The fully renovated M3 metro has been in use for two years now

Two years ago, in May 2023, the complete renovation of the M3 metro line was completed. The reconstruction of the North-South metro line between Kőbánya-Kispest and Újpest-Centre took five and a half years, and was one of the largest, if not the largest, Hungarian transport projects of recent years in terms of its complexity, says BKK.

As a result of more than half a decade of reconstruction, the capital city has regained a modern, barrier-free, safe and aesthetically renewed metro line, which our newspaper has also followed, dedicating a separate section to this huge investment. We followed the development with videos, interviews and detailed background material.

The last handover was a special event

During the renovation, the stations were rebuilt and made accessible, the tracks were replaced, and the tunnels were insulated. The metro reconstruction, completed in three phases, was officially opened on 22 May 2023: the event announcing the handover of the middle or downtown section and celebrating the handover of the entire line here.

At that time, the Nagyvárad tér and Lehel tér stations were the last to be handed over from the aforementioned section. Work began on nine stations in this inner-city section in autumn 2020, which were handed over by the contractors in several stages in order to speed up public transport. The construction of the stations was carried out