Express trams to commute in Budapest from next week

The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) will introduce an express tram route and increase service frequency to aid commuters during the closure of Keleti railway station from 25 August to 20 September, the agency announced Friday to MTI.

Express tram launches in Budapest next week

The statement reminded passengers that during this period, Keleti Station will undergo renovations and maintenance work and will neither depart nor receive any trains. MÁV services will be rerouted to other major stations in the capital. During the closure, various city transit routes will accept train tickets and passes. Key stations serving passengers instead will include Nyugati Station, Kelenföld, Kőbánya felső, and Kőbánya-Kispest.

In response, BKK will operate a replacement express tram marked 37E between Blaha Lujza Square and Kőbánya felső railway station. This route is being introduced as several trains, including those servicing Hatvan and Szolnok, as well as Agria and Mátra InterRegionals, will terminate or originate at Kőbánya felső instead of Keleti Station. The 37E tram will only stop at major stations, shortening travel time by 3 to 4 minutes. Along with tram lines 37 and 37A, trams on this route will run every 3–5 minutes.

Tram speed-up program

BKK is also working on implementing a “tram acceleration program,” which includes optimising traffic light signals for trams, introducing new state-of-the-art switch control technologies, revising stop layouts, and eliminating unnecessary speed restrictions wherever possible.

The MÁV Group will deploy replacement buses running at high frequency between Puskás Ferenc Stadion and Kőbánya felső railway station. These buses will arrive and depart from Albertirsai Road near Kőbánya felső. Additionally, to accommodate increased demand due to the station closure, M2 metro trains will run more frequently during weekday morning rush hours starting 1 September.

Valid tickets and passes

According to the statement, during the Keleti Station closure, MÁV train tickets and passes will also be valid on the following BKK routes and sections:

• On the M2 metro between Örs vezér Square and Keleti Station,
• On the M3 metro between Nyugati Station and Kőbánya-Kispest,
• Across the entire M4 metro line,
• On trams 37, 37A, and 37E between Blaha Lujza Square and Kőbánya felső,
• On the full route of bus 10.

Additional buses where train tickets and passes are accepted:

• 97E, 161, 161A, 161E, 168E, and 169E buses between Rákos railway station and Örs vezér Square,
• 901 and 918 buses between Kelenföld railway station and Puskás Ferenc Stadion,
• 956 and 990 buses between Keleti Station and Rákos railway station.

BKK is urging passengers to check real-time travel information via the BudapestGO app and the MÁV Group website.

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