The foundation stone for the new building complex at Liszt Ferenc Airport has been laid. A new railway line is also being built.
The foundation stone of a new terminal complex has been laid at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, marking the start of a major expansion project that includes a new rail link to the city.
Speaking at the ceremony on Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán Viktor said the airport could become the region’s most important commercial and tourism hub by the end of the decade.
He recalled that nearly twenty years ago the airport had been privatized by a previous government and sold to a foreign investor group focused on short-term profit rather than long-term development. As a result, several key projects were delayed or never realized, including a rail connection between the airport and central Budapest.
After what he described as 14 years of determined effort, the Hungarian state regained a majority stake in the airport in 2024. The government also brought in a strategic partner, the French infrastructure company Vinci Airports, which has decades of experience in airport operation and development.
Passenger traffic at the airport reached a record 20 million last year, while revenue hit €331 million—about 25 percent higher than planned. According to Orbán, this means the investment could pay off two years earlier than expected.
Two key developments are already underway.
- A concession has been issued for the construction of a rail line linking the airport with Budapest Nyugati railway station,
- while construction of the new terminal complex—worth €1 billion—is now beginning.
The project is expected to become the largest airport development in Central Europe, with annual passenger numbers projected to reach 25 million by the end of the decade.
“If all plans are fulfilled, by the end of the decade Budapest Airport could grow into the most important commercial and tourism hub in the region,” the prime minister said.
by MTI
