HATC SAMPLE EDITION:
|
|
8th January, 2026
Govt launches euro 1bn airport rail link tender
The government has launched an international public procurement tender for a high-speed rail connection to Budapest Airport, a project with an estimated cost of euro 1 billion and a 35-year concession structure.
Applications are due by February 6.
The railway will be owned 80% by the concessionaire and 20% by the state, Economy Ministry state secretary Mate Loga said. He described the project as having reached an “irreversible stage”, emphasising that the upcoming elections will not deter potential bidders.
The line would consist of 27km of new track, two railway overpasses and an underground station at Ferihegy, built beneath the airport’s current holiday parking area.
The first phase, covering the dedicated airport section of track, could be completed by 2030-31, allowing trains to run at 15-minute intervals, albeit without full network integration.
A second phase, extending and integrating the line, could follow by 2033-34, depending on capacity and construction progress, according to Ferenc Antal, deputy state secretary at the Transport Ministry.
The concessionaire will be required to obtain a new construction permit, with land arrangements handled in co-operation with the state asset manager MNV.
Rail concessions are rare in Hungary: none have been granted since World War I, with earlier examples dating back to the 19th century that were later nationalised.
If planning begins in 2026, construction could start in 2028.
All commercial and operational risks would rest with the concessionaire.
Revenues would come from track-access fees paid by MAV and a platform fee charged to passengers using the airport station – effectively a surcharge on standard rail tickets, Portfolio writes.
At the end of the concession period, the railway would revert to state ownership.
According to Economy Ministry estimates, a platform fee of around Ft 4,000 would make the service competitive with taxis.
With more than 19.5 million passengers passing through Budapest Airport last year, officials see a potential market of 10 million users. (portfolio.hu; telex.hu; magyarnemzet.hu; mfor.hu; index.hu; nepszava.hu)
|
8th January, 2026
US firm buys majority in Benepack Mako factory
America’s Ball Corp. has agreed to acquire an 80% stake in Benepack’s European beverage-can operations for euro 184 million, effectively taking over one factory in Belgium and another in Mako, in Csongrad county.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter.
The Chinese-built Ft 30 billion Mako plant completed trial operations in August last year and has since entered full production.
The 25,000m2 facility has an annual capacity of up to one billion two-piece aluminium cans and was built to supply beer and soft-drink producers in Romania and Serbia.
In the autumn, the plant employed 49 Hungarian and 33 Chinese workers, with plans to expand the workforce exclusively with local hires. (hvg.hu)
|
8th January, 2026
Electric car sales hit new high in 2025
Hungary’s electric car market set another record in 2025, with sales of pure electric passenger cars rising by 28% year-on-year to 11,002 units, according to Datahouse.
The Tesla Model Y remained the country’s best-selling electric car, topping the rankings for a third consecutive year with 1,188 registrations.
Kia’s new EV3 made a strong debut in second place with 699 sales, while Tesla’s Model 3 slipped to third with 634 units after losing momentum over the year.
The BMW iX1 ranked fourth with 493 cars sold, followed by 333 of BYD’s Atto models in fifth place.
At brand level, Tesla narrowly retained first place, just ahead of BYD.
Competition for third position was tight throughout the year, with BMW ultimately edging out Kia.
Overall, the new passenger car market expanded by 6% in 2025 to 129,440 vehicles.
Electric cars accounted for close to 10% of monthly sales in December and 8.5% on average over the year, up from 7% in 2024. (villanyautosok.hu; portfolio.hu)
|
8th January, 2026
DHL moves office to Wing facility
DHL Supply Chain, the business services centre of the global logistics group, has selected Wing’s mixed-use Liberty office building at the Nepliget park as its new headquarters, the developer announced.
DHL will occupy 3,000m2 of office space from September, boosting occupancy at the 40,000m2 Liberty facility to 95%. (portfolio.hu)
|
8th January, 2026
Wing appoints Walter as deputy CEO
Katalin Walter has joined Wing, one of Hungary’s largest property developers, as general deputy CEO on January 5.
She most recently served as head of the Budapest Transport centre BKK.
Earlier in her career, Walter spent 15 years as a partner at McKinsey & Co. in Frankfurt and Budapest, leading a range of strategic and operational transformation projects.
She later oversaw a major integration programme at a large Hungarian bank and held senior management roles at a regional insurance group.
Walter will support Wing’s chairman and CEO, Noah Steinberg. (portfolio.hu)
|
|
|
|
Contact