Key takeaways
- MÁV is the infrastructure manager and holding company, not the passenger operator. Passenger trains run under MÁV-START.
- Every older vehicle has two names: the letter series such as V43 and the three-digit number such as 431.
- Hungary runs on 25 kV 50 Hz – and was one of the first countries to deploy this system on a large scale.
- Freight has not belonged to MÁV since 2008 – it now belongs to the Austrian Rail Cargo Group.
- The network is a star centred on Budapest. Almost every long-distance connection passes through the capital.
Contents
- 1.Fact file
- 2.Business areas
- 3.Structure & brands
- 4.History at a glance
- 5.How to recognise the company
- 6.Strengths and weaknesses
- 7.What MÁV still does itself – and what it doesn’t
- 8.V43 or 431: the double numbering system
- 9.A network with only one centre
- 10.Where Hungary offers spotters the most
- 11.Who the train in front of you actually belongs to
- 12.Three vehicle generations in the same timetable
- 13.Conclusion
- 14.Frequently asked questions
Fact file
| Role in the system | Infrastructure manager and group holding company; passenger services run through the subsidiary MÁV-START |
|---|---|
| Owner | Hungarian state |
| Founded | 1868 as the Royal Hungarian State Railways |
| Gauge | 1435 mm standard gauge; a few narrow-gauge and broad-gauge sections exist alongside it |
| Electrification system | 25 kV 50 Hz AC – Hungary was one of the pioneers of this technology |
| Network shape | Star-shaped, radiating out from Budapest, with weak cross-connections |
| Freight | No longer part of the group – it now belongs to the Austrian Rail Cargo Group |
| Distinctive feature | Grouped together with the bus company Volánbusz since the 2020s |
| Official website | www.mavcsoport.hu |
Business areas
Structure & brands
History at a glance
How to recognise MÁV Magyar Államvasutak
Does the train really belong to MÁV Magyar Államvasutak?
- Double designation on the vehicle: the old letter series such as V43 and the new three-digit number such as 431
- V stands for electric (villamos), M for diesel (motor) – a system that many older vehicles still carry today
- Box-shaped older electric locomotives with a distinctive front still shape regional services today
- Soviet diesel locomotives with nicknames remain present in shunting and engineering-train duties
- Taurus locomotives in Hungarian livery haul the fast international trains
- Terminus stations in Budapest – Keleti, Nyugati and Déli each serve different parts of the country
- Hungarian signage in Latin script; pályaudvar means station, vágány track
Strengths and weaknesses
What the company stands for
- Very high proportion of older vehicles still in scheduled service – subjects that no longer exist further west
- Budapest packs three large terminus stations into a small area
- Free platform access at almost every station
- The border station with Austria shows two railway worlds side by side
- The numbering system is learnable and applied consistently
Where it falls short
- Two parallel designation systems lead to duplicate entries in sighting lists
- Freight no longer belongs to MÁV – logging it there is a mistake
- There's no reliable, up-to-date public source for the vehicle fleet
- Cross-connections away from Budapest are poorly served, so tours need detours
- Engineering works and rail replacement bus services hit entire corridors for months at a time
Updated: August 2026 – In Hungary you’ll find a locomotive that’s called V43 and 431 at the same time. Both are correct, both are in circulation, and both belong to MÁV Magyar Államvasutak. If you don’t know that, you’ll log the same machine twice on your list. If you do know it, you have access to one of the last countries in the EU where older technology still runs in daily scheduled service.
Collect Hungarian vehicles without duplicate entries
Log number, place and time right on the platform – you can add the second designation later.
What MÁV still does itself – and what it doesn’t
The name MÁV has stood for the Hungarian state railway since 1868, but the company behind it has changed a great deal over the last two decades. Two spin-offs matter for getting the attribution right.
First, passenger services were hived off into the subsidiary MÁV-START in 2007. That’s why tickets, train signage and displays often show START, while platforms, signals and the track belong to the parent company. Second, freight was sold in 2008 and today belongs to the Rail Cargo Group of the ÖBB. A Hungarian freight train is therefore, as a rule, not a MÁV train – a mistake that happens constantly in sighting lists.
