Debrecen4U May 4, 2026

Modernisation of Debrecen–Mátészalka Railway Line Enters Planning Phase

The refurbishment and electrification of the Debrecen–Mátészalka railway line began last November with the launch of the planning phase.

At that time, it was also announced at a press conference in Nyírbátor that the investment would be implemented as part of the Integrated Transport Development Operational Programme (IKOP), and that the designer would be selected in the first quarter of 2026. According to a recent update from magyarepitok.hu, the modernisation has now formally entered the planning stage.

As reported, the bid submitted by Kontúr Csoport Kft. was evaluated as the most favourable in the public procurement procedure. According to the contract notice published in the EU’s public procurement bulletin, the company may design the modernisation of an approximately 70 km-long single-track railway line on the Debrecen–Apafa–Mátészalka section of railway line No. 110. Upgrades will include railway reworks to allow speeds of 100–120 km/h, alongside the modernisation of the overhead line system.

According to the report, the responsibilities of the successful designer will extend beyond redesigning the railway track: the commission also covers the affected stations and stops, signalling systems, roads, engineering structures, utilities, and other facilities.

The following are affected along the line section: Dombostanya halt; Hajdúsámson railway station; Tamásipuszta halt; Tisztavíz halt (a halt discontinued by MÁV-START Zrt.); Aradványpuszta halt; Nyíradony railway station; Nyírmihálydi halt; Nyírgelse railway station; Nyírbogát halt; Nyírbátor railway station; Nyírcsászári halt; Hodász railway station; Nyírmeggyes halt; Mátészalka railway station.

The designer is required to prepare a feasibility study, obtain planning permission and produce detailed design documentation, ensure the acquisition of construction permits, and compile tender documentation suitable for conducting the construction procurement procedure.

One of the project’s key professional elements is that the permitting and detailed design will be carried out on a BIM basis.

The digital model must cover the entire planning area between the starting and end chainages, encompassing all relevant disciplines, including the railway track, associated facilities, and structural elements, the statement concludes.

Source and photo credit: dehir.hu