construction

Attention! Chain bridge revamp starts next week!

The reconstruction work of the Chain Bridge is going to begin next Wednesday. Budapest’s iconic bridge is planned to be reopened to road traffic in December 2022 and to pedestrians in 2023.

The renovation of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge has been planned for a long time. This week, the reconstruction preparations reached their final stage,

thanks to which the project can start on Wednesday, 16 June, announced the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) this week.

As BKK reports, another significant preparatory work began on the Chain Bridge and its surroundings earlier this week. The contractor, A-Híd Zrt., will use a tower crane on the Pest and Buda sides that will move the raw materials and bridge elements to the site during the renovation. On the Pest side, the tower crane with a load capacity of 12 tonnes was erected at the beginning of this week. The crane, with a height of 29.75 metres, has been fixed with central iron concrete weights of 100 tonnes, needed for the ground to withstand the load of the tower crane.

As we previously reported, Budapest’s landmark will keep its main characteristics; however, due to the rusty elements of the bridge, almost everything will be replaced. As the first step of the renovation project, the contractor, A-Híd Zrt., took over the entire work area in April and closed the pedestrian underpass on the Pest side but has left the Buda side open until mid-June. In May, the decontamination of metal and ammunition of the Danube began, technicians started to rebuild the Clark Ádám Square, they started to work on the fixing of the tower crane set up on the Pest side, and the suspended scaffolding of the Chain Bridge was also completed.

By the end of the preparations, the contractor will completely close the Chain Bridge on 16th June, next Wednesday. Until then, road traffic, including buses 16 and 105, as well as night buses 916 and 990, will run smoothly on it. Passengers can travel free of charge between the Clark Ádám Square and the Széchenyi István Square, in both directions.

The Chain Bridge is planned to be reopened to road traffic in December 2022; however, pedestrian sidewalks will remain work areas until the works are fully completed, scheduled for 2023.

The renovation of the Chain Bridge will bring a change in the lives of those travelling in the capital; therefore, BKK is constantly providing information on the details of the traffic closure and renovation.

The reconstruction of the Chain Bridge is not the only renovation project beginning this summer. As we reported previously this week, the Nyugati Railway Station will be fully closed for revamping and modernisation from 19th June until 18th July. The renewed train station will offer upgraded services, providing more comfortable travel for passengers.

Chain Bridge: it is full of rust but not life-threatening – PHOTOS

June 11, 2021

Hungary’s pavilion for the Dubai World Expo is ready for handover – PHOTOS, VIDEO

Dubai World Expo Hungarian Pavilion Render

The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world upside down and almost all large-scale events were either cancelled or postponed. And this is exactly what had happened to 2020’s World Expo in Dubai.

Expo 2020 was originally scheduled to be held from the 20^th of October 2020 until the 10^th of April 2021. Due to the limiting restrictions of many countries and drop in international travelling, the new date of the Dubai World Expo is postponed almost an entire year and will be held from the 1^st of October this year until the 31^st of March 2022.

This means that the Expo in Dubai will launch within 123 days with the participation of 190 nations and many organisations as well. This is truly a world-size event.

Dubai World Expo Hungarian Pavilion Sketch — Photo: hungaryexpo2020.hu/

Many nations have already created their pavilions which you can browse on the official website and according to Magyar Nemzet, the Hungarian pavilion’s construction work has also benn completed. It is currently awaiting the inspection of the Expo’s safety authorities before it could be handed over for the interior team.

This video is from Magyar Nemzet

The Hungarian pavilion is located within the Expo’s Mobility section and it is the only building in the entire region located near the Persian Gulf. According to Hvg’s information, near the end of the construction,

the cost of the building has been increased by a whopping HUF 666 million (€ 1.88 million) making the total end cost of the magnificent pavilion HUF 11.266 billion, which is around € 31,735,211.

Dubai World Expo Hungarian Pavilion — Photo: Hungary at Expo 2020 Facebook page

According to the official Hungarian website of the pavilion, Hungaryexpo2020, the building was designed by Imre Makovecz’s former students, the Miklós Ybl prize awarded Lőrinc Csernyus.

It was built for months by a total of 17 Hungarian carpenters, it has a usable area of 1,927 m² and a total of 560 tonnes of wood were used to construct the Hungarian pavilion. The longest structural piece is 18.47 metres and the heaviest element was over 2.7 tonnes, Magyar Nemzet reported.

Dubai World Expo Hungarian Pavilion Night — Photo: hungaryexpo2020.hu/

The pavilion was designed to showcase one of Hungary’s most precious treasures: water. Hungary is rich in water and especially famous for its thermal and medicinal mineral waters and the pavilion will help showcase, promote and also teach everything there is about these natural treasures with the help of an all-encompassing interactive exhibition. Hungaryexpo2020 also wrote that the large cupola in the middle will be housing an exhibition about balneotherapy.

According to the official info, anyone who visits the Hungarian pavilion will have a chance to browse hand-crafted items, try Hungarian dishes and be able to taste waters from Hungary.

Keleti railway station Budapest train MÁV

Read alsoLatest developments of Budapest’s railway lines – New Danube tunnel on the way?

Featured image: hungaryexpo2020.hu/

May 30, 2021

New Budapest headquarters of Vodafone and BT is about to be finished – PHOTOS, VIDEO

Futureal’s Budapest ONE office park has achieved another major milestone in its development, as the second and third phases of the complex have reached their highest point. Budapest ONE will house both Vodafone’s new headquarters and BT’s regional service centre that indicates strong demand for the next generation office building on the market.

Following the completion of the 25,000 sq m first phase handed over in early 2020, the two projects, developed simultaneously, will realise another 40,000 sq m of office space, nearly 3,500 sq m of commercial and service space, and almost 2,500 sq m of green space. The tenants can move to the two new phases in the second half of 2022.

