The Hungarian Government announced the construction of a rail ring around the capital Budapest, dedicated to freight transport, the so-called V0 rail cargo ring. HUNGRAIL, the Hungarian Rail Association contributed to the development of this rail ring by signing a cooperation agreement with MLSZKSZ, the association in charge with the development plans.
On the 113 kilometers-long, double-tracked electrified route, trains will reach speeds of 160 km/h. Two bridges will also be built on the Danube. The route will be built between Tatabanya and Cegled, so the rail cargo may cross the territory of Hungary in one day, as opposed to the current 4-5 days.
The government in Budapest might choose between two financing sources, namely China Development Bank, with a development agreement worth at least EUR 1 Billion (preliminary estimate of the costs of this project), or it could request financing from the funds of the European Union. At the middle of April, China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and MAV Group signed an agreement for initiating the railway ring construction project.
According to the information available from the Hungarian party, the signing of the agreement with Chinese Railway Company, the works for the rail cargo ring could start in 2014, and the route could be ready by 2017.
“If a cargo train enters Hungary from its eastern part, it leaves the country only four-five days later, this is how much the transit lasts at a 3 km/h average speed. Through the initiative of building a rail ring around Budapest, the government wishes to reduce the transit time of the country to one day”, mentioned the Government spokesman András Giró-Szász.
The Hungarian railway network centrally crosses Budapest, which in terms of passenger transport is understandable, but is a disadvantage when it comes to rail cargo traffic. During the day, cargo trains cannot run in the overcrowded suburban railway network of Budapest, therefore the average speed of a cargo train in Hungary is very slow. This impediment causes considerable delays in the door-to-door freight transport, and the idea of constructing a rail ring around Budapest is welcome.
“The new double-tracked electrified route, dedicated exclusively for the cargo traffic, is an optimal solution for the main railway freight operator in Hungary, as well as for any other company involved in cargo transit, as well as the shipping houses or the logistics operators.
The implementation of this project ensures the possibility of extending the business relations since the freight travel times will be considerably reduced. Moreover, the reduction of travel times will ensure at the same time a series of favourable conditions compared to the current situation, for the freight transport from the regions and terminals in the Middle and Far East, through Zahony and farther to Western Europe”, states Imre Kovács, CEO of Rail Cargo Hungary and board member of Hungrail.
According to the information of Hungrail, the rail ring will be built in the style of a motorway, so there will be exits, among others, at Szekesfehervar, Pusztaszabolcs, Kecskemet and Szeged. The development of this project could be a significant plus for the Hungarian building industry but it will also create new employment opportunities at the railway stations of Komarom, Tatabanya, and Szolnok.
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