The first phase of the railway improvements linked to the BMW plant in Debrecen is completed

The railway line will be renewed in two phases

According to a statement by the Ministry, at the press conference held on the occasion of the inauguration, the Minister said that Hungary has undoubtedly become one of the leaders of the steadily advancing transformation of the automotive industry, and the city in the Hajdúság region has become an important global centre of the sector, where investments worth around HUF 1,000 billion are currently being made, as BMW is focusing its future electromobility strategy on the city, while Europe's largest electric battery factory is also being built here.

"Two of the three biggest investments in the history of the Hungarian economy are currently taking place here, just a few kilometres apart," he stressed. He pointed out that these factory constructions are triggering huge transport infrastructure developments, involving major road and rail construction.

He added that the government has also decided on major railway developments in the Debrecen area, with the Debrecen-Füzesabony railway line being renewed in two phases with HUF 130 billion, with stations being modernised, new ones being built and the line being electrified. "This will create a direct link between the North-Western Economic Belt of Debrecen and the main railway lines"

- said.

Péter Szijjártó announced that the first phase, worth HUF 65 billion, has been completed, so the second phase can begin. "As a result, Debrecen will have the largest industrial intermodal terminal in Eastern Hungary and one of the most important in Eastern Europe," he said.

He stressed that this logistics centre will enable the BMW plant to be fully serviced from both rail and motorway.

The development will also improve the living conditions of people in the area

"We are not only improving freight transport, we are not only enabling BMW to transport 70 percent of the cars it produces by rail, but we are also providing faster access between Debrecen and the surrounding settlements, making public transport more cultural and attractive, and at the same time protecting the environment, as the railway line will now have an electric overhead line, so that diesel power will be replaced by electric locomotives"

- he said.

"The country benefits a lot from the investments in Debrecen, but we want the people of Debrecen to see their lives improve as well. That's why we are continuing with road improvements, modernising the city's water network and making further community investments," he added.