The everyday life of employees working in Budapest ONE will be made easier by the plenty of shops and services available on the ground floor of the office building and the nearby Etele Plaza also developed by Futureal.

The complex located at the meeting point of the Kelenföld railway station, Metro 4 line, and the approach section of the M1-M7 motorways can be easily accessed from downtown and other large towns or agglomerations.

Due to the successful mix of the excellent location, the unique architectural concept and the wide range of available services, several large companies have chosen Budapest ONE. The newly built parts of the office park will house Vodafone’s new headquarters, as well as BT’s regional service centre.

“Once it is completed, Budapest ONE office park will expand the capital’s office market with a total of more than 65,000 sq m of leasable area. Based on our experience, tenants would like to get back to normal operation as soon as possible. However, due to the coronavirus epidemic, the expectations of the employees have changed, therefore companies must focus on spaces that encourage creativity, collaboration and provide comfortable, healthy and safe environment.

As a result, there is still a strong

market demand for office buildings that provide high-quality and human-centred solutions,”

emphasized Tibor Tatár, CEO of Futureal.

“I am very pleased that all the walls of BT’s future office are already in place,” said Péter Győri, BT’s country host. “The completed building is going to meet the 21st century expectations raised by a modern, wellbeing-focused company and its colleagues today. I am sure that the office represents the highest standard, both technologically and in terms of construction, exactly what we want BT’s headquarters in Hungary to be,” added Győri.

Regarding the design of Vodafone’s new headquarters, Zsuzsanna Tóth, Deputy Chief HR Officer at Vodafone said: “When choosing our new headquarters, we were looking for a building that is modern, therefore it corresponds to today’s architectural solutions, and it also properly represents Vodafone as an innovator in information technology and telecommunications.

Budapest ONE meets all aspects set by us,

so there was no question that we wanted to create the workplace of the future here: a workplace that provides our colleagues with an inspiring environment that supports both their mental and physical well-being.

It was also an important aspect that we should be able to demonstrate our latest, most innovative technologies in our new headquarters. In the coming months, we will be working with our colleagues and partners to create the most suitable office environment for the employment of the future.”

In addition to the BREEAM green building sustainability rating system, the office park designed by Paulinyi & Partners architecture studio was one of the first in Hungary to obtain the international WELL Building Platinum pre-qualification, which recognizes aspects that have a

positive impact on employee health and well-being.

In response to market needs, Futureal has launched its Stay Safe initiative. Under the program new health protection regulations and technological solutions are applied during the development of Budapest ONE. At the top of the entire building complex, a nearly 500-meter, panoramic tartan running track will also be available to workers. In the new underground garage not only electric cars but also electric bicycles and e-scooters can be charged.

***

About Futureal Group

Futureal is one of the leading real estate developers and investors in Central and Eastern Europe and is among the top 10 largest real estate developers in Europe. Since its foundation Futureal Group’s portfolio has included more than 180 real estate projects with a total value of EUR 5 billion and an area of over 3 million square meters.

May 29, 2021

Latest developments of Budapest’s railway lines – New Danube tunnel on the way?

Railway development in Budapest has recently got a kickstart as more and more projects are announced. The most recent development is going to be the all-encompassing Budapest Agglomeration Railway Strategy, or BAVS for short in Hungarian, which will involve several development projects with the aim to increase the number of passengers on the suburban railway lines by 80% by 2040 in order to mitigate the heavy car traffic besieging Budapest.

Index created a detailed explanation of every project currently going on, and in this article, you will get a glimpse into the total number of future developments that will hopefully make the Hungarian capital a greener, safer, and more liveable city overall. Conceivably, this will also help clean up the air in the capital and increase air quality.

It was the CEO of the Budapest Development Centre (BFK), Dávid Vitézy, who shared the launch of the Budapest Agglomeration Railway Strategy (BAVS) on his Facebook page. And, according to Index’s information, Vitézy signed the design contracts with the consortium of the Főmterv and RING engineering office for the development of the Budapest segment of the Hatvan and Újszász railway lines.

Number of Cars — Source: Budapestvasut2040.hu

The contract has a total value of HUF 1,505 million (€ 4.3 million), with the support of the EU’s Cohesion Fund.

One of the main problems of the railway system is that it has reached its maximum capacity, not to mention that many aspects of the system need modernising. Apart from that, the other problem is that the current terminal station system is not suitable for development, due to lack of space. BFK’s solution is the following:

“The only solution to this problem is to move beyond and untie the rigid system of terminal stations. On the one hand, […] the Budapest Suburban Railway Node Strategy aim[s] to more than double the number of trains crossing the city border at peak hours. On the other hand, by

developing inner-city connections, it will enable suburban commuters to reach several points of the city and at least three metro plus tram and bus lines instead of a single terminal station.

In addition, this solution will create rapid transit network elements for urban transport that are equivalent to metros on completely new routes.”

They plan to develop the Southern Belt Railway as well. The reconstruction of the Danube Bridge was also part of this project, and it will enable the “increase in capacity by laying track number three and partially number four, as well as installing three new stops at the backbone of urban transport and supporting large property development projects in the rust belt”.

Deadliest railway accidents of the EU occur in Hungary

However, the most ambitious project is probably the railway tunnel under the Danube which would connect Kelenföld Station on the Buda side with Nyugati Railway Station on the Pest side, underground. They said the following:

“This planned tunnel would partially transform the current Nyugati terminal station into a transit railway station, while Déli railway station, the terminal station on the Buda side, would be completely moved underground as a transit stop. The area of Déli Railway Station and parts of Nyugati Railway Station could be freed for a large-scale urban development project.”

So, this development would not only help with traffic and the overall capacity of the railway lines, but it would also create easier access to the inner parts of the capital, as well as create residential, park, or office areas.

You can also check out more information about their other development projects HERE.

