Timiș County has issued a public tender for the preparation of technical documentation for a planned direct rail link between Szeged and Timișoara. The study will assess the project’s financial and economic feasibility, Szegeder.hu reported.
Based on the Romanian-language description of the document, the project—referred to in the text as the “Szeged–Timișoara dream railway”—would create a “new” cross-border rail link between Hungary and Romania.
The goal is not only to speed up transportation, but also to strengthen economic and social ties in the border region.
The task now announced is not yet about construction, nor even about the preliminary design that precedes it: the winning firm must first prepare the project with a detailed feasibility study within 16 months.
The winning bidder must also prepare passenger and freight traffic forecasts, as well as an environmental impact assessment. Based on the tender, the project may include the construction of a new cross-border railway bridge over the Mureș River if the selected route warrants it. On the Romanian side, the renovation of existing infrastructure and the construction of new sections are also under consideration, with full electrification and modern signaling systems.
The design work includes soil testing, hydrological analyses, and mapping of properties affected by the railway line. In addition, an environmental impact assessment and a detailed cost-benefit analysis will be required. Applications are due by mid-June, though the deadline could be extended if necessary.
The project aligns with EU efforts aimed at developing cross-border infrastructure and connecting regional rail networks. The current public procurement process is therefore an important early-stage step: it will determine the technical and economic conditions under which the long-planned rail link between Szeged and Timișoara can be realized.
