A tragic accident occurred in Budapest late Friday morning, when a train fatally struck a person near Rákosliget in the city’s 17th district. The incident caused significant disruption to rail traffic on one of Hungary’s busiest lines.
Incident near Rákosliget station
According to rail operator MÁV-Start, the Agria InterRégió service, which departed from Eger at 9:08 AM and was headed for Budapest’s Keleti Railway Station, hit a person shortly before reaching Rákosliget. The circumstances of the incident have not yet been officially confirmed.
The train was unable to continue its journey after the collision. Firefighters were called to the scene to assist passengers in safely disembarking from the train. They were then transferred to another service continuing toward central Budapest.
The Rákosliget station. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Expect delays and route changes
Due to the ongoing police and forensic investigation, train traffic between Rákos and Pécel was restricted to a single track, but now, the traffic is back to both tracks. However, temporary service adjustments are in place until late in the afternoon across the Budapest–Hatvan–Miskolc line.
Passengers should anticipate:
- 20–40 minute delays on several routes
- Cancellations and shortened routes on affected services
- After being out of service, S80 suburban trains between Budapest and Gödöllő are gradually resuming.
- Passengers can use Agria and Mátra InterRégió trains, which are making extra stops to replace the cancelled suburban services.
- At Rákosliget, Rákoscsaba-Újtelep and Rákoscsaba, trains in both directions will use Track 2 until the investigation concludes.
Rail operators advise travellers to check real-time updates before departure.
Recent rail fatalities
This week has seen several fatal train accidents in Hungary. On Tuesday evening, five people were killed when a car drove into a level crossing in Szentmártonkáta despite the active red warning signal. Earlier the same day, another fatal collision occurred near Újszász when a person was struck by a commuter train.
Support and crisis assistance
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or may be at risk of harm, confidential support is available 24/7:
- Free helpline in Hungary: 116-123
- Alternative crisis support: +36 80 820 111
