Differences and Development Challenges of Highways in Slovakia and Hungary Traveling on highways, it immediately becomes apparent how different the traffic situation is in Hungary and Slovakia.
While in Hungary traffic jams are common due to transit traffic, in Slovakia, outside peak hours, the roads are much less congested. The simple answer is misleading, however, since the Slovak highway network is still incomplete in many places.
New Highways and Other Changes A positive step in Slovakia is the introduction of the one-day e-vignette, which gives drivers the option to choose the highway for a single trip. This is thanks to a 2022 European Parliament decision, which states that the vignette is valid until midnight on the given day, rather than lasting for 24 hours from the time of purchase.
Government Promises and Investments The government has announced several promising projects in the field of infrastructural investments, including the continuation of the R7 road and the development of the Komárom-Bratislava railway line. The continuation of the R7 road, involving Chinese investors, is already in an advanced stage. This road would be particularly important for the economic development of the Dunaszerdahely and Érsekújvár districts.
The projects on the government's strategic investment list mostly focus on areas inhabited by Slovaks, but developments can also occur in the south, for example, around Gömör and Košice. #### Skepticism About Implementation Despite political promises and plans, implementation may still be difficult. Even if there is political will, building the necessary infrastructure poses a serious challenge, especially for the towns of Csallóköz.
The connection between the lack of infrastructural developments and economic growth is clear: without the development of the road network, the differences between regions will only increase, and economic progress may stagnate.
