Construction has officially begun on Metrans Group's second container terminal in Hungary, with a ceremonial groundbreaking held in Szeged. The event was attended by Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade; István Joó, Government Commissioner and CEO of the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency; László Botka, Mayor of Szeged; and Peter Kiss, CEO of Metrans Group.
The Szeged terminal is expected to begin operations in 2027 and will expand Metrans Group's presence in Hungary, complementing its Budapest terminal, which has been operational since 2017. Located in southern Hungary, the new intermodal hub is intended to strengthen logistics connections between Central Europe and the Balkans.
© HHLA
The terminal will be developed on a site of nearly 10 hectares and will include four 330-metre loading tracks and two remotely operated electric gantry cranes. Once operational, it is designed to handle up to six train pairs per day and an annual volume of approximately 300,000 TEU.
According to Metrans, the investment reflects expected growth in international freight flows and increasing demand for rail-based intermodal transport. The company said Hungary continues to play an important role within its European network of inland terminals.
New terminal to attract further investments
The Szeged terminal is expected to serve as an intermodal hub for the Southern Great Plain region, linking local production and distribution flows with European maritime and inland transport networks. Improved rail and road connectivity may support logistics demand from sectors such as manufacturing, automotive, electronics, fast-moving consumer goods, and e-commerce.
New jobs and regional impact
The project is also expected to have social and economic effects at the regional level. By shifting part of freight transport from road to rail, the terminal may help reduce traffic volumes on the M5–M43–55 road corridor and surrounding routes. The development is expected to create new jobs and generate additional demand for local suppliers and service providers.
Focus on rail-based, lower-emission transport
Metrans stated that the expansion aligns with its broader focus on increasing the share of rail transport within European freight logistics. Rail-based intermodal transport is generally associated with lower emissions compared with road haulage. Once operational, the Szeged terminal will be connected by rail to major European destinations, providing regional businesses with access to rail services across Metrans' network.
Metrans Group is a rail logistics provider and a subsidiary of HHLA (Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG). The company specialises in intermodal container transport between seaports and inland destinations and currently operates 20 inland terminals across 13 European countries, supported by its own rail operations.
© HHLAFor more information:
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