Hungarian tram-train begins operation

[Adlington]

Source: https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/light-rail/hungarian-tram-train-begins-operation/

Services began operating on the Szeged – Hódmezővásárhely tram-train system in southern Hungary on November 29 using a section of the Szeged – Békéscsaba main line and a newly-built light rail system in Hódmezővásárhely.

12 Stadler Citylink dual-mode 37.2m-long tram-trains are operating on the 31.6km line

The service is hourly until mid-January 2022 when headways will be stepped up to 30 minutes outside peak hours and 20 minutes in the peak with additional night-time services. Journey times are currently 51 minutes for the full line and 40 minutes from centre to centre and are due to be reduced by nine minutes in the future. The timetable will be further fine-tuned in March.

Currently the system is under passenger load testing and the services can be used free of charge until April 15.

There is a YT video about this service, but the commentary is in Hungarian only.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Here's a video of a cab ride from Szeged to Hódmezővásárhely. The railway line is not electrified, so the tram-trains run on diesel engines.

 

[Cloud Strife]

I'm always surprised that these aren't used more widely. There are so many cities that would benefit from such solutions.

 

[dutchflyer]

1.different authorities-the monopolistic state railway and the locally owned city transit system. Often worlds apart
2.it needs to be not too big and not too small (big train vs. small tram), though this gap is slowly narrowing. Which also restricts the apparently big number.