Train Delays: Why Is It Harder to Track Today?

BUDAPEST, June 21, 2025

Unified passenger information system sparks debate

New EMMA platform replaces Train Info, drawing criticism.

• MÁV Group unifies passenger information maps under EMMA.
• Critics argue EMMA is less user-friendly than the previous Train Info system.
• Concerns raised about the visibility of train delays.

The MÁV Group, Hungary’s primary rail operator, has consolidated its passenger information maps, transitioning from the older “Train Info” system to a unified platform called EMMA, a move that has generated both support and criticism regarding the ease of tracking trains.

New platform versus old

MÁV announced the change, stating that the new system, built on the EMMA timetable search and route planning service, will provide a more streamlined experience. “Old maps (e.g. train info, EMIG, etc.) sites from the high season, point to this interface, where passengers can easily and quickly find out about flights relevant to them-regardless of whether they are on a knit or road,” the company stated.

The company also noted that EMMA will be expanded with new features, including real-time updates on train number changes and the ability to track replacement buses. According to MÁV, older databases were often difficult for travelers to interpret, containing information primarily intended for railway professionals.

Features of EMMA

The new interface uses color-coded markers to distinguish between different types of stops: blue for buses, trains, HÉVs, and tram-trains, and purple for local stops. The system displays all local and interurban services near the user, with detailed information available for each station or stop.

Users can access timetables directly from the search engine and view real-time departure and arrival data, track numbers, and railroad messages that are displayed at stations. The system will soon indicate trains that are delayed by more than 20 minutes.

Criticism of the transition

Dávid Vitézy, a transport expert, voiced strong opposition to the change on Facebook, calling EMMA “completely unusable” and “completely unfit to review the traffic situation, to find trains,” contrasting it with the “successful” Train Info system.

“If it had not been obvious before: János Lázár did not want to repair the Hungarian railway, but to beat the Hungarians with the 10 -point propaganda. He promises to renovate Budik instead of the tracks, talking about air conditioners, which will never come in time,” Vitézy wrote, accusing officials of prioritizing superficial improvements over essential infrastructure repairs. He further claimed that the intention was to conceal delays rather than address them.

Zsolt Hegyi, CEO of the MÁV Group, had stated last week that trains could be tracked on both Emma and Train Info, before the announcement that Train Info would be discontinued.

Concerns over functionality

Vitézy told media outlets that the EMMA-based map is functionally inferior to Train Info, lacking an overview map of trains and the ability to navigate directly from the timetable to a specific train. He noted that just days prior, Hegyi had described Train Info as the only platform providing a comprehensive overview of train delays and traffic conditions.

“Six days ago, Zsolt Hegyi himself described that train info is the only surface where the trains are delayed with colorful dots and gives an overview of the traffic, traffic situation, trains. If I do not look for a specific train, I want to see how I It works well,” Vitézy said.

Vitézy alleges that János Lázár ordered the shutdown of Train Info to prevent the public from monitoring train delays. “Last night, MÁVOS IT professionals had to stay all night, to quickly eliminate these opportunities in a dog run, and there was a rush in recent hours. The statement is propaganda, a pathetic attempt,” he said.

He emphasized Train Info’s user-friendly interface, which allowed users to easily check the status of individual trains and view the movement of all trains on a color-coded map. “There was a particularly well -designed user interface that I know more than 250,000 people used every month. The current one is like turning off the FligTradar and instead saying that the airplane sides can look at which flight is not exactly the same.”

Official response

In response to inquiries, MÁV re-sent its initial announcement. The Ministry of Construction and Transport stated: “Train Info issues are railroad issues that we do not want to explain or supplement the MÁV announcement.”

FAQ about the MÁV Group changes

What is the new system for tracking trains in Hungary? The new system is called EMMA, a uniform timetable search and route planning service that has replaced the older Train Info system.