Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe, meaning it does not have direct access to a sea or ocean coastline.
 Historically, Hungary had access to the Adriatic Sea through the port of Fiume (now Rijeka, Croatia) as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the Treaty of Trianon in 1920 redrew borders and left Hungary without a coast. Since then, Hungary has relied on river ports along the Danube and Tisza rivers for inland water transport and has sought agreements with neighboring countries to access seaports for international trade.
Currently, Hungary’s most significant development in regaining sea access is its planned port in Trieste, Italy. In 2019, the Hungarian government announced plans to develop a seaport in Trieste to support Hungarian exports and imports, marking a historic step toward overcoming its landlocked status. The project, managed by the state-owned Adria Port Zrt., involves a terminal in Trieste’s free port area, with construction reportedly set to begin before the end of 2024. This port, connected to Budapest by a 539-kilometer railway, aims to handle around two million tons of cargo annually (approximately 78,000 containers). The initiative reflects Hungary’s strategic goal to enhance its logistics network and boost its economy by securing a direct outlet to the Adriatic Sea.
For inland transport, Hungary relies heavily on the Danube River, which runs through the country and supports several key river ports. The principal port is the Csepel Freeport in Budapest, located 450 kilometers from Trieste, handling over 1.2 million tons of cargo in 2021. Other notable river ports include Dunaujvaros, which supports steel and grain exports, and Baja, an intermodal hub in southern Hungary. These ports connect Hungary to European inland waterways, including routes to the North Sea and Black Sea, but they do not provide direct sea access.
Historically, Hungary has negotiated with neighboring countries for port access. In the interwar period, it sought concessions in Adriatic ports like Fiume and Spalato (now Split, Croatia), balancing relations with Italy and Yugoslavia. Today, beyond the Trieste project, Hungary uses ports in countries like Croatia (Rijeka), Slovenia (Koper), and Germany (Hamburg) via rail and river connections, though these are less direct than the planned Trieste facility.
In summary, Hungary’s port access strategy combines its robust inland river ports with an ambitious push to establish a presence on the Adriatic through Trieste, addressing its landlocked limitations and enhancing its role in global trade.