The detour will be abolished; a direct rail link will be built between Szombathely and Zalaegerszeg

Construction of the Zalaszentiván branch line and the associated new railway station is due to begin shortly, which will result in a direct rail link between Szombathely and Zalaegerszeg. The Minister for Transport and Investment, Dávid Vitézy, reported on the project on his social media page.

The project is funded by the European Union and Hungarian government sources, on behalf of the Ministry of Transport and Investment, as part of the GYSEV Zrt. project. The works are being carried out by the V-S Zala Consortium, of which Swietelsky Vasúttechnika Kft. and V-Híd Network Kft.

As part of the project, which is worth around 12 billion forints, a 1,500-metre-long, electrified connecting track will be built, which will eliminate the current, time-consuming need to change direction at Zalaszentiván station. Rail services on the new line are scheduled to commence in early 2028.

Solve a network problem that has persisted for over a century

Many parts of the Hungarian railway network still follow routes established in the 19th century, which is why there are no direct rail links between certain major towns. At present, passenger and freight trains running between Szombathely and Zalaegerszeg have to change direction at Zalaszentiván station, which results in longer journey times and places an additional strain on the railway infrastructure.

The new branch line will remedy this shortcoming in the network, which has existed for over a century.

Thanks to this development, trains will be able to run between the two cities without having to change direction, resulting in shorter journey times, more efficient operations and greater track capacity.

It also benefits international freight transport

The significance of this investment extends beyond the regional level. The Baltic–Adriatic freight corridor runs through the region, linking Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the northern ports of the Adriatic. Freight trains are currently forced to change direction here, a requirement which the new connecting track will eliminate.

As a result, international rail freight transport could become faster and more efficient, whilst improving the railways’ competitiveness against road transport.

A new bus stop is being built, to be called Szentivánvölgy

As part of the project, a new railway station named Szentivánvölgy will also be built, which will be located closer to the centre of Zalaszentiván. The new station will provide easier access for passengers on passenger trains running on the branch line.

The development will also strengthen the region’s economic role. The south-western terminus of the spur line will provide a direct rail link to the intermodal container terminal planned for the Zalaegerszeg area, further enhancing the region’s logistics capabilities.