The Budapest-Belgrade high-speed line finally runs, offering Beijing a concrete infrastructure victory inside the European Union
The Train That Took a Decade to Run
After years of delays, cost overruns, transparency controversies, and growing geopolitical scrutiny, the Budapest-Belgrade railway — China’s flagship infrastructure project inside the European Union — is finally operational. Freight services on the Hungarian section resumed in late February 2026, and passenger services connecting the two capitals are expected to begin running in mid-March 2026. When fully operational, the line will cut the travel time between Budapest and Belgrade from the current eight hours to approximately three hours and fifteen minutes, running at up to 160 kilometers per hour on the Hungarian section. The railway spans 350 kilometers in total: 183 kilometers on the Serbian side and 159 kilometers in Hungary. It was agreed between China, Hungary, and Serbia at the “16+1” China-Central and Eastern Europe cooperation summit in Belgrade in December 2014, making it a twelve-year project to reach operational status.
Who Built It and What They Were Paid
The Hungarian section was constructed by a consortium including China Railway No. 9 Engineering Bureau Hungary and China Railway Electrification Bureau Hungary, alongside local Hungarian firms. The project cost approximately 949 billion Hungarian forints, or $3.6 billion at current exchange rates — roughly double the originally announced 472 billion forints. It is financed 85 percent by a Chinese government loan, with the remaining 15 percent from Hungary. The loan terms and the construction contract were both classified by the Hungarian government as state secrets for a decade, a decision that provoked fierce criticism from Hungarian opposition parties, civil society groups, and European anti-corruption monitors. Viktor Orban’s government defended the secrecy as standard commercial practice; critics described it as evidence of a transaction structured to benefit Chinese contractors and Hungarian political interests rather than Hungarian taxpayers.
Part of a Larger Belt and Road Architecture
The Budapest-Belgrade line is not simply a railway: it is a link in a logistics chain that runs from the Chinese-operated Port of Piraeus in Greece through Serbia and Hungary into Central Europe. Beijing’s vision is to use Piraeus as an entry point for Chinese goods entering the EU’s single market, with the modernized rail corridor enabling faster and cheaper distribution northward. Belt and Road Initiative Europe analysis documents how the railway fits into this larger architecture, which also includes Chinese investment in Greek port infrastructure, Serbia’s industrial zones, and Hungary’s logistics facilities. BYD’s decision to build its first European car manufacturing plant in Szeged, Hungary, is directly connected: the factory’s output will use the improved rail and logistics network to distribute vehicles across Europe.
The Transparency Problem
The Budapest-Belgrade railway has become a case study in the governance risks that accompany Chinese BRI financing. The secrecy of the contract. The cost overrun of more than 100 percent. The use of Chinese state enterprises rather than competitive international procurement. The absence of independent auditing. Wikipedia’s documentation of the project notes that it “was criticized for a lack of transparency” and that Hungary’s secrecy decision has “raised concerns about potential corruption of the most expensive project in the history of Hungarian railways.” Independent media described the project as part of the Hungarian and Serbian governments’ reorientation away from the EU and toward China. Orban’s Hungary has repeatedly blocked EU-wide positions critical of China, including resolutions on Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
What China Gains Beyond a Railway
China’s investment calculus extends beyond the freight and passenger revenue that the railway will generate. The Budapest-Belgrade line is the first Chinese railway project to receive EU TSI certification — the technical standard that allows rolling stock and infrastructure to operate across the European rail network. This certification is commercially significant: it opens the door for Chinese railway technology and equipment to compete across the EU’s infrastructure market, which is valued in the hundreds of billions of euros over the coming decade. Railway Pro provides the most detailed technical coverage of China’s European railway ambitions and the certification standards at stake.
A Warning for Democratic Europe
For democratic governments watching the Budapest-Belgrade project, several lessons stand out. Chinese BRI infrastructure loans come with conditions that favor Chinese contractors, Chinese technology, and Chinese geopolitical interests. The secrecy they generate is corrosive to public accountability. The dependency they create — financial, technical, and political — is difficult to reverse. And the argument that these projects are purely commercial in character collapses when you trace the political footprint: Orban’s Hungary now functions as Beijing’s most reliable voice inside EU decision-making. The railway is not merely a transport infrastructure investment. It is a down payment on a political relationship that has cost European unity dearly.
Emily Chan
Investigative & Social Affairs Journalist, Apple Daily UK
Contact: emily.chan@appledaily.uk
Emily Chan is an experienced investigative and social affairs journalist whose reporting centers on public accountability, social justice, and community-level impact. She received formal journalism training at a top-tier Chinese journalism school, where she specialized in investigative methods, data verification, and media ethics, preparing her for high-responsibility reporting roles.
Emily has published extensively with Apple Daily and other liberal Chinese newspapers, producing in-depth coverage on labor rights, education policy, civil society organizations, and government transparency. Her work is grounded in firsthand reporting, long-form interviews, and careful document review, ensuring factual accuracy and contextual depth.
Her newsroom experience spans both daily reporting and long-term investigations, giving her practical expertise in handling sensitive sources, corroborating claims, and navigating legal and ethical constraints. Emily is known among editors for her disciplined sourcing practices and clear, evidence-led writing style.
Emily’s authority stems from sustained professional experience rather than commentary alone. She has contributed to coverage during politically sensitive periods, maintaining accuracy and editorial independence under pressure. Her reporting consistently adheres to correction protocols and transparency standards.
At Apple Daily UK, Emily Chan continues to deliver reliable journalism that informs readers through verifiable facts, lived reporting experience, and a commitment to public-interest storytelling.
