Hungary has upgraded a 60-kilometre railway section between Budapest’s Rákos station and Hatvan in eastern Hungary.
As part of the joint project, Hitachi Rail upgraded six electronic interlockings at stations: Rákosliget, Pécel, Isaszeg, Gödöllő, Babatpuszta and Aszód.
In addition, to ensure safe and efficient train control, Hitachi Rail has implemented the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 on the line.
ETCS Level 2 works by using trackside balises, a Radio Block Center (RBC) and the railway specific mobile communication system GSM-R to communicate with the train, continuously monitoring its movement and enforcing speed limits.
The modernisation project also included the installation of 73 new point machines and the integration of 23 level crossings into the safe signalling system, further enhancing the reliability of the route.
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Hitachi Rail stated that the railway operator receives precise information about point machine behaviour and potentially emerging faults, such as the need for any maintenance action or the presence of any material obstructing the mechanism.
With this, faults can be discovered before the cause any disturbance in the traffic, enabling predictive maintenance.
VP main line signalling at Hitachi Rail Hannes Boyer said: “The completion of this project to upgrade the digital signalling and interlocking between Budapest and Hatvan underlines Hungary’s growing leadership in railway innovation.
“Our cutting-edge solutions will help increase speed, reliability and capacity on the line, helping to deliver more seamless, sustainable transport for passengers and freight.”
Achievements in public transport planning will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