V43 or 431: the double numbering system
Hungary runs two designation systems side by side, and you’ll come across both on the same day.
| System | Structure | Example | Where you’ll find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old class designation | Letter for traction type plus type number | V43, V63, M62 | Fan literature, markings on older vehicles |
| New series designation | Three-digit number | 431, 630, 628 | Official documents, modern data panels |
| UIC vehicle number | Twelve digits with country code | 91 55 … | Complete in the data panel |
| Multiple-unit designation | Series plus manufacturer type | FLIRT, KISS | Destination displays and interior signage |
The abbreviation V stands for villamos, meaning electric, and M for motor, meaning diesel. Once you know these two letters, you can place any old Hungarian designation straight away. For permanent documentation, though, the same rule applies as everywhere else: the full twelve-digit number from the data panel is the only unambiguous reference – its structure is explained in the guide to reading the UIC number.
Note down both designations
If you spot a Hungarian locomotive, write down both the old and the new designation. Hungarian forums mostly use V43, European databases mostly 431. If you have both, you'll find your sighting again in either source later on – and avoid the classic duplicate entry.
A network with only one centre
Set Budapest as your starting point
Almost every main line radiates star-shaped towards the capital. Cross-connections between the radial lines are poorly served.
Choose the right terminus station
Keleti serves international traffic, Nyugati the north and east, Déli the south-west. They serve different parts of the country, not the same one.
Plan in a border station
In the west, Hungary's 25 kV system meets Austria's 15 kV network – that's where multi-system vehicles become visible.
Check for engineering works beforehand
Hungary refurbishes corridor routes over long periods. A section can be replaced by buses for months at a time.
How much of Hungary are you really seeing?
You won't find the older technology in long-distance traffic, but on the regional lines.
Where Hungary offers spotters the most
Budapest Keleti is the starting point: a terminus station with international services, InterCity traffic and suburban trains all in a small area. Because the network is star-shaped, everything that would otherwise be spread across the whole country comes together here.
The second essential stop is at the border. At Hegyeshalom the transition into the Austrian network becomes tangible, and the journey from there to Vienna Hauptbahnhof is short enough for a shared day. If you want to head further north, Bratislava gives you the third railway administration of the same region – three countries, three systems, one day trip.
Document three countries in one day
With Traintrack, sightings from Hungary, Austria and Slovakia stay cleanly separated and still analysable together.
Who the train in front of you actually belongs to
It's the MÁV group when …
- a passenger train runs with a destination display and train category
- the data panel shows a Hungarian country code with a MÁV vehicle keeper marking
- it concerns platforms, signals or track technology
Look more closely when …
- the train runs in western Hungary – that's Raaberbahn territory
- a locomotive is running light, without coaches
- an international train is reinforced with foreign coaches
It's not MÁV when …
- a freight train is running – that's Rail Cargo or a private operator's job
- the vehicle belongs to a regional narrow-gauge railway
- a special train is run by an association or tour operator
Hungary also has a strong narrow-gauge tradition. Forest and children’s railways with a gauge of 760 mm mostly don’t belong to MÁV, but to forestry operations or municipalities – another common attribution mistake.
Older vehicles aren't museum pieces
What looks like nostalgia in Hungary is an operational vehicle in scheduled use. Shunting areas, sidings and depots are correspondingly active and not open to the public. Stay on the platform, keep a safe distance from the track, and don't photograph over fences into operational railway land.
Three vehicle generations in the same timetable
Hungary is interesting for photographers because three technical eras run at the same time here. The first are the boxy electric locomotives of domestic manufacture, whose basic design dates back to the 1960s and which still haul regional and reinforcement trains today. The second are Soviet diesel machines that acquired their own nicknames in Hungary and continue to run in engineering, shunting and reserve duties; you’ll know related vehicles as the PKP ST44 from Poland.
The third generation is new and Western European: low-floor FLIRT multiple units and double-deck KISS units, plus Taurus locomotives for the fast international trains. These vehicles differ hardly at all, technically, from what you see in Austria or Germany – the ÖBB 1116 is the direct relative of the Hungarian variant.
The appeal lies in the transition. On a suburban line near Budapest, all three generations can pass you within an hour. This simultaneity is going to disappear, without warning: older vehicles get withdrawn, not given a send-off.
