HUNGARY’s National Concession Office (NKI) has called for expressions of interest in the concession to build and operate a 27km line to serve Budapest Airport. If more than three submissions are received, NKI will invite the top three to proceed to the bidding phase.
The concession involves financing and building the proposed airport link and operating the line for 35 years, including an underground station at the airport and other infrastructure including 16 bridges. Services will use existing tracks between Budapest-Nyugati station and Monor, with a new line diverging at Kőbánya-Kispest to serve the airport before rejoining the main line near Monor, running in tunnel beneath the airport.
The new line is intended to enable long-distance services to gain direct access to the existing Terminal 2 and future Terminal 3 at the airport, while a dedicated airport shuttle to the centre of Budapest is also under consideration.
Bids will be evaluated on the basis of cost, expertise in planning and public-private partnerships (PPP), and the proposed charge per passenger for use of the new airport station. Submissions of interest are due by February 6 and the tender process is expected to conclude by June 15.
Tendering will be conditional on a revised asset management contract between the Hungarian state and Budapest Airport which has yet to be agreed. If this is not concluded within 12 months from contract signing, the contract will be void.
A new operations control centre will be built at Monor to supervise the airport line and underground station. Commuter and freight trains will continue to operate on the existing lines used by airport services.
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