The motorway connecting Szombathely with Kőszeg and the border may be built by the end of 2030

The Deputy State Secretary of the Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium spoke about the railway and road developments in Vas County at a public forum in Gencsapáti, Vas County. According to Zoltán Nyul, the 16.3-kilometre section of the M87 expressway from Szombathely to Kőszeg and the 16.3-kilometre section to the border, the reconstruction of 15.8 kilometres of nationally managed minor roads and the construction of several kilometres of new roads are scheduled for completion by the end of 2030.

New route for the missing section of the Szombathely bypass

The main part of the planning phase has been completed, and the necessary official permits have been obtained, and those that may have expired during the lengthy preparation phase are being obtained. Zoltán Nyul said that the missing section of the road bypassing Szombathely from the north will be built on a new 8.5-kilometre-long route connecting the 87 and 89 main roads, new roundabout junctions will be built at the junction of the 86, 87 and 89 main roads, and the planned road will connect to the existing 86 expressway and the 87 motorway under construction. He added that traffic on the section of the M87 between Szombathely and Kőszeg will be able to run on 2×2 lanes.

Actual construction could start in 2027

The Hungarian government allocated HUF 2 billion for the planning in June 2024, and the total cost of the project, including the construction of the M86 motorway between Szombathely and Kärmend, is estimated to reach HUF 250-300 billion. The acquisition of the land for the construction is currently underway, through agreements with the parties concerned, and could be completed by the end of the year, after which the necessary archaeological research could be carried out in 2026, with actual construction starting between 2027 and 2030.

Electrification of the Szombathely-Kőszeg railway line

According to the politician, the northeastern bypass of Szombathely on main roads 87-89 and the M87 expressway are one of the most important missing links of the West Transdanubian transport backbone. The modernisation of the Szombathely-Kőszeg railway line in the region is taking place in parallel with the road development, he said, adding that the electrification of the section will be completed before the motorway is built.