The busiest station of M3 metro line will be back soon

Two stations on the M3 metro line will be open to public sooner than planned. From January, metros will stop at Deák Ferenc Square (Deák Ferenc tér) and Ferenciek Square (Ferenciek tere).

Earlier handovers

The handover of the metros at Deák Ferenc Square and Ferenciek Square started already in November, and from January, the public will be able to use the two stations again. As part of the complete reconstruction of the M3 metro line, the section between Újpest Centre (Újpest-központ) and Lehel Square (Lehel tér) was completed in spring 2019, while the section between Nagyvárad Square (Nagyvárad tér) and Kőbánya-Kispest was opened to the public in October 2020.

The middle section, which includes nine stations, was completed in May 2020. Kálvin Square (Kálvintér tér), the Corvin district (Corvin-negyed) and Semmelweis Clinics (Semmelweis Klinikák) stations were the first to be completed.

Budapest M3 metro line construction and upgrade

Photo: Facebook

Renovations expected in the spring

The other six stations were originally scheduled to be opened simultaneously in spring 2023. According to BKV’s new timetable, Arany János Street (Arany János utca) and Nyugati Railway Station (Nyugati pályaudvar) will reopen in spring 2023. Nagyvárad Square and Lehel Square (Lehel tér) will be opened in May of the same year.

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According to the managing director of the contractor Swietelsky Construction Ltd., this rescheduling will benefit the public transport users the most. They will be able to take advantage of the two most important stations of the section two months earlier.

“The earlier handover will also reduce the burden on surface transport by eliminating the need for bus replacement, which will bring significant savings for the capital. This will also speed up the process of resurfacing, providing a more liveable environment for passengers”

– told Árpád Bognár, Managing Director of Swietelsky Magyarország Kft. to magyarepitok.hu. BKV initiated negotiations with the contractor, during which Swietelsky undertook to hand over the two stations earlier than planned by rearranging capacities.

Béla Stipich, head of the company’s metro construction department, said; “following the undertaking, construction work intensified in the autumn”. Since November, the technical handover of both stations has been in progress. Metro trains are expected to be running in January, he added.

Photo: Facebook

Árpád Bognár said that the biggest challenge was Deák Ferenc Square, due to its size. He pointed out that new lifts would be built at four out of six stations. One of these lifts is a new heavy-duty lift at Deák Ferenc Square, two at Nagyvárad Square and one smaller overground lift at Nyugati Station and Lehel Square will guarantee faster and more accessible transport. Due to unforeseen technical reasons, the Lehel Square and Nagyvárad Square stations will not be completed until spring, index.hu added.