Debrecen4U
July 22, 2026
Accessibility Improvements ASAP, Attractive Main Railway Station and Tram-Train Services Announced for Debrecen
Prime Minister Péter Magyar and Minister for Transport and Investment Dávid Vitézy presented the Gábor Baross Railway Development Plan on Wednesday at Rákospalota-Újpest railway station in Budapest. It was announced that the plan is a programme extending beyond individual parliamentary terms, with a ten-year budget framework approaching HUF 3,500 billion.
Following the presentation of the national and Budapest-related plans, the Minister also outlined development proposals affecting Debrecen. He explained that the key priorities for the city are the preparation of the reconstruction of the Main Railway Station, along with planning work for tram-train and tram network developments.
The plans envisage an attractive station building and accessible platforms to serve new InterCity trains, with convenient connections to trams and buses. The modernisation of Tram Line 1 is also planned to create a more advanced suburban public transport system. To introduce accessibility measures as soon as possible, lifts could be installed at the existing station as early as next year under the Gábor Baross Plan. Full accessibility of the station is scheduled to be completed by 2030. At the same time, preparations will begin for the comprehensive reconstruction of the Main Railway Station.
The plans also include the development of the Debrecen–Balmazújváros line and upgrades to the Debrecen–Nyíregyháza line to accommodate speeds of up to 160 km/h. In connection with this, Dávid Vitézy noted that long-distance bus services will temporarily replace trains during certain periods, as there will be years when railway replacement services will operate simultaneously on four or five main lines due to major infrastructure projects.
It was reiterated that the Railway Development Plan is a long-term programme spanning multiple governments, with a ten-year budget of nearly HUF 3,500 billion. The objective is to significantly reduce the average age of rolling stock, improve the speed and reliability of transport services, and provide more modern passenger services. Zsolt Tárkányi, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Investment, outlined the key developments concerning Debrecen on social media:
- Construction of a new Main Railway Station: a refurbished station building, new accessible underpasses, a redesigned platform layout, the relocation of the Volán bus station, the renovation of Petőfi Square, new commercial units, and an integrated tram-train service towards the airport and the city centre.
- Tram-train services in Debrecen: as a first step, the intention is to reopen Railway Line 106 to Nagykereki, which was closed by the previous Fidesz administration, and later integrate it with Debrecen’s Tram Line 1. This would allow direct journeys without changing, for example from Derecske to Kossuth Square or from Pocsaj to the Clinical Centre. Similar plans are envisaged for Railway Line 109 (Tiszalök–Hajdúnánás–Hajdúböszörmény), which would significantly improve everyday transport for residents of Józsa. The project would include a complete reconstruction of Tram Line 1 and the procurement of new tram-train vehicles.
- Comprehensive refurbishment of the Debrecen–Nyíregyháza and Debrecen–Mátészalka railway lines, including the electrification of the latter. New stops are planned in Debrecen near the Regional Waste Management Centre (“GÖCS”) and at Fényesudvar. The Vágóhíd Street overpass will also be renovated, and a new railway underpass will be constructed on Sámsoni Road.
- Refurbishment and electrification of the Debrecen–Balmazújváros railway line: although this project was completed by the previous government in connection with the BMW plant, it is also expected to bring significant benefits to local residents. According to the statement, the TISZA Party secured full EU funding for the project through the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
- By 2029, new double-decker, air-conditioned and low-floor InterCity trainsets are expected to operate between Debrecen and Budapest, as well as between Debrecen and Nyíregyháza, and onwards towards Miskolc and Záhony.
Source and photo credit: dehir.hu