Hopefully, this grandiose project will bring the development of Budapest and make it an overall more liveable and greener capital.

Read alsoThe embankment in Pest is getting renovated

May 24, 2021

Major investments in the Hungarian medical supplies and construction industry

Medical supplies company Jako-Meditec of Szekszárd, in western Hungary, has expanded its capacity to make vials also used for virus tests, Finance Minister Mihály Varga said in a video posted on Saturday.

The investment worth 1.7 billion forints (€ 4.8 million) was supported with a government grant of 1.6 billion forints (€ 4.5 million), the minister said, adding that headcount at the company doubled to 70 as a result.

Varga said the project is one of those supported in the framework of the government scheme supporting investments by health-care businesses, with the aim to boost Hungary’s self-sufficiency in such products.

He cited the examples of Vajda-Papír, which has already produced more than 50 million face masks in the recent period, Meditop, which has turned out ten million favipiravir tablets, and F-Team, which makes 140,000 disinfectant dispensers a year and will start deliveries to hospitals.

Additionally, in another sector, the Hungarian real estate developer

Bayer Construct has purchased ten tower cranes for 3 billion forints (EUR 8.6m), with the procurement being supported by a 1-billion-forint (€ 2.8 million) government grant,

Finance Minister Mihály Varga said on Sunday.

The investment will also allow Bayer Construct, which employs over 400 people, to increase its headcount, Varga said on Facebook.

The tower cranes purchased by the company are capable of lifting as much as 12 tonnes to heights of 70-90 metres, the minister said.

Varga said the construction industry was a key sector when it comes to rebooting Hungary’s economy.

He highlighted the reduced VAT on home construction, the government’s investment support scheme and the expansion of its home creation scheme as measures designed to boost the sector.

Read alsoVirologist: The Hungarian vaccine could roll out next year

May 24, 2021

Budapest’s new shopping center opens with Hungary’s most spacious food court

The food court of Etele Plaza scheduled to open this September in Budapest, Hungary will feature a direct connection to the roof terrace, unique interior design, and a wide selection of gastronomy options, including many popular quick-service restaurants, cafés and open kitchen concept. The requirements and dining preferences of all generations are considered during the design of the unprecedentedly spacious venue among Hungarian shopping malls.

The next generation shopping center’s food court, currently being developed by Futureal in Újbuda, close to Etele square, covers almost the entire third floor of the building, and will allow over 1,000 people to dine comfortably and safely at any one time. The interior dining area will seat 950, while another 150 seats will be installed on the roof terrace. A direct roof terrace connection will open the space towards nature both literally and atmospherically.

When designing the eclectic, yet well-harmonized forms and styles of the dining area, the designers aimed to create more than a food court level: a common area and meeting place that fits the latest safety requirements.

The various seating systems and furniture are being selected after close consideration of expected guests’ ages and their various dining preferences. Families will have a dining area designed just for them, where tables and chairs sized for children will be placed next to a playing mat, a TV set and interactive toys. A sense of community will be enhanced by an open kitchen concept where gastronomy events headlined by celebrities, food tastings and culinary training programs can be organized.

Etele_Plaza_food_court_latvanyterv — Photo by Futureal

Several well-known restaurant chains have already signed up to open at the city’s first smart plaza during the development phase, so food court guests will be able to choose among popular brands including Buddha Bar, Hummus Bar, Bellozzo, Pizza Me, Zing Burger, Burger King, KFC, teppanyaki Japanese grill, Titiz and a Crépes Factory. Other tenants will include Starbucks, EscoBar & Café, à table! and Sushi Roll Restaurant.

„The excellent location of Etele Plaza, its stylish and shopper-focused environment, as well as the 21st century solutions and services have proven attractive to hospitality businesses. We are in talks with many other restaurants and are looking forward to seeing brands that would further diversify the gastronomy offering of our shopping center,” said Márk Balástyai, Project Director of Etele Plaza.

Futureal is developing the dining area and connected public spaces according to its ‘Stay Safe’ initiative, designed to maximize health and safety. One important aspect of the layout is a flexible seating concept where the tables and chairs can be moved freely within the food court. Whenever needed, the adaptable space allows for social distancing, as well as offering options to organize unique events.

Etele_Plaza_terasz_latvanyterv_2 — Photo by Futureal

To meet the latest safety expectations of consumers, the HVAC systems of the shopping center will include UV sterilizing filters. By using an environmentally friendly technology based on biological filtering, the systems provide almost 100% efficiency in killing viruses and bacteria in seconds, without the use of chemical disinfectants, guaranteeing fresh and clean air inside the building.

Read alsoBuda’s largest shopping centre Etele Plaza introduces all the Inditex brands with their new store design concepts

May 20, 2021

The embankment in Pest is getting renovated

The public procurement procedure for renewal has officially ended. The decision aimed to renew the section of Budapest’s lower quay between Kossuth Square and Margaret Bridge. After that, the contract may be concluded no earlier than 26 May. As a first step, the pedestrian-friendly renewal of the quay will be implemented, the Mayor’s Office said.

As a continuation of the promenade already built on the Carl Lutz embankment, other sections of the Danube bank would be renewed. “Plans arrived at the office last year but did not meet the expectations of the new city management, so we decided to redesign the project. Simultaneously with the renovation of the existing road, we will create a 4-5 metre wide pedestrian walkway,” wrote the city administration.

The goal is to create a unified, close-to-human, recreational location.

They are trying to achieve this goal by, among other things, reducing car traffic and improving green surfaces. The planners of the investment want to create a more liveable bank of the Danube that will serve the interests of pedestrians. The pedestrian walkway design will be in line with the image known in the section in front of the Parliament. So there will be granite cobblestone paving, and 35 soil-related trees will be installed, writes portfolio.hu.

