Hungary’s Intermodal Market Hits Inflection Point As EKR Reform Extends Support To 2031

Containers are surging, trailers are shifting to rail, and Budapest just rewrote the rulebook. With EKR support locked in for six years, Hungary’s intermodal market is primed for a step-change.

Hungary’s intermodal market has entered a new phase, with maritime container volumes posting a 114% year-on-year jump in Q2 2025, according to a press release from the Hungarian Association of Logistics Service Centres (MLSZKSZ). The spike is tied to factory construction, the expansion of international e-commerce, a modest rebound in household consumption, and deeper automotive supplier networks.

The release points out that the growth arrived despite global uncertainty and rail infrastructure bottlenecks. It argues that the momentum demonstrates market resilience but also exposes capacity gaps that must be addressed to sustain containerised intermodal expansion.

Semi-Trailer Rail: From Niche To Scaler

Semi-trailer shifts from road to rail reached 27,913 units in 2024—up 21.3% versus 2023—signalling that carriers are adopting greener, cost-aware options, according to the press release. The association frames the uptick as proof that rail involvement can cut emissions while lifting long-term competitiveness for shippers and logistics providers.

Experts cited in the release contend that this is "only the beginning." With stable support measures and clearer accountability, they expect more market players to move greater volumes to rail over the next cycle.

EKR Reform: From One-Year Grants To Six-Year Signals

A key catalyst is Hungary’s updated Energy Efficiency Obligation System (EKR), reshaped by ministerial decree No. 18/2025. (VII. 31.), published July 31 and effective August 1. The new rules enable the replacement of outdated buses, trucks, and locomotives with more energy-efficient or zero-emission models and explicitly recognise intermodal freight as a beneficiary.

Crucially, support once limited to semi-trailers now includes container and swap-body traffic shifted to rail, and the aid horizon stretches from one year to six years—a change the sector says brings real planning security. "The adoption of this decree is not just a technical set of rules—it is a shared success that proves when the industry and the state engage in genuine dialogue, tangible, long-term results can be achieved. And this is only the beginning," said Koppány Ajtony Bíró, Secretary General of MLSZKSZ, as noted in the press release.

Growth has outpaced capacity in places. The release flags congestion at Koper and Hamburg and delays from ongoing rail renovations, both of which are putting more pressure on road haulage. These pinch-points, it says, underscore the need to accelerate rail infrastructure development to keep intermodal on a sustainable trajectory. It is clear that without timely track upgrades and terminal enhancements, the upswing risks stalling. The industry wants investment sequencing aligned with demand so that rail can absorb peak flows while maintaining reliability.

A Conference To Align Policy And Operations

Stakeholders will convene at the 5th Central and Eastern European Intermodal Conference on October 9 at the Marriott Hotel in Budapest, according to the press release. Organisers bill it as both an information forum and a deal-making venue where decision-makers, regulators, and market players can interrogate the EKR mechanics and swap practical playbooks.

Beyond panels, the agenda emphasises Q&A, case sharing, and partnership building. The aim is to translate the EKR framework and the current volume surge into bankable projects that advance decarbonisation and resilience across corridors. Taken together—record container growth, a scaling semi-trailer-by-rail base, and a six-year support horizon—Hungary seems to be at a genuine paradigm shift. The long-term signal reduces policy risk for carriers and forwarders weighing equipment purchases, terminal contracts, and new services.

Source: MLSZKSZ Press Release