Conclusion
MÁV is a name that holds more together than it still operates itself today. The network belongs to it, passenger services to its subsidiary, freight long since to a neighbour. Anyone who keeps these three levels apart will correctly place every sighting in Hungary.
The real reward, though, lies elsewhere: hardly any EU country still offers so much technology from several decades in daily use. If you’re specifically hunting for it, the methods from the piece on rare vehicles work best – recognise patterns, understand diagrams, bring patience.
In short
MÁV is network and group holding company, MÁV-START runs the passenger trains, freight belongs to Austria. At the vehicle, the rule is: note both designations, V43 and 431 mean the same machine.
Document older technology while it's still running
Log every Hungarian sighting with number and place – before the next vehicle generation takes over.
Summary
- If you're spotting in Hungary, keep three things separate: the network at MÁV, passenger services at MÁV-START, and freight at an Austrian group.
- The double vehicle designation isn't an error but established practice – note both variants if in doubt.
- Hungary's vehicle fleet is one of the last opportunities in the EU to photograph older technology in scheduled service.
- Budapest is essential, but the border station in the west shows most clearly how two railway systems meet.
Frequently asked questions
What does the abbreviation MÁV stand for?
MÁV stands for Magyar Államvasutak, meaning Hungarian State Railways. The name goes back to 1868 and has survived a monarchy, two world wars, socialism and EU accession. What has changed repeatedly is the structure behind it – today MÁV is above all an infrastructure manager and group holding company.
What's the difference between MÁV and MÁV-START?
MÁV operates the infrastructure and runs the group. MÁV-START is the subsidiary hived off in 2007 that runs passenger services. That's why the ticket and the train usually show START, while platforms, signals and the track itself belong to the parent company. It's the same split you'll find at České dráhy and the Slovak state railway.
Why do Hungarian locomotives carry two numbers?
Because Hungary runs an old and a new system side by side. Historically, electric locomotives were called V for villamos and diesel locomotives M for motor, each with a type number – for example V43 or M62. When European vehicle numbers were introduced, three-digit designations were added, turning V43 into 431. Both variants are in use, and fan publications still favour the old one today.
Does MÁV also run freight trains?
No, not any more. Freight was sold in 2008 and has since belonged to the ÖBB's Rail Cargo Group. A freight train in Hungary is therefore not a MÁV train, even if it runs on MÁV track. The guide Who's actually running this train? explains how to keep these attributions straight.
What electrification system does Hungary use?
25 kV 50 Hz AC. Hungary trialled this technology on a large scale as early as the 1930s, when the rest of Europe was still using DC or special frequencies. Today it's the European standard for new lines. For you that means: at the border with Austria, where 15 kV at 16.7 Hz applies, a system changeover takes place – that's where you'll see multi-system locomotives such as the ÖBB 1116.
What is GYSEV?
The Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurt Railway, known in German as the Raaberbahn, is a Hungarian-Austrian joint railway in western Hungary. It is not a MÁV subsidiary but an independent company with its own network and its own vehicles. On its lines you'll see a different livery and different vehicle types – a common stumbling block when attributing sightings.
Is there high-speed rail in Hungary?
No. Hungary has no high-speed line and no dedicated high-speed brand. The fastest trains are locomotive-hauled InterCity services on upgraded main lines, plus international services towards Vienna, Munich and Prague. If you're after high-speed rail, you're better off with Trenitalia or SNCF.
Which Budapest station is worth it for spotters?
All three, but for different reasons. Keleti is the international terminus with the greatest variety of vehicles. Nyugati serves the north and east and has the most impressive train shed. Déli is the smallest and is used mostly for regional services. If you only have a day, go to Keleti.
How do you get onto Hungarian platforms?
Freely. Access barriers are unusual, and you can walk onto the platforms without a ticket. Photographing from the platform is common and doesn't require separate permission. The station operator's house rules still apply, though – the principles from our piece on house rules at stations transfer directly.
Where's the best place to see the crossing into Austria?
At Hegyeshalom. That's where Hungary's 25 kV system ends, and where international trains either change locomotive or carry on with multi-system locomotives. Within a few hours the station shows you what separates two neighbouring railway systems – and it's close enough to Vienna to combine both in a single day.
Log vehicles from MÁV Magyar Államvasutak
Company, vehicle, location and date logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
The operational level in the railway operator database
Who actually runs the trains, with keeper markings and identifying features on the vehicle.
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group
The Rail Cargo Group is the freight division of the ÖBB group. Identifying it means understanding why a state railway group is split by function.
FreightRail Cargo Austria AG
Rail Cargo Austria AG is the freight company within the ÖBB group. This page explains the wagon handover: why a train ends at the border while the load keeps moving.
FreightRail Cargo Carrier – Czech Republic s.r.o.
Rail Cargo Carrier – Czech Republic s.r.o. combines English name components with a Czech legal-form suffix. There's a lot to learn from exactly that.
Typical vehicles
ÖBB Class 1116 (Taurus)
The Class 1116 is the ÖBB's dual-system Taurus: 15 kV and 25 kV, 230 km/h, 6,400 kW. Here's how to tell it apart from the 1016 and 1216 for sure.
ClassÖBB Class 1216 (Taurus III)
The Class 1216 is the multi-system Taurus III – and holder of the world speed record for locomotives at 357 km/h, set in 2006.
ClassČD Class 380 (Škoda 109E)
Class 380 is the Czech Republic's modern multi-system locomotive: 20 machines, 200 km/h and three electrification systems. How to identify the Škoda 109E confidently in the field.
ClassPKP ST44 (M62)
The ST44 is Poland's version of the Soviet M62 – six axles, loud and unmistakable. Here's how to read the code and recognise the locomotive in the field.
ClassÖBB Railjet (RJ / RJX)
The Railjet isn't a multiple unit but a fixed coach set with a locomotive at one end and a control car at the other. Here's how to spot it and tell RJ from RJX.
Where you will find MÁV Magyar Államvasutak
Spotting locations where you will regularly come across vehicles from this organisation – with viewpoints, the best light and coordinates.
Budapest Keleti
Keleti is Hungary's most important international station and one of the last great terminus stations in Europe where older rolling stock isn't kept in a museum but still earns its keep in service. Read the hall correctly and you'll come away with vehicles that vanished west of the border long ago.
Border stationHegyeshalom
Hegyeshalom is the point where the Austrian and Hungarian railway systems meet. Two electrification systems, changing traction and a high freight share turn this flat border station into one of the most instructive spots in Central Europe – if you bring time with you.
Junction stationWien Hauptbahnhof
Wien Hauptbahnhof has only been in operation for just over a decade, and it has completely reshuffled Austrian long-distance traffic. Twelve platform tracks as a through station, trains from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Italy – and at night a density of night trains rarely found anywhere else.
Junction stationBratislava hlavná stanica
Bratislava sits closer to Austria and Hungary than almost any other capital does to its neighbours. The main station clings to the slope above the old town, is visibly showing its age – and precisely because of that offers a mix of rolling stock that vanished further west long ago.
More companies
Österreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB)
ÖBB isn't a single company but a group made up of passenger transport, the Rail Cargo Group and infrastructure. If you're spotting in Austria, you can't avoid the four-digit class scheme – it tells you the traction and design before you've even properly identified the vehicle.
State railwayČeské dráhy (ČD)
Czechia runs on two electrification systems and a third class of vehicle that masters both. České dráhy classes its rolling stock with a scheme that captures exactly that – the first digit tells you traction type and overhead-line voltage in one go.
State railwayŽelezničná spoločnosť Slovensko (ZSSK)
Slovakia inherited a designation system from Czechoslovakia that has few equals: the first digit of the three-digit class number tells you the traction type and electrification system. And there are two electrification systems here – the boundary between them does not run along the border, but through the middle of the country.
State railwayHŽ Putnički prijevoz
HŽ Putnički prijevoz is the passenger arm of the Croatian state railway – one of three sister companies since the split, alongside freight and the network. Its vehicle numbers follow a Yugoslav logic that's worth understanding once and for all.
Related guides from the blog
- Who's Actually Running That Train? How to Identify Railway Operators
- Spotting Border Stations: Where Foreign Trains Enter Germany
- Identifying Train Classes: How to Recognise Any Locomotive or Multiple Unit
- Tracking trains live across Europe: a country guide for cross-border travellers
- Catching rare vehicles: strategy, not luck