The promenade must be provided space. For this purpose, the retaining wall of the Markó street exit must also be rebuilt. To do this, the protection regulations of the monument must also be taken into account. The promenade will be about 5-6 metres wide in the vicinity of the Margaret Bridge, which will narrow to 4 metres in the area of the Markó Street, a row of alleys is formed in the centre line of the promenade.

The speed of the vehicles will be reduced to 30 kilometres per hour.

The 2×1 traffic lane will remain on the Antall József quay, on the section between Kossuth Lajos square and Jászai Mari square. Pedestrian crossings in the affected areas shall be adequately lit. In addition, a stormwater drainage system will be built, and the gas pipelines will be replaced.

“Budapest is a city with a unique endowment, but in many ways, we cannot make sufficient use of it,” pointed out the Mayor’s Office. The Danube bank is one of the best examples of this. They are trying to change this with a greener, more liveable part of the city, which, in addition to the interests of drivers, also takes into account the interests of pedestrians and cyclist. The concept works, as demonstrated by several European cities.

May 18, 2021

How technology-driven construction has transformed the building sector?

Sponsored content

You might be wondering how the role of smart construction is changing the home building construction industry right after COVID-19, here we are going to tell you. It is true that COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the construction industry to look for super safer and super smarter ways when it comes to building homes.

Furthermore, this industry is now working on digital technology. It is making efforts to create sustainable as well as high-quality housing at top notch speed. Here you can have a look at the details regarding how this technology-driven construction industry has successfully transformed the building sector:

Technology driven construction ensure smarter planning

First of all, technology driven construction manages to ensure smarter planning and smarter designs at its end. This industry has become the part of digital transformation and the adoption of technology and latest software are widely accepted by this industry. Most importantly, this advancement has allowed contractors to continue their projects even in a digital and 100% virtual environment. It is all because of this collaborative approach that sharing of data across all professional construction disciplines has become an ease.

In the same way, smarter technologies have enhanced the design process successfully. Now, construction companies use big data as well as complex algorithms so that they can instantly create standardized designs at a much faster rate. Before you choose any estimating services, make sure that company operates on the smart and technology driven mechanism.

Smart construction guarantees safer construction

Most importantly, the concept of smart construction guarantees and promises to ensure safer construction. It is largely because of the right technological support that the construction industry has turned out to be safer and faster. In other words, it has become more reliable as compared to pursuing conventional building work. These days, construction companies are offering more of a controlled working environment. The workspaces have become more static and more structured.

Technology driven construction boost productivity

It is witnessed that the use of smart digital technologies in the construction industry boosts productivity extensively. In addition, this approach works in a far better manner as compared to conventional building techniques. If you have experienced doing conventional building projects, then you might have felt costs escalation and schedule lengthen issues. But present construction projects make use of factory-made components and they have made this whole job very predictable.

Smart construction improve sustainability

In the past, the construction industry was a major and primary contributor to global warming. According to the stats, this industry was known to release 45% of CO2 into the atmosphere. But now the situation is tremendously improving. This industry is now making global commitments for the sake of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It has entered the phase of ensuring and bringing about climate change.

It is witnessed that lots of construction companies are cutting emissions by around and about up to 60%. All in all, the concept of smart construction is far better than that of opting conventional construction modes. As they are using big data, that is why the scheduling and overall planning of deliveries can be optimized!

The arrival of sustainable as well as affordable era of home-building

Hence, we have entered in a sustainable and also affordable era of home-building. New homes are building for a new era. The current construction industry possesses a tremendous amount of potential to make sustainable and affordable homes. Furthermore, current construction companies handover its complete support and backing to digital technologies. Now, we are having unprecedented opportunity so that construction companies can end up giving comfortable, sustainable and affordable housing.

If you own a construction company and you are planning to operate on a technology driven and smart mechanism, then that is the best decision. It is high time that all large and small scale construction companies should collaborate and work on a global scale. They should keep on sharing the best solutions so that this entire construction industry can advance and progress together. This is an absolute fact that technology has helped the global population and it has tapped this construction sector as well. Keep in touch with us as more info is coming sooner.

May 17, 2021

Sustainable house construction is important for Hungarians

Recently, újHÁZ Centrum, one of the major, fully Hungarian-owned building materials trade networks in Hungary, has conducted a representative survey about the importance of using sustainable solutions when building or renovating homes.

The survey was conducted between April 13 and 16, 2021. The survey involved asking 1,339 Hungarian citizens between the ages of 18 and 59 who own a smartphone. This means that the survey is representative in the aspects of gender, place of residence, region, and educational attainment, reports Portfolio.

The main thing that is evident from the survey is that sustainability is important for Hungarians, and they are willing to look into sustainable or renewable solutions when renovating or building their homes.

82% of Hungarians think that such solutions are more expensive than normal ones, but 54% of them also think that these investments will pay off.

The survey also asked people whether they know about any subsidies for environmentally sustainable building materials. Half of the people asked knew about such support and one-third of them would also like to utilise it during their homemaking.

Sustainability is important for more than half of Hungarians when planning their future homes or renewing their existing ones. For 7%, sustainability and eco-friendliness are the number one priority when considering homemaking.

Although most people think it involves more expenses, more than half of them think it is a good investment. Most people thought that solar panels are the most expensive to install, followed by heat pumps, and then solar collectors, and they thought smart bricks were the cheapest solutions from these options.

According to the report, the most popular technologies among respondents are solar panels (91%), adequate insulation (87%), and solar collectors (79%).

The most popular sustainable energy solutions — Data: Portfolio.hu (újHÁZ Centrum)

But luckily, the respondents were quite well educated and knew many more types of environmentally sustainable building solutions, such as heat pumps (56%), inverter air conditioners (45%), and smart bricks (36%), among many others.

Finally, the survey asked respondents about the source of their information. 70% of them find information about such building solutions on the internet on professional websites, almost half of them from the press, 32% of the respondents find information on social media, and 29% of them are informed by their relatives and friends.

