Budapest M3 metro to return to service on the entire line in days
According to the latest statement of the Budapest Transport Company (BKK), the M3 metro will commute again on the entire line from 20 March. That is a Monday, and the metro will reestablish service between Kőbánya-Kispest and Újpest metro stations from that afternoon. However, there will be some exceptions to that rule. Read about them and what you should pay attention to below.
M3 metro line back in service
Based on today’s BKK statement, the M3 metro service will return to the entire line from 20 March. But renovation work has not yet finished in the Nagyvárad Square and Lehel Square metro stations. Those two stops will be omitted by the trains. Those stations will be reachable by metro replacement buses.
Furthermore, the subway will commute on the entire line only on weekdays. Trains will serve passengers between Újpest-Központ and Göncz Árpád városközpont even in the weekends. Between Göncz Árpád városközpont and Kőbánya-Kispest stations, you will have to use replacement buses on Saturday and Sunday.
Thankfully, the restoration of Hungary’s busiest subway line, M3, is scheduled to be finished by this May. The reconstruction started 5.5 years ago. Thanks to that, residents and tourists will get a renewed and accessible metro line.
Concerning the details, BKK said passengers might use the M30 metro station replacement bus to travel between Nagyvárad Square and the Keleti railway station. You can also travel to the Nagyvárad Square with MOL Bubi (Budapest’s bike sharing system) or trams nr 23 and 24. Lehel Square will be reachable by the M14 station replacement bus starting from the Nyugati railway station and buses nr 34 or 106. The station replacement buses will commute only on the weekdays because at the weekends, the entire line will be served by replacement buses.
Other means of public transportation will also change their timetable and schedule. From 6 March, buses 223M became 224E, and 254M has been renamed 255E. From 18 March, several lines will be changed in South Pest, North Pest, Angyalföld (13th district), Óbuda (3rd district), and the inner areas of the Hungária ring road. BKK promised to release official statements on those changes later.
The renovation of the M3 metro line, Hungary’s busiest, started 5.5 years ago. During that time, the infrastructure of the metro line has been completely renewed. Among others, the tracks have been replaced, turnouts were built, signalling subsystems were replaced, and BKK insulated the tunnels.
Several stations were renewed and made accessible for everybody, and tactile signals were placed in every station.
From May, the M3 metro will serve all stations.
Source: bkk.hu