M7 motorway (Hungary)

Summary

The M7 motorway (Hungarian: M7-es autópálya) is a Hungarian motorway which runs from Budapest towards the Croatian border at Letenye, reaching Székesfehérvár, then Siófok, a town on Lake Balaton, and the city of Nagykanizsa in the southwest of the country.

M7 motorway shield
M7 motorway
M7-es autópálya
Map key - blue in use Map key - grey other highways
Route information
Part of E65 / E71
Length233 km (145 mi)
Existed1964–present
HistoryCompleted: 2008
Major junctions
FromBudapest
Major intersections
  • M1 in Budaörs
  • M0 in Érd
  • 81 in Székesfehérvár-ipari zóna
  • 8 / 63 in Székesfehérvár-dél
  • M8 near Balatonvilágos (planned)
  • 71 in Balatonvilágos
  • 65 in Siófok
  • 67 near Balatonlelle
  • 68 near Balatonkeresztúr
  • M76 near Hollád (planned)
  • 61 in Nagykanizsa-kelet
  • 74 in Nagykanizsa-Centrum
  • M70 near Letenye
ToLetenye
A4 border with  Croatia
Location
CountryHungary
CountiesPest, Fejér, Veszprém, Somogy, Zala
Major citiesBudapest, Érd, Székesfehérvár, Siófok, Nagykanizsa
Highway system
  • Roads in Hungary
Junction near Budapest
The motorway between Budapest and Székesfehérvár
Köröshegyi völgyhíd
Köröshegyi völgyhíd from Balaton
The road near Nagykanizsa
Hungarian-Croatian border

The motorway connects with the Croatian motorway A4 at Goričan and forms part of the Pan-European corridor Vb, connecting Budapest with Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, and Rijeka, the largest Croatian seaport. Since the completion of the M7 it is possible to travel on motorway from Budapest to the Adriatic Sea, a popular tourist destination for Hungarians.

The last portion of the motorway to the Croatian border, including the Zrinski Bridge on the river Mura, was completed on 22 October 2008. The road's first sections were built in the 1960s and 1970s. The completion of the last sections was undertaken since 2001.

Openings timeline edit

  • BudapestBudaörs (7 km): 1964 - half profile; (this section was extended 2x3 lane in 1978-79)
  • Budaörs – Martonvásár (18 km): 1966 - half profile; (this section was extended in 1972; 2x3 lane in 2001)
  • Martonvásár – Velence (15 km): 1967 - half profile; (this section was extended in 1973; 2x3 lane in 2001)
  • Martonvásár – Székesfehérvár (12 km): 1968 - half profile; (this section was extended in 1973; 2x3 lane in 2001)
  • Székesfehérvár – Balatonaliga (33 km): 1970 - half profile; (this section was extended in 1975)
  • Balatonaliga – Zamárdi (22 km): 1971 - half profile; (this section was extended in 2001)
  • Zamárdi – Balatonszárszó with Kőröshegy Viaduct (14,2 km): 2007.08.08.
  • Balatonszárszó – Ordacsehi (20 km): 2005.06.
  • Ordacsehi – Balatonkeresztúr (25,7 km): 2006.03.27.
  • Balatonkeresztúr – Zalakomár (21 km): 2008.06.26.
  • Zalakomár – Nagykanizsa (15 km): 2008.08.19.
  • Nagykanizsa – Sormás (11,3 km): 2007.08.24.
  • Sormás (Eszteregnye) – Becsehely (4,5 km): 2006.12.11.
  • Becsehely – Letenye (6,5 km): 2004.09.18.
  • Letenye (  border) with Zrínyi Bridge (800 m): 2008.10.22.

Junctions, exits and rest area edit

Distance from Zero Kilometre Stone (Adam Clark Square) in Budapest in kilometres.

  •   The route is full length motorway. The maximum speed limit is 130 km/h, with   (2x2 lane road with stop lane).
  •   Planned section

Maintenance edit

The operation and maintenance of the road by Hungarian Public Road Nonprofit Pte Ltd Co. This activity is provided by these highway engineers.

Payment edit

From 1 February 2015, the motorway can be used instead of the national sticker with the following county stickers:

Type of vignette Available section
Pest County between Egér Street junction and Martonvásár (7 km – 30 km)
Fejér County between Pusztazámor and Balatonvilágos (23 km – 90 km)
Veszprém County between Polgárdi and Siófok east (80 km – 98 km)
Somogy County between Balatonvilágos and Zalakomár (90 km – 191 km)
Zala County between Sávoly and Letenye [state border] (183 km – 234 km)

Toll-free section edit

  • From Border of Budapest to Egér Street section (5 km – 7 km) can be used free of charge.

Significant artifacts edit

From Budapest to the Croatian border, the M7 motorway features the following bridges, tunnels or covered cuts:

Bridge
Viaduct
  • Köröshegy Viaduct (Kőröshegyi völgyhíd; 1,872 m or 6,142 ft) – Longest bridge in Hungary

European Routes edit

Name Route
  217 km   junction   (16) –     Autocesta A4
  22 km   Nagykanizsa-centrum   (211) –     Autocesta A4

See also edit

External links edit

  • National Toll Payment Services Plc. (in Hungarian, some information also in English)
  • Hungarian Public Road Non-Profit Ltd. (Magyar Közút Nonprofit Zrt.)
  • National Infrastructure Developer Ltd.