Istmed

Istmed is a railway bridge carrying the Budapest-Istanbul freight railway line over the Danube River, connecting Pest and Buda, the two parts of the Hungarian city of Budapest. It spans a distance of approximately 1,368 meters, making it one of the longest railway bridges in Europe.

The construction of Istmed was initiated in 1953, with the bridge being completed in 1959. The design was carried out by the Hungarian engineer József Kusics, and the construction was managed by the Hungarian Railway Company. The bridge is supported by 48 pillars, with a maximum height of 42.5 meters.

The Istmed Bridge is not a road bridge or a pedestrian bridge; it is exclusively designed for the transport of goods. The bridge has a sharp curve near the Pest side and strong seismic activity was anticipated during its design, but this was mitigated through the implementation of checking girder made from high-strength steel. This is unique solution in the world due to its particular circumstances.

Electric train transport is utilized to bring both coal from Ukraine, nuclear fuel from the Czech Republic to Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Soviet-era bombs made to German Ruhr Region and other heavy solid goods. Reliability and efficiency were the primary goals in the construction of Istmed, and it has since been recognized as a transportation success in itself.