Transport minister: Full refund for passengers after Balaton train delays – Siemens will foot the bill

As an apology for the delays, not just half of the train tickets, but the entire price will be refunded to passengers who were delayed on the Balaton railway line on Saturday due to a barrier fault, János Lázár, the minister of construction and transport, said in a post on social media.

Lázár said he made this decision after the railway line that Siemens had completely renovated just ten years ago failed again on Saturday.

“This cannot go on this way, gentlemen”, he said in German and noted that on Saturday, about 10,000 people were affected by the fact that the Germans did not build the track to the quality they had promised in exchange for their 15 billion forints payment.

“Instead of them, we are now paying the passengers, but we will collect every last euro cent from them”, Lázár said, referring to Siemens and added that they would rather pay billions to Hungarian passengers as compensation before the German conglomerate receives even a single penny for another order.

This will continue “until the shortcomings and errors of their previous work are corrected”, the minister said.

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