Changes in the railway system along the Austrian-Hungarian border after the First World War

Abstract

After the Treaty of Trianon, numerous railway lines in Western Hungary were cut in half by the new borders, or divided into several sections. In the years following the First World War, the quality of rail travel in this area was far below the standard of the pre-war period. Those wishing to travel could only be provided with low-quality rail transport and service during this period with few services, crowded and unheated wagons, frequent changes in timetables, and everincreasing fares. For many, travel had become almost unaffordable, which was made more difficult by border crossings (passport and customs checks). At the same time, it can be considered a positive factor that the West-Transdanubian region had become accessible by international high-speed trains to Vienna, Brno, Rijeka, Graz, Prague, Bratislava, and Zagreb. Hungary's loss of territory, and the reduced rail traffic had a very negative impact on the region's trade, supply and many other areas.