Work has begun: the spur line will provide a direct rail link between Szombathely and Zalaegerszeg

On 17 September, as part of the project launch, work will officially begin on the construction of the Zalaszentiván branch line. As we previously reported, the construction of this rail link will put an end to a network peculiarity dating back more than a century, which currently requires trains running between Szombathely and Zalaegerszeg to change direction at Zalaszentiván station.

The project is funded by the European Union and Hungarian government sources, on behalf of Közlekedési és Beruházási Minisztérium and as part of the GYSEV Zrt. investment project. The works are being carried out by the V-S Zala Consortium.

As part of the project, an electrified connecting track approximately 1,500 metres long will be constructed, and a new railway station named Szentivánvölgy will also be built. According to the plans, services on the new line are due to commence in early 2028.

The worksite will undergo a dramatic transformation this autumn

Viktor Kónya, project manager for SWIETELSKY Vasúttechnika Kft., provided our newspaper with an update on the current stage of the works. As he explained, the main focus is currently on ensuring that the necessary conditions for commencing work are in place. The construction plans are in the process of being approved, and the track closures required for the works have been authorised.

During night-time track closures, work will continue on erecting the overhead line masts and carrying out the cable replacements required due to the earthworks. At the same time, trial piling will be carried out prior to laying the foundations for the railway bridge over the Sárvíz Stream.

„We are currently working on meeting the conditions required to start work,” said Viktor Kónya, adding that the next phase of work can begin once the necessary approval processes have been completed.

During the preparatory work, the geodetic surveys have already been carried out, the railway cables have been located, the routes of the existing utility networks have been checked, and the vegetation clearance has also been completed.

Demolition and construction work is gathering pace

Although the scale of the project is not yet fully apparent, a number of tasks relating to the construction work have already been completed behind the scenes.

„Although there are no visible signs of construction work on site yet, we have ordered the necessary materials, concluded agreements with the specialist contractors, and are close to starting the construction work,” said the project manager.

Significant changes are therefore expected in the area in the coming period; by autumn, the site will have undergone a major transformation, and demolition and construction work will be in full swing. Furthermore, the specialist contractor supplying the safety equipment has also made progress with the necessary software development.

Inevitable track closures

The project will, of course, be carried out whilst existing rail services continue to operate, so several track closures are to be expected during the construction period.

Restrictions are expected on both the No. 17 and No. 25 railway lines in the autumn of 2026.

On Line 17, the night-time track closures are primarily due to work on the overhead lines, whilst on Line 25, a complete closure lasting several days will be necessary in October due to track works.

The major works are due to take place in the spring of 2027, at which time prolonged, complete closures are to be expected on both railway lines.

It also benefits international freight transport

The significance of this investment goes beyond simply speeding up passenger transport. The south-western terminus of the spur line will provide a direct rail link to the METRANS logistics and industrial park in Zalaegerszeg, meaning that the rail-road logistics terminal currently under construction could open up new opportunities for freight transport to the Adriatic.

Discussions are currently under way with the investor regarding the design of the associated development. According to the project manager, the necessary government decree and funding agreement are in place, as are the funds required for implementation.

The project is also complex due to the safety equipment

The construction of the spur line is no simple task, either from a technical or an organisational point of view, as it is necessary to take into account several projects that are either currently underway or in the planning stage.

Viktor Kónya emphasised that, under the contract, the contractor must also obtain authorisation to commission the new electronic safety system, which is achieved through a complex administrative process following the completion of the construction works and the commissioning of the spur track.

The project currently being implemented is part of a wider plan

Zsolt Tárkányi, Parliamentary State Secretary for Közlekedési és Beruházási Minisztérium, emphasised that the newly launched Baross Gábor Vasútfejlesztési Terv serves local, regional and international transport simultaneously. He said that, in addition to reopening closed branch lines – as has already happened on the Komló–Dombóvár and Miskolc–Tiszaújváros lines – the government is also striving to develop stations and main lines, as well as to prepare for the Warsaw–Budapest high-speed rail link.

Commenting on the Zalaszentiván project, he added that the new railway section, approximately one and a half kilometres long, would bring the railway closer to local residents, whilst – in addition to passenger transport – it would also support industrial development objectives as part of the railway corridor required to serve the METRANS container terminal planned for the Zalaegerszeg area.

Szilárd Kövesdi, Chief Executive Officer of GYSEV Zrt., referring to his ties to Zala County, said it was a particular pleasure for him to be able to play a part in the region’s railway developments. He recalled the opening of the rail link to Slovenia in 2000, as well as the construction and commissioning of the Zalaegerszeg spur line, and emphasised that he is now also able to contribute to the realisation of the Zalaszentiván spur line.