Railway set to redefine connectivity for locals

BUDAPEST — Braving the cold November rain in Hungary, workers at the construction site of Taksony Station were installing platform canopies and overhead contact wires on Wednesday, completing the final stages of the Hungarian segment of the Budapest-Belgrade railway.

Spanning approximately 350 kilometers, the Budapest-Belgrade railway stands as a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative. With the completion of major structural components such as embankments, bridges, and tracks, the project has now entered its final stages, focusing on electrification, communication, and signaling systems, with the Hungarian section set to be completed by 2025.

At the newly constructed Dunavarsany Traction Substation, located a short drive from Taksony Station, dual 132kV power supplies, two traction transformers, and a 25kV overhead feeder line are ready to power the railway's electrified network.

Result of collaboration

This achievement is the result of collaboration between Chinese and Hungarian teams in addressing challenges such as aligning international technical standards.

"We worked closely with Hungarian State Railways and Chinese suppliers to meet EU and Hungarian certifications for critical components, including signaling equipment and traction transformers," said Liu Tianqi, a deputy manager of the project.

Among other things, environmental sustainability and cultural preservation have taken center stage during the construction. The project's contractor, China Railway Group Limited, or CREC, implemented EU-compliant measures to minimize environmental impacts along the route, including nature reserves.

Taksony Station, located 20 km south of the Hungarian capital city of Budapest, was originally built in the 1930s and holds cultural significance for locals. Taking these factors into consideration, CREC has made it a priority to restore the station to its "former glory".

In addition, by creating numerous jobs and giving full play to Hungarian expertise and technical skills, the project stands as an example of China-Hungary cooperation and a testament to a true win-win partnership, noted Zuo Xiansi, a general manager at the Budapest-Belgrade railway project.

Meczo Csenge, who has worked for CREC for three years thanks to her knowledge of Chinese, said the project has given her opportunities. "When operational, the railway will make travel more convenient and boost economic development along the route. I'm looking forward to taking the first train," she said.

Xinhua