Hódmezővásárhely-Szeged tram-train route becomes fully operable

Rides will be free of charge until mid-April 2022

The long-awaited Hódmezővásárhely-Szeged tram-train, the first such vehicle service in Hungary, will start regular operation at dawn on 29 November. Passengers will be able to travel between the two cities for free until mid-April 2022, János Lázár, Government Commissioner for the National Development Agency, has announced.

"We have successfully passed the tram-train passenger test and accident simulation. We are getting closer to getting the scheduled traffic going," Lázár wrote on his Facebook page.

HUF 80 billion investment

At a press conference last week the government commissioner said that the launch of the tram-train connecting the two Hungarian cities could only be compared to the handover of the Békéscsaba-Szeged railway line 150 years ago.

The first tram-train will depart on 29 November from Hódmezővásárhely at 3:31 and back from Szeged at 4:38. During the start-up period, until 31 December, trains will run every hour. In the next stage, trains will follow each other every 20 minutes during peak hours, and every 30 minutes thereafter. The tram-train will also run between the two cities during the night on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Based on the technical and passenger experience gathered during this period, the final timetable will be established, which will take effect on 15 March, said the Fidesz politician who is also a member of parliament from the region.

János Lázár emphasized that the investment of HUF 80 billion (over EUR 222 million) will pay off if the tram-train proves to be competitive compared to other modes of transport, and if passengers can get between the two cities cheaper and faster.

Journey time reduced to 40 minutes

At present, the journey between the centres of the two settlements takes 50-55 minutes by bus or train - with a transfer from Szeged. During the commissioning period, the tram-trains will travel between Kossuth Square in Hódmezővásárhely and Széchenyi Square in Szeged in 40 minutes. 

From mid-January, travel times will be reduced by three to four minutes, and the goal is to keep them to no more than 35 minutes from mid-March, Lázár said, as quoted by Szeged.hu.

Free rides until 15 April

Passengers will be able to use the tram-trains for free until April 15th. After that, the ticket between the two cities will cost HUF 465 (EUR 1,29), and the trip within Hódmezővásárhely will cost HUF 250 (EUR 0,69).

MÁV, which operates the service, has made an offer to the local government of Szeged to introduce a single pass for the entire line that includes the tram service in both cities. The price of the pass is expected to be between HUF 15,000 (EUR 41,63) and HUF 20,000 (EUR 55) per month.