Due to the collapse of the rolling stock repair base in Dunakeszi and the halted IC carriage inspections, MAV now has fewer InterCity carriages in service than last year or the year before, he said.

"One of the consequences of the railway-destroying policy of recent years was that MAV was simply unable to handle the increase in traffic to Lake Balaton in the summer season," Vitezy noted.

Vitezy indicated that they are also working on a long-term solution, the renewal of the entire long-distance fleet, which "has to be started almost from scratch," since the tenders for this were withdrawn by the previous minister at the end of 2022.

Train Inspiration: Easy Ride from Budapest to Balaton 

Navigating the MÁV system to reach Lake Balaton is relatively straightforward, as long as you know which shore you are heading to. The lake is divided into two distinct train routes departing from Budapest.

1. The Departure Stations in Budapest

Budapest-Déli (Southern Railway Station): This is the primary hub for Lake Balaton. Roughly 95% of Balaton-bound trains originate here. It is easily accessible via the M2 (Red) metro line.

Budapest-Kelenföld: Every train departing from Déli station stops here exactly 7 minutes later. If you live in southern Buda or are connecting from the M4 (Green) metro line, it is much more convenient to board here.

Budapest-Keleti / Nyugati: While rare, a few specialized summer trains or regional connections occasionally trigger from these hubs, but Déli remains your safest bet.

2. The Routes: Where the Trains Take You

The tracks split to service the two vastly different shores of the lake:

The Southern Shore (Flat, sandy beaches, nightlife): 

Siófok (the party capital), Zamárdi, Balatonföldvár, Fonyód, and down to Keszthely (at the far western tip).
Balaton IC & Tópart IC - These run hourly from Budapest-Déli. The trip to Siófok takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

The Northern Shore (Volcanic hills, vineyards, historic towns):

Balatonfüred, Badacsony, and Tapolca - Kék Hullám (Blue Wave) IC and regional expresses. These run every 1 to 2 hours from Budapest-Déli.

Important Travel Tip for Keszthely:

Some southern shore trains split at Balatonszentgyörgy. The front half of the train will head toward Nagykanizsa, while the rear carriages decouple and go to Keszthely. Always double-check the electronic display boards on the platform or ask the conductor to make sure you are sitting in the correct section.

3. Ticket Costs & Seat Reservations

MÁV ticket pricing is highly affordable but requires a small trick during peak season.

Standard Single Ticket: A one-way ticket from Budapest to a main hub like Siófok or Balatonfüred generally costs between 2,000 HUF and 3,000 HUF.

The Compulsory IC Seat Reservation: If you are boarding one of the InterCity (IC) carriages mentioned by Vitézy, you must buy a seat reservation (helyjegy) in addition to your base ticket. This costs an extra 300 HUF to 1,000 HUF depending on how early you buy it and whether you choose 1st or 2nd class.

Country Pass (Országbérlet): If you already hold the popular 9,450 HUF monthly Hungarian Country Pass, you can travel to Balaton for "free," but you are still legally required to purchase the supplementary IC seat reservation ticket on InterCity trains.

How to Buy: It is highly recommended to buy your tickets online via the official MÁV App or at jegy.mav.hu. Doing so gives you a 5% discount, allows you to digitally select your seat, and saves you from massive ticket-counter lines at Déli station during hot summer weekends.

Vitezy: More railway carriages needed for summer peak, first borrowed carriage arrives

The first air-conditioned first-class InterCity carriage borrowed from Austrian Railways (OBB) has arrived in Hungary, David Vitezy, the transport and investment minister, said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Additional vehicles could be put into service during the summer, especially in busier periods, he said.

For the summer peak season, passenger information must be improved, replacement bus capacities increased, and more railway carriages must be put into service, he said, adding that he has asked state railway company MAV management to prepare for the summer season more effectively than before, with special attention to improving passenger information, expanding replacement bus capacities and modernising information systems at major stations.

Where there is a shortage of trains, the capacities of foreign railway companies should be tapped, he added.

Vitezy said improvements in the long term must involve renewing the railway vehicle fleet, noting that from the EU funds that have become available to Hungary again, he has secured about 2 billion euros for the replacement of InterCity and suburban railway trains.

This could make it possible to purchase at least 35 new InterCity trains, which, he added, would significantly improve the quality of railway services.

"Hungary has not spent a comparable amount on railway vehicle fleet renewal in ten years..." the minister said.

Photo: MAV Group

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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