Bound track

Modernisation is progressing well on the country's busiest branch line

Published

2025. 12. 03. 10:58

Magyar Építők

Photos by Zsolt Hegyi / Facebook

Not only maintenance but also complete renovation work is being carried out on the line, and passengers can look forward to a better and faster railway service from the first days of 2026.

We previously reported that modernisation works were being carried out on the MÁV Vác–Balassagyarmat railway line, line number 75. Zsolt Hegyi, CEO of MÁV-csoport, recently video report was published on the Facebook website about the refurbishment.

The head of the railway company reported on the progress of the work over the weekend with a photo post about the progress of the work.

As he wrote: „The pictures show how fast we are progressing, even though the clay soil and the rain of the past few weeks are putting the team to the test. There has been no precedent for an intervention of this magnitude in this area since time immemorial.”

„From the cellar to the attic”

As is well known, in September 2025, a BZ-type motor train derailed on the line near Magyarkút, and experts decided not only to repair the accident site, but also to carry out complex work on the branch line.

An investment package worth more than HUF 3 billion has been put together, which will enable the line between Vác and Szokolya to be renovated „from the cellar to the attic” and infrastructure developments to be carried out between Szokolya and Balassagyarmat that will bring about lasting and meaningful improvements in quality, the CEO wrote earlier.

The complex renovation between Vác and Szokolya affects a total of 7 kilometres of track: 14,000 reinforced concrete sleepers will be installed, 14 kilometres of track will be replaced, 10,000 rail holes will be repaired, 5 level crossings will be rebuilt, and heavy machinery will be used to adjust the track. The locations and tasks for the elevated maintenance will be determined for the section between Szokolya and Balassagyarmat based on the measurement results.

The issue of busy branch lines is also of particular importance.

The track was examined using a measuring train, and the measurement results were used to decide on the necessary interventions; as part of these, the substructure will be completely renewed in several places due to drainage problems.

Zsolt Hegyi previously stated that once these works are completed by early 2026, they will be able to say that they have secured the future of the branch line for decades to come. The CEO emphasised that the track renewal strategy must address not only the main lines but also the busy branch lines; this is currently happening at the end of 2025 on the Vác-Balassagyarmat line, which is the busiest branch line in the country.

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