÁV Zrt. (Hungarian State Railway) into a new company.

Later that year, the Minister of Transport and Construction announced his intention to renovate and rebuild the largest railway stations in Hungary with private capital.

The recent announcement now opens the door for several smaller railway stations to undergo much-needed renovations that have been overdue for a long time.

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