Debrecen4U May 18, 2026

Discussions Held at Debrecen International Airport on Transport Culture and Necessary Developments

To mark Transport Culture Day, Debrecen International Airport hosted a professional conference on 13 May. According to Friday’s announcement, transport specialists, business representatives, and infrastructure developers attending the event discussed the key challenges and opportunities facing the transport systems of the future, including issues related to multimodality and sustainable mobility.

The conference aimed to encourage the development of coordinated transport systems, while also drawing attention to the importance of civilised, safe, and responsible transport behaviour as a forum for participating organisations to exchange experience and strengthen cooperation through professional presentations and a panel discussion.

The central theme of the conference was the development of integrated mobility systems. Participants were welcomed by Ernő Györke, Managing Director of Debrecen International Airport Ltd., and Tamás Zsolnay, followed by a presentation from Júlia Pálszabó, Head of Cargo Operations at Debrecen International Airport Ltd., who outlined European achievements and objectives in the fields of intermodality and multimodality in air transport.

Representing MÁV Passenger Transport Plc., Sándor Katona, Director of the Eastern Regional Directorate for Railway Passenger Transport, stressed that ”the foundation of modern public transport is an integrated mobility system built on interconnected services, where predictable, fast, and comfortable travel is the most important consideration for passengers.”

This was followed by a presentation from Szávó Sztilkovics, Chief Executive of MAHART Hungarian Shipping Plc., who introduced the history and role of the Csepel Freeport and also outlined the company’s holiday boat programme, which offers tourists independent boating opportunities on the River Tisza. Tibor Gali, Office Manager of Alföld City Taxi Ltd., spoke about sustainability and intermodality developments in taxi services, while Szabolcs Tóth, Chief Executive of DKV Plc., and László Mátyus presented the company’s vehicle development, infrastructure, and digitalisation plans.

The presentations were followed by a panel discussion focusing on cooperation and improving the passenger experience. Participants agreed that passengers must remain at the centre of all developments, while expectations continue to grow. Several speakers also highlighted the crucial importance of passenger information, as one of the most important considerations for travellers is receiving accurate and immediate information.

The discussion also covered opportunities for developing public transport infrastructure, servicing Debrecen’s new industrial and residential areas, and addressing the growing transport demands of the wider metropolitan area.

Participants agreed that increasing traffic volumes will inevitably require further development in the long term, even under conditions of limited funding. Another important topic of discussion was how to improve transport culture among users, namely passengers themselves. The conference concluded that the future of public transport depends on predictability, reliability, sustainability, and the development of integrated mobility systems, all built around the needs of passengers.

Source and photo credit: dehir.hu