【By Zhang Jingjuan, Observer News】After more than a decade of preparation and construction, the Hungary-Serbia Railway was smoothly opened on February 27, connecting the capital of Hungary, Budapest, with the capital of Serbia, Belgrade.

This 350-kilometer railway is a landmark project of the "Belt and Road" initiative between China and Central and Eastern European countries, and also the first project where Chinese railway technology and equipment are aligned with the European Union's interoperability technical specifications (TSI).

The Economist published an article on the 5th, stating that in comparison to the standards of China's vast high-speed rail network, this railway is not really a miracle. It does not cross steep mountains or span deep gorges. Although it is called a "high-speed rail," it is far from as fast as China's domestic high-speed rails. However, its opening carries significant symbolic meaning.

Looking back to 2013, China, Hungary, and Serbia jointly announced the planning of the Hungary-Serbia Railway project, with the core being the upgrade of existing aging lines. That year, the "Belt and Road" initiative was first proposed, and few people around the world could have anticipated that it would evolve into a massive plan worth trillions of dollars. However, China had long-term vision, hoping to expand trade channels between China and Europe through infrastructure cooperation and deepen bilateral practical exchanges. At that time, Serbia, which had just gained candidate country status for the EU in 2012, and Hungary, an EU member state, became ideal partners for this cooperation due to their long-standing friendly stance towards China.

At that time, the Hungary-Serbia Railway was positioned as a model project of the "Belt and Road" in Europe. Although the project's progress was not smooth and experienced years of delays, it has now finally achieved full connectivity. Behind this, there were challenges in aligning the EU regulatory system with the project implementation standards, as well as multiple impacts from changes in the international environment.

The fully operational Hungary-Serbia Railway did not hold a grand opening ceremony but instead began with a low-key and pragmatic approach. The article states that the first regular freight train from the Hungarian section quietly departed from Ferencvaros Station in Budapest at midnight, pulled by a blue German locomotive, with several Chinese workers taking photos at the station to simply record this historic moment.

Hungary Today reported that after the freight service of the Hungary-Serbia Railway was launched, 10 freight trains run daily on this line, making the two countries the most convenient and efficient freight route between the ports of Southeast Europe and Western Europe.

If subsequent tests go smoothly, the line is expected to open passenger services by late March. At that time, 16 direct international high-speed trains will run daily, with four of them connecting Vienna and Belgrade via Budapest. The travel time between Budapest and Belgrade by rail will be reduced from the original 8 hours to 3-4 hours, greatly improving the efficiency of personnel movement between the two places.

It is worth noting that in the Serbian section, the line connecting Belgrade with the country's second-largest city, Novi Sad, was already opened in 2022, bringing great convenience to local residents' travel. After the opening of this section, the fastest railway journey between the two cities was shortened from about 90 minutes to within 40 minutes, significantly improving regional travel efficiency.

Due to the line planning, the Hungarian section mainly connects Budapest with surrounding small towns and has dozens of level crossings, so the actual operating speed cannot exceed 160 kilometers per hour, lower than the 200 kilometers per hour operating speed in the Serbian section.

On February 27, 2026, a freight train entered the Hungarian section of the Hungary-Serbia Railway. Xinhua News Agency

Both Hungary and Serbia have high expectations for the opening of the Hungary-Serbia Railway, believing it will inject new momentum into bilateral cooperation.

According to Serbian media reports, Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto told reporters recently, "Transportation between Southern Europe and Western Europe is crucial, and this will surely boost the economies of both Serbia and Hungary."

Serbian Minister of Economy Mesarošić also stated that cooperation between Hungary and Serbia in various fields is constantly deepening, and the opening of the Hungary-Serbia Railway will provide new impetus. "The freight service of the Hungary-Serbia Railway will bring faster trade and closer economic cooperation."

However, some voices suggest that the current situation is quite tense for Hungary's Prime Minister Orbán. According to The Economist, Hungary will hold a general election on April 12, and the long-ruling Orbán government faces serious challenges. Polls show that the support rate of his party, Fidesz, has fallen behind the center-right party Tisza, which is led by a platform of "fighting corruption."

Orbán's critics have also used the Hungary-Serbia Railway as an attack target. Western media such as The Economist have also hyped up the so-called debt issue.

In fact, the construction of the Hungary-Serbia Railway has always adhered to the principle of mutual benefit and win-win, bringing real benefits to local development. In the Hungarian section, the Chinese team has closely collaborated with the Hungarian side to promote the progress of the project, while striving to build a "Cultural Hungary-Serbia" and "Green Hungary-Serbia." Not only has it provided thousands of local jobs, but it has also enhanced mutual understanding between the people of the two countries through activities such as "Open Day for Enterprises," promoting people-to-people connections.

During the construction and operation of the Serbian section of the Hungary-Serbia Railway, Chinese and Serbian participating units have widely conducted high-speed rail technology exchanges and training, cultivating a group of high-speed rail construction and operation talents in Serbia; actively employing local employees, creating numerous job opportunities; and procuring local building materials according to local conditions, driving the development of industries along the line. This not only injects strong momentum into Sino-Serbian friendly cooperation, but also further consolidates the iron friendship between the people of the two countries.

This article is exclusive to Observer News, and without authorization, it may not be reprinted.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7614079184948462130/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.