Airport Rail Link to Be Built as a Concession: Terminal 3 Set for 2035 Completion

Significant developments are underway for the Liszt Ferenc International Airport (BUD). Ministers János Lázár (Construction and Transport) and Márton Nagy (National Economy) presented key plans that will fundamentally change the airport’s accessibility and capacity.

The most notable announcement concerned the construction of the airport rail link. The project, valued at €1 billion (approx. 400 billion HUF), will be realized as a concession, using market financing. An international tender for the project will be launched this year.

🚆 The 15–20 Minute Airport Rail Connection

The new railway line will depart from Nyugati Railway Station (Western Railway Station) and reconnect to the national network near Monor. The construction involves a new, 27 km-long, double-track line between Kőbánya and Monor, capable of speeds up to 160 km/h.

Critically, the line will run underground for 2–3 kilometers upon entering the airport area, with the airport station also located beneath the surface. This design ensures a travel time of just 15–20 minutes from Nyugati to the airport, with an expected ticket price of around 3,000–4,000 HUF, substantially lower than current taxi fares.

🏗️ Terminal 3 and Road Infrastructure

Márton Nagy confirmed that the construction of Terminal 3 is moving forward vigorously. The groundbreaking is scheduled for March 2026, and the terminal is expected to be completed in approximately 8 years, also with a €1 billion investment. By 2034–2035, the opening of Terminal 3 will double the airport’s annual passenger capacity to 40 million. The government aims for the rail link to be completed by the same timeframe.

János Lázár announced a €500 million (200 billion HUF) investment to improve road access to the airport. This includes developing a 12 km long, 2×3 lane expressway between the outer section of Üllői út and the airport, with completion anticipated by the end of 2028.

✈️ New Aviation Holding and Cargo Plans

The state is forming the Aviatika Holding to consolidate state-owned companies involved in aviation. Budapest Airport, HungaroControl, and the airports in Debrecen and Sármellék will all be placed under the holding’s management. The government also reiterated its commitment to developing a dedicated rural cargo airport to accommodate growing air freight traffic, though the location and details are still under discussion.

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