Budapest has a new gateway service to the Adriatic seaports
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) is launching a new rail freight connection between Budapest, Hungary, and Rijeka, Croatia. This new service is expected to benefit cargo flows in both directions. Moreover, it also opens up the way to the port of Koper, which can be served via a short rail service from Rijeka. With this link, RCG triples the connections to major Adriatic ports while providing more options for Western Balkans-Central Europe rail traffic via Budapest.
This new service, part of the RCG transFER network, will run twice a week between the BILK terminal in Budapest and the port of Rijeka. In addition, the Austrian company recently opened a new office in Rijeka due to an increase in demand for container transportation services. This office, RCG pointed out, can help process these rising requests faster and more efficiently.
Hungary gateway for the Balkans and the Adriatic
When it comes to finding a way for Hungary to reach the sea and ports, RCG’s new service to Rijeka is not the first initiative. The Hungarian government has planned the construction of a rail terminal called AdriaPort, at the port of Trieste, which, with Rijeka and Koper, is the most active port in the Adriatic Sea. The total investment amounts to 200 million euros, 45 of which will be financed by the Italian Plan for Recovery and Resiliency. Construction is expected to take roughly two years.
Developments between Hungary and Western Balkans are ramping up lately. Many companies start exploring the potential of the Balkan peninsula, both as a market and as a gateway to further destinations. As a result, they also proceed to relevant investments. For instance, METRANS is working on the construction of two new rail terminals. One will be in Zalaegerszeg, near the Hungarian borders with Austria and Slovenia, while the other one will be in Szeged, near the country’s borders with Romania and Serbia. The first one is expected to be commissioned by 2023, whereas the second one will be operative in 2025.
Another new facility, the Horgos Terminal, will be built on the Serbian-Hungarian border to facilitate rail freight between the Balkan region and the rest of the European Union. The project is being led by Rihard Dobo, CEO at Dibex and Roadex Trans, both road freight companies. The Horgos Terminal will have four 740-metre-long tracks and will be equipped to handle semi-trailers as well.
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