Bound track

The first public procurement of the M2 metro and the HÉV project could start in the summer

Published

2024. 05. 24. 11:06

Magyar Építők

It will be possible to travel from Cinkota to the Déli railway station without changing trains - this will be one of the benefits of the comprehensive project linking the M2 with the Gödöllő and Csömör HÉV.

The project to connect the M2 metro line and the H8 (formerly Gödöllő HÉV)/H9 (formerly Csömör HÉV) HÉV has started with the submission of the documents required for environmental approval, the Deputy State Secretary for Road Works announced in Budapest on Thursday.

This means that passengers will be able to travel on HÉV-Metro trains from Cinkota to Déli station without having to change at the current terminus of the M2 metro line at Örs vezér tér

- said József Pántya at a press conference held at the XVI. district mayor's office. In addition to the construction of the track, the HÉV fleet will be replaced, the safety equipment, a vehicle depot and P+R parking will be built, he added.

Project planned several years ago can get underway

The HÉV line in question can currently be transferred from the M2 metro line at the Örs vezér tér terminus. From here, the H8 HÉV runs via Cinkota to Gödöllő, while the H8 HÉV, branching off at Cinkota, takes passengers to Csömör.

Numerous reports have appeared in recent years about the planned preparations for this major investment: In 2021, we wrote</that, in addition to connecting the metro and the HÉV, the development will also include the renovation of Örs vezér tér, the complete reconstruction of the affected HÉV lines, the purchase of new trains, and the underground relocation of certain sections of the HÉV track in the capital. The announcement at the time also stated that the first section would be completed as far as Cinkota.

Planning could start next year

At the recent press conference, József Pántya said that they expect to obtain the environmental decision during the summer, after which the public procurement procedure for the preparation of the permit and construction plans can begin.

The transport project in the four districts will be financed by the European Union. Design contracts are expected to be signed in the first half of next year and the design process could take two to three years, after which the actual implementation of the project could start.

Overpasses and underground sections eliminate at-grade crossings

Kristóf Szatmáry (Fidesz), Member of Parliament, said that their aim is to ensure that the development of fixed-route transport will define the everyday life of the XVIth district throughout the 21st century. It should be implemented in a way that creates the most ideal conditions for the people living in the district.

Péter Kovács (Fidesz), the mayor of the XVI. district, stressed that the development will solve one of the biggest traffic problems of the district, as it will eliminate the level crossings on the HÉV line, which often cause 8-10 minutes of waiting. Trains will now run below ground and on overpasses, in addition to surface transport.

The development will also be the capital's largest environmental investment, as people living in the agglomeration will be able to park their cars in the P+R car parks and use public transport to travel to the centre of Budapest. This will help to ease traffic congestion. That is why, he continued, he could not understand why Mayor Gergely Karácsony stopped the preparation of the project after his election. While in his campaign he still promised to speed up the implementation. It took a lot of struggle for the implementation of the programme, but the current government is supporting the project," Péter Kovács said at the press conference.

Source : Link