From a transit nation to a strategic transshipment point: Why Hungary is positioning itself as a central logistics hub in Europe. And what role SAE plays in the country with Gebrüder Weiss.
October 2025 – Hungary is increasingly becoming the focus of the European logistics industry. With its central location, growing infrastructure, and ambitious investments, the country is emerging as an important hub for the flow of goods between Eastern, Western, and Southeastern Europe. Hungary is also becoming the gateway to Europe for goods from Asia. But how far has this development progressed – and what challenges stand in its way?
Hungary's geographical position is a natural advantage: the country is located in the heart of Europe and offers short distances to important economic areas such as Germany, Austria, the Balkans, and Ukraine. This strategic location is increasingly being complemented by targeted infrastructure investments, particularly in intermodal transport.
According to current figures, combined rail and road transport recorded growth of over 120 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. The transshipment of loaded containers rose by almost 34 percent, while the transport of semi-trailers by rail increased by a good 21 percent. These figures underscore that Hungary is not just a transit country—it is becoming a logistics hub and distribution center.
Several international corporations are investing heavily in Hungarian logistics centers. Tesco recently opened a state-of-the-art 100,000-square-meter logistics warehouse near Budapest. Rossmann built a semi-automated logistics center in Üllő.
Panattoni, a leading developer of industrial real estate, has also completed its first facility near Budapest. Retailer SPAR, in turn, invested around seven million euros in expanding its Hungarian logistics structure. These projects are examples of a broad-based upgrade of the country's logistics infrastructure.
In addition, Hungary is playing an increasingly strategic role in the flow of goods from Asia, particularly in the context of China-Europe trade and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This is increasing the country's importance as a gateway, transit country, and logistics distribution center for Asian goods on their way to Central and Western Europe.
The Hungarian government recognizes the strategic importance of the logistics industry and is promoting its expansion. Government subsidies, tax incentives, and regulatory measures support large-scale investments, such as the planned logistics park near Vecsés, which offers direct access to the highway and airport. At the same time, sustainability is playing an increasingly important role: new logistics centers are increasingly focusing on energy-efficient construction, photovoltaic systems, e-charging infrastructure, and CO₂-optimized operating processes. Hungary is thus responding to international requirements for “green” supply chains.
Despite the growth, there are still hurdles to overcome. Rail freight transport is often still too expensive compared to road transport and burdened by administrative costs. The necessary modernization of the rail infrastructure—especially at intermodal interfaces—is only progressing gradually. There is also a need for action to address the shortage of skilled workers in areas such as cold chain logistics and digital supply chain management.
Whether the country will become one of Europe's leading logistics centers in the medium term now depends on whether it succeeds in consistently addressing existing weaknesses, such as in rail infrastructure and the supply of skilled workers. If it does, Hungary could establish itself as an indispensable hub for European freight transport in the coming decade.
The Austrian logistics group Gebrüder Weiss is one of the most important players in the Hungarian logistics market. Since entering the market in 1990, the SAE founding member has built up a dense network of locations with eight branches, including in Budapest (Dunaharaszti), Győr, Pécs, Szeged, and Zalaegerszeg. The total logistics area in Hungary now amounts to around 100,000 square meters.
In recent years alone, Gebrüder Weiss has invested tens of millions in expanding its infrastructure. One of the largest projects is the new logistics complex in Dunaharaszti near Budapest, which opened in 2024: With an automated high-bay warehouse, intelligent conveyor systems, and its own solar power plant, the site sets new standards in efficiency and sustainability.
In Hungary, Gebrüder Weiss focuses not only on traditional warehouse logistics and international transport, but also increasingly on the rapidly growing home delivery sector. This positions the company as a central service provider for the flow of goods within Hungary – especially in e-commerce.
The company also plays a significant role in Asia-Europe trade: although Gebrüder Weiss does not operate its own rail lines along the New Silk Road, its Hungarian hubs are important interfaces for the regional distribution of Asian goods that reach Europe by rail or ship.
This example shows once again the role that regionally based SAE members play for customers in economically fast-growing regions of europe. Freight Forwarding Excellence has also arrived in Hungary.