Portfolio reported that many people ask for professional help, but Dr Rázsóné Szórády Csilla, the CEO of újHÁZ Centrum, said that the education of the general public is important as

“these environmentally sustainable solutions can not only increase the value of a property but also lower operating costs and improve the residents’ overall quality of life”.

Read alsoTake a look at the new plans for Budapest’s iconic Citadel – Photo Gallery

May 16, 2021

Construction of Terminal 3 to begin in 2025 at Budapest Airport

Thanks to the suitably diverse airline and passenger mix, Chris Dinsdale, the new, recently appointed CEO of Budapest Airport Zrt. expects a faster traffic recovery than at other airports in the region. In the interview with airportal.hu, he stated that the construction of the new passenger hall could commence in 2025, and they would like to temporarily reopen Terminal 1 until then, with the addition of a pier. The planned multistory car park will be constructed in a slightly different location, and a complex public transport hub is planned in its place, which will be connected to the future railway station.

What are the biggest challenges for Budapest Airport and for you personally during the coming years and beyond, over the next 3-5 years?

We must rewrite the airport’s medium and long-term strategy, and we need to review whether our earlier objectives and visions are still correct, or need to be replaced. The crisis has overwritten everything; we must adapt our concepts, priorities, business plans and development schedule. We cannot ignore global trends either; sustainability, the user experience, digitization, changing communication platforms, to name a few, all shape our operation on a daily basis. We must continue to develop in these areas and examine them with an open mind that is accepting of change. We have always set ambitious targets which drive and shape the entire company and its ecosystem. We’ve had a very difficult two and a half years, we have drawn a lot of conclusions from these events, which has ultimately transformed our corporate culture and approach. We need to open a new page in 2021 and the team is ready for that.

In addition to the numerous challenges, did the crisis create opportunities for Budapest Airport as well,in terms of regional competition between nearby capital airports, for example? What are these and how do you plan to exploit them?

Budapest Airport is continuously competing with other airports in the region and beyond, as airlines decide on which destinations to operate based on profitability. Airlines have the ability to create demand, as they market the most profitable destinations. While other airports increased their prices in 2021, BUD kept them unchanged, and worked out a new, multi-year incentive scheme together with the airlines already in 2020 that is designed to support a quick recovery.

What new challenges must airports face on account of the global pandemic and after the pandemic? Can there be winners in this crisis, how does Budapest Airport position itself to make sure that it should emerge from the crisis in the best possible shape?

It is likely that airports will have to comply with various health regulations, not only in the short term but also going forward, as part of our normal operations. This would mean, for example, that some of the measures introduced earlier may need to be maintained longer term, or that the vaccination and the COVID testing of passengers need to be checked before traveling or upon arrival.

We have been preparing for months for the expected ramp-up of traffic, while a multitude of developments have been implemented at the airport in the past two years; more than ever before. A new passenger pier, reconfigured and refurbished interior spaces, capacity expansions, along with the refurbishment and expansion of infrastructure. We are continuously discussing with our service partners – primarily the ground handlers, who perform several passenger processes, such as check-in, baggage loading / off-loading and bussing – on how we can comply fully with the modified regulations and still keep travel enjoyable.

That’s what we see at the moment, but it is also possible that the next few months will bring new measures.

The conditions of reopening are still shaping up in Hungarian, foreign and airline regulations; we will have to adjust to these. So flexibility will be key in the coming period; airports that can adapt quickly to the current, very fluid environment will have a competitive advantage over others.

In the longer term, sustainability must be one of our primary focuses. Here I refer not just to carbon emissions and achieving net zero as soon as possible, but also the many other aspect of sustainability. These include our impact on water resources, waste management and, most importantly, the impact on the communities that are close to the airport. Our relationship is a symbiotic one, where we mutually rely on each other. As such, the airport must continue to make and increase its efforts to ensure that there is no undue impact on these communities. This will be a focus area, and one where both sides will need to come together to find compromises.

How do you see competition within the region and between regions over the coming years? Can Budapest Airport profit from the fact that travel needs and habits have changed? What are the segments where the recovery is likely to be faster and where could this process take longer?

Ultimately, one of the main aims of all our work is that passengers should enjoy their journey, and we must be competitive on a regional and European level. In 7 years, we won the best airport in the region award 7 times, and in cargo, the record numbers for 2020 and the first months of this year prove everything. This shows that we have done many things right in the past, but as discussed earlier, the last years have taught us valuable lessons in a dramatically changing environment.

The pandemic will clearly impact travel habits, as you say. The segment of visiting friends and relatives, mainly by those working abroad, made up a considerable 41% of the 2019 traffic at Budapest Airport; this is expected to come back fastest. City breaks will also recover moderately quickly, which is a major segment at 35% in 2019. Business travel and long haul traffic, on the other hand, will probably return slowly over the coming years, but these only made up 18% and 5% in 2019, respectively. Here I refer to 2019 traffic since this was our last “normal” year of operations.

We are lucky because we will likely recover faster than our competitors, due to the above passenger mix and always ensuring a favorable, well diversified airline mix, where we have a healthy balance between national and “low-cost” carriers, which both account for approximately 50% of our passenger mix.

Is it possible to expand check-in and security screening capacities, for example, under the current framework provided by Terminal 2, or the next step is the construction of a new terminal? How long will construction take? If you expect 2019 traffic to return by 2022-23, as can be forecast from previous statements and the estimates of international experts, when do you have to begin the project?

We expanded the security screening capacity on the Terminal 2B side last year; thus, at present, 8 screening lanes await passengers on the A side and 10 on the B side. It is possible to establish two more lanes on the A side, with significant reconstruction. With regard to the check-in hall, we are striving to operate new technologies which replace the check-in counters. That is why we installed self-service baggage drop-off systems. Passengers can tag their own bags and dispatch them to the baggage sorting facility by placing them on the belt, thus speeding up the check-in process and easing their journey. The benefit of these units is that you can also later place them in areas outside the terminal or even at remote locations, for example downtown. The passenger journey will continue to evolve, and we must be a front runner in these changes.

From the commencement of construction until the completion of the new Terminal 3, we are calculating with a period of approximately 3 years, which is dependent on the extent to which construction can be phased, and seamless operation. According to the current forecasts, the construction of the main new terminal area could begin in 2025, but this timeline will be driven by the pace and the structure of the recovery and is hence likely to change.

Having said that, until the completion of the new terminal building, we do have the intention to temporarily reopen Terminal 1, with the addition of a pier to increase capacity and improve the passenger experience. We originally planned to reopen T1 this year, but this too has been delayed because of the pandemic, just like the construction of the new terminal and the related infrastructure but we hope to get the needed permit soon.

Read the full interview HERE.

Read alsoBudapest Airport gets its third terminal!

May 14, 2021

New two-storey bridge to be built in Budapest at the scene of Sziget Festival

According to recent news, Budapest might receive one or even two new bridges. The former mayor of Óbuda has posted some of the concept images of the new bridge on his Facebook profile on the 26th of April. This is great news as both the commercial bridges leading to Hajógyári Island are in urgent need of an upgrade.

The Hajógyári Island has been home to the Sziget Festival, one of the largest music and cultural festivals in Europe. Currently, there are two possibilities to get to the island. One of them is the K-híd or K bridge, which is probably more known as it is used as the main entrance to Sziget Festival. Between the two bridges, this is the older one and was built in 1955 from the sections of a rapidly deployable military bridge. It was supposed to connect the shipyard, from which the island gets its name, via railway. You can see the track that has since been covered in asphalt. The bridge is a single-lane vehicular and footbridge.

Hajógyári Híd K Bridge Budapest 2 — K bridge Source: Google Street View

The other bridge is the Hajógyári Híd (bridge) or H bridge for short. This is the second bridge leading to the Hajógyári Island and is the younger of the two; it is a reinforced concrete bridge built in 1968. It has a larger capacity than the K bridge and has an important role in executing the Sziget Festival as this is how all the equipment, gear, and anything else gets on the island. Both of the bridges could really use some modernisation or at least some way of taking some of the load off them. It is exactly what the new plans seem to achieve.

Hajógyári Híd Bridge Budapest — H bridge Source: Google Street View

According to Index, the concept of the new bridge next to the current H bridge is an unusual design as it will be a two-storey pedestrian and cyclist bridge.

It is aimed to directly connect the dreamed pop-cultural centre of the island with the Fő tér (Main square) of Óboda, while the street level of the bridge would lead to the Eszterházy embankment. This is the concept you can see in the rendered images.

Hajógyári Bridge Concept 2 — Concept for the new bridge Source: Facebook (bit.ly/2R2ZgP1)

Hajógyári Bridge Concept — Concept for the new bridge Source: Facebook (bit.ly/2R2ZgP1)

Hajógyári Bridge Concept Reuse — Concept of the new bridge showing how the old element is reused Source: Facebook (bit.ly/3t3nN3r)

Besides the fact that it is going to be a two-storey bridge, the other interesting thing about this concept is that it is going to utilise a piece of the old Összekötő vasúti híd (Southern Connecting Railway Bridge) which is located right next to Rákóczi Bridge and recently underwent some modernisation.

“We investigated the reusability of the elements of the Southern Connecting Railway Bridge […]. First, we looked at whether the elements can be used for pedestrian and cyclist loads and the answer is yes. The second question was where could the elements be used […],” Dávid Vitézy, the executive officer of the Budapest Development Center, told Index.

The other aim is to look into the possibility to completely replace the older, single-lane K bridge with a similar reused element and thus upgrading it to a two-lane bridge that would be able to multiply the bridge’s capacity.

Reusing the elements of another bridge is not only environmentally friendly, but it is also 20-30% cheaper than building an entirely new bridge.

Read alsoNudist beach to be built in Budapest?!

Featured image: Facebook

April 30, 2021

Take a look at the new plans for Budapest’s iconic Citadel – Photo Gallery

Plans for one of the most important tourist destinations in the Hungarian capital have been completed. Some part of the Gellért Hill development aims to realise the renewal of the Citadel as well.

Plans include a garden, a pool, a 35-metre-high flag, a new castle wall, stairs, and a lookout terrace. Telex.hu writes that the interior of the Citadel, which is currently unused, will be converted into a park. Moreover, a museum is also planned to be created within the round bastion.

The theme of the museum will be the struggles of the Hungarian War of Independence.

The plans were prepared by Artist Design Studio and Pakony Táj- és Kertépítész Kft. on behalf of the Hungarian government. The Citadel has been a World Heritage Site since 1987. The iconic building splits Gellért Hill into two, which would be changed by the new plans, as it would open a passage by breaking down the wall between the western rondel (circular bastion) and the bastions.

The southern staircase leads to a vineyard designed at the bottom of the fort. The wall of the eastern rondel would be partially demolished and then a staircase would be installed, through which one will reach the Statue of Liberty. The northern staircase connects the parks of Gellért Hill and the cable car station.

The new plans are hoped to further strengthen the visual connection between the Citadel and Budapest. To enable this vision, new observation decks will be built. From the northern bastion, you will be able to see the Elizabeth Bridge and the Pest side while from the eastern terrace, you will be able to admire the Freedom Bridge. From the southern bastion, you can see Kelenföld, and from the roof terrace of the museum building, you can admire Margaret Island, Buda Castle, and Széna Square.

To the west of the shooting range, you will be able to see the Széchenyi Hill; to the north, the Budavár Palace and the south side of Gellért Hill.

The western rondel will be an exhibition space, while the southern building will be transformed into a restaurant. In addition, the castle walls are being rebuilt. The project includes a huge garden, of which 13,770 square metres are paved and 13,390 square metres make up the green space, as well as a 400-square-metre lake. The public procurement process was won by Lőrinc Mészáros’s company ZÁÉV Zrt. and István Garancsi’s company Market Zrt.

According to the Chief Architect of Budapest, Zoltán Erő, the plan came as a surprise to everyone, but it seems to be a nice development. He also mentioned the importance of maintaining the Citadel as a nature reserve despite the new developments. Moreover, the Citadel has played an important role historically when it served as an air defence base for the Germans and Hungarians during the Soviet siege in 1944-45. The Citadel has seen many things over the years, but by today, it has become the most popular attraction in the capital of Hungary.

April 23, 2021

Locals outraged by news plans for Déli Railway Station reconstruction

What happens to the Déli Railway Station has been a topic of interest for years: will it become a green zone, or is it perhaps partially saveable and will finally be utilized? The previous plan in 2018 was to extend the huge campus development project of the University of Physical Education to the railway area parallel to Mészáros Street, but that plan seemed to have changed.

Residents of the area were understandably very pleased with everything, a sports center and student town dotted with green spaces is a much more attractive sight and function than the slowly fading railway factory area. But the years have passed, and despite the tremendeous efforts, the campus construction of TE seemed no different until

this spring, a whole new plan came into the picture: instead of a leisure center, there will be a bus station in place of the rails.

But the locals of District 1 are not happy. A petition and a leaflet have been launched against the planned bus station. Those involved are affraid that noise and air pollution, falling real estate prices are in their near future, while the mayor said that the facility would only have a positive effect on their lives.

Back in 2016, the government decided to have a sports and leisure center in the plant area in question. It was made a grandiose investment that completely transformed today’s outlook. The total design area was 6 acres, of which nearly 13,000 square feet would have been an apartment building with a sizeable underground garage, an ice rink, a golf driving range, tennis courts, a running track, a children’s ski slope, and a climbing center.

Residents of the area were enthusiastic about the development, they expected that the TE would green the area, raise house prices and connect with overpasses in the I. and XII. district side.

Then came the cold shower, when it was announced this spring through communications from the District I municipality that something completely different was being made.

The increased load caused by the Buda Castle has long disturbed both the locals and the local government, at least since the beginning of the 2010s it has been a topic that the bus situation should be settled.

Last October, the House of Representatives voted to address the problems by setting up a bus station. The area they chose was the one where the state had previously planned the Univerity leisure center. It is important to note however that it is not a competitive scenario; as Telex learned,

campus expansion was made impossible by the possible plan of rail development in the distant future.

In response to Telex ‘s questions, the University Secretariat replied:

“Until the concept of a possible connection is completed, the area could only be used to a lesser extent” So since there may be something there at some point, it is not worth making such a large-scale infrastructure investment in the area.

So the section parallel to Mészáros Street will either remain as it is now and continue to rot away in silence, or someone will utilise it until they figure out what the long-term plans are. District I would make an attempt with the bus station for the latter if an agreement is signed with MÁV; They would be contracted for a 15-year lease.

According to the deal, the district will pay a monthly rent of HUF 2.5 million to MÁV, which will be easily profitable even if the occupancy is very low. Thus, the mayor’s office calculates a return on investment in 2.5 years.

A residential unit front has emerged that is rarely seen. To represent their interests, they launched a petition and their own website, a leaflet in the area, and the media. Their position does not seem particularly lenient, yet the mayor says they will be able to come to an agreement with the residents and eventually come up with a solution that is acceptable to everyone.

Read alsoHungary to invest EUR 5.6 bn in railway upgrades around Budapest in 20 years

April 16, 2021

Do you like Turkish baths in Budapest? Now you can buy one!

After one decade of legal affairs that impeded the opening of the beautifully renovated Rác Bath and the pertaining superior hotel nearby, now the proprietor company decided to sell the properties at public auction. The starting price exceeds EUR 13.6 million.

The history of the iconic Turkish bath dates back to the 16th century, when its oldest part, the Turkish cupola was built in 1572. Later on, the imperial pools and shower corridors were constructed during the age of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Since then – thanks to periodic renovations – the spa has preserved its original authenticity and style. Few may know that Rác Thermal Bath is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; though, its inner beauty has not been admired by tourists for a long time. However, a final decision has been made on the future of Budapest’s iconic spa and the superior hotel alongside.

It makes it even more complicated that the land under the buildings is the property of the capital, and the Budapest Thermal Bath Plc holds the water rights necessary for the spa’s operation (BGYH). As a result, the spa, the state, the capital’s local government and BGYH also have the right of pre-emption. So the final race for the real estates begins.

As Népszava reports, for the renovation of the spa, the municipality of the Hungarian capital established Rác Nosztalgia Ltd. in 2002. The capital took the land under the buildings to the joint business, while the associated Rác Beruházó Ltd. undertook the renovation and the construction of the 67-room hotel. The construction of the 16,000-square-foot complex began in 2005, and the inauguration was scheduled for May 2010.

Even though, the renovation of the patinated spa and the construction of the new, superior hotel cost a total of EUR 21.7 million and was already licensed in the autumn of 2010,

the opening has not taken place since then due to legal affairs between the owners.

Now, the National Reorganizational Nonprofit Ltd. – entrusted with the liquidation of the owning company, Rác Nosztalgia Ltd. – has decided to sell the renovated Turkish Bath and the 67-room hotel at public auction.

The electronic bidding starts on 26^th March and runs until 12th April.

The starting price and the minimum amount to be paid for the real estate is slightly more than EUR 13.6 million; the amount of the advance payment to participate in the auction is EUR 692,000.

As the Hungarian news portal Turizmus.com reports, the capital has repeatedly stated that it intends to acquire ownership of the Rác Bath and the hotel building in the liquidation proceedings. In the current financial situation, the capital’s municipality will hardly have sufficient financial resources for the renovation. The big question is how far it will go in bidding. It seems – that after years of useless negotiations – the spa, which was beautifully renovated by 2011, and the newly built hotel will have to be redone again, the cost of which is estimated at millions of EUR.

Read alsoThermal baths of Budapest – main attraction among foreigners?

March 16, 2021

Chain Bridge closed to pedestrians during renovation from next week

Budapest’s landmark Chain Bridge will be closed to pedestrians until the completion of its renovation, starting next Wednesday, scheduled in 2023, the Budapest transport centre BKK said.

The bridge will also be closed to car traffic from mid-June, BKK said on Friday.

Bus services over the bridge will be free of charge between Clark Adam Square and Széchenyi István Square, it added.

The bridge is planned to be reopened for vehicles in December 2022 and the entire revamp is scheduled to be completed in August 2023.

During the upcoming weekend, from March 13 to March 15, the bridge will be reserved for pedestrian crossings only.

Read alsoContract signed, the renovation of Széchenyi Chain Bridge starts in March!

March 12, 2021

Government promoting Hungarian participation in Karabakh reconstruction

The Hungarian government is supporting the participation of Hungarian companies in reconstruction efforts in the Karabakh region, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said after talks with Azerbaijani counterpart Ceyhun Bayramov in Baku on Wednesday.

Szijjártó said his Baku talks were also held as part of preparations for an agreement under which Hungary is set to purchase natural gas from Azerbaijan from the mid-2020s.

Meanwhile, stating the Hungarian government’s position, he said the international community should “respect Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and integrity within internationally recognised boundaries”.

“We have always promoted that position and advocated it openly, unlike some,” he added.

Szijjártó said he hoped Azerbaijan would soon have “a period of peace and calm” and its reconstruction process could be completed quickly and successfully so that people earlier forced to leave their homes could return.

The minister is being accompanied by the heads of six companies with experience in road, rail, and general construction, farming and agricultural infrastructure, water management and lighting technology, which could take crucial roles in Azerbaijan’s reconstruction projects. Hungary’s Eximbank is providing a 100 million dollar credit line to promote such ventures.

Szijjártó noted he met Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, who briefed him on plans for major investments in his country over the next two and a half years.

Participation in those projects would help Hungarian companies tap into a well of huge potential, he added.

The minister, meanwhile, said that Hungary, as president of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers from May, would pay special attention to promoting long-term peace in the region and assist refugees returning to their homes.

Concerning gas supplies, Szijjártó said that

Hungary would have a physical link to the Southern Gas Corridor through an interconnector between the networks of Greece and Bulgaria as well as a pipeline between Hungary and Serbia, to be completed before the end of 2021.

It is in Hungary’s interest to buy gas from Azerbaijan via that route, he said.

Azerbaijan is working to increase its natural gas production, facilitating the purchase of large amounts gas “from the middle of the decade, but more likely from 2023-24 on”. Talks between Hungary’s energy company MVM and Azerbaijan’s oil company SOCAR are under way with legal groundwork for an agreement before Azerbaijan’s production volume can meet such purchases, the minister added.

As we wrote on February, Hungary will complete the missing section of the pipeline through which Azerbaijani gas is set to arrive in the country, Szijjártó said. Details HERE.

Szijjártó congratulated Bayramov on signing an agreement with Turkmenistan on suppling gas to Europe. “This is a great step forward for Hungary because we’ll be able to buy gas not only from Azerbaijan but also from Turkmenistan via the Southern Corridor.”

Szijjártó signed a letter of intention with Hafiz Pashayev, the rector of ADA University, aimed at education cooperation between ADA and the Hungarian Academy of Diplomacy.

Demand for the 200 Hungarian university scholarships for Azerbaijani students is high, he added.

Read alsoHungary to assist in rebuilding in Azerbaijan

March 10, 2021

Hungary to host MotoGP races from 2023

Hungary will make a return to the MotoGP calendar in 2023, having signed a ten-year deal to host races at a track currently being built near Hajdúnánás, in the eastern part of the country.

The agreement was signed by Carmelo Ezpeleta, the CEO of MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports, and József Pacza, CEO of Kelet-Magyarorszagi Versenypálya, the track’s operator, at the Ministry of Innovation and Technology on Thursday.

Bids for the construction of the race track are expected to be invited at the end of the year, Lajos Kósa, the MP representing the eastern Hungarian region, told a press conference.

Ezpeleta said Dorna Sports would do everything it can to make sure that the race was successful both from a sporting and economic perspective.

Hungary last hosted a motorcycle Grand Prix in 1992 at the Hungaroring.

Read alsoHungary to host MotoGP races from 2023

March 4, 2021

Five-star hotel to open in Budapest landmark Drechsler Palace in 2022 – Photos

W Budapest Hotel, a five-star hotel in the landmark Drechsler Palace, a former home to the Hungarian Ballet Institute, will open in 2022, general contractor DVM group told MTI.

DVM group, which has renovated a number of Budapest landmarks including the Eiffel Palace, the US embassy and the Bank of China (CEE) HQ, started renovating the building, which has stood vacant for 19 years, in January.

budapest_hotel_drechsler_palota — Photo: DVM Group

The 151-room hotel, owned by QPR Properties, will be operated by Marriott International unit W Hotels, the group said.

Designed by Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos, the Drechsler Palace was built in the French Renaissance and Neo-Gothic styles between 1883 and 1886.

It is located on Andrássy Avenue, a UNESCO world heritage site, just opposite the Hungarian State Opera. The district council sold the three-storey building in 1997.

Read alsoGet to know the impressive story of Hungary’s World Heritage Site, the Andrássy Avenue – PHOTOS

March 4, 2021