Debrecen4U September 11, 2026

Railway Upgrade Complete Between Debrecen and Balmazújváros

The renovation and electrification of the railway line between Debrecen and Balmazújváros has now been fully completed. Speaking at Friday’s inauguration ceremony, Zsolt Tárkányi, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Investment, said it had taken a long time for Debrecen to see a railway development that would make everyday life better and more convenient for people living in the city and the wider region.

He stressed that Debrecen and its surrounding area had changed significantly in recent years, with both the positive and negative effects of urbanisation becoming apparent. More and more people travel between the city and neighbouring settlements every day. “Modern urban and suburban transport requires not only better roads, but better railways too, and we have now taken a major step forward in this respect. The Debrecen–Balmazújváros railway line is an excellent example of how modern rail can serve people and industrial development objectives at the same time,” said Zsolt Tárkányi, referring to the fact that the railway line also serves the North-Western Economic Zone and the BMW plant operating there.

The State Secretary also said that the decision to renovate the line had been made by the previous government, while the Tisza government had secured EU funding for the project, bringing HUF 38 billion home for the development. As a result of the project, the railway track and its surroundings have been renovated, the section between Debrecen and Balmazújváros has been electrified, signalling and traffic management systems have been modernised, Balmazújváros railway station has been refurbished, new stops have been built and level crossings reconstructed. The railway bridge over the Keleti Main Canal has also been renovated.

He stressed that railways must provide a genuine alternative to travelling by car. He added that Debrecen would be one of the major beneficiaries of the Baross Gábor Railway Development Plan, with several hundred billion forints set to be spent on railway infrastructure in the region and on the renovation of the Main Railway Station.

Réka Németh, CEO of MÁV Pályaműködtetési Zrt., highlighted in her speech that the development means the line can now accommodate trains travelling at speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour. It can also handle an axle load of 22.5 tonnes, which is particularly important for freight transport. She also noted that the three new stops have been equipped with accessible platforms and noise protection measures.

Mayor László Papp also attended the inauguration. Speaking to Médiacentrum Debrecen, he said the renovation of railway line 108 was one of the best examples of how industrial development can have a positive impact on investment in public transport for local residents. In his view, the development has made line 108 one of Debrecen’s most important suburban railway routes. “For many people, travelling by train instead of getting into a car in Balmazújváros or Debrecen will become a realistic alternative, taking a significant amount of pressure off the city’s road network,” the Mayor said.

At Médiacentrum’s request, László Papp also spoke about road improvements. He said one major junction development remained to be completed: the Árpád Square–Rakovszky Street–Ótemető Street project. The public procurement process began under the previous government, he said, and he hoped the new government would provide the necessary funding. He also welcomed the news that the public procurement process had been launched for the renovation of the Debrecen–Nyíregyháza section of railway line 100. As part of that project, the Vágóhíd Street overpass will also be renovated, while a road underpass will be built beneath the railway tracks on Sámsoni Road.

He also said that communication and negotiations had begun between the government and the local authority regarding the city’s public transport system, its tram network and the tram-train. “I am convinced that this joint effort will bring good solutions to the surface, so we will be back with more details soon,” László Papp said.

The region’s largest railway developments – which took four years to complete – cost HUF 48 billion. Train services on the renovated line had already resumed before the entire upgrade was completed, with services restarting in March. At the time, it was announced that the journey time between Debrecen and Balmazújváros had been reduced to 23 minutes.

Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: debrecen.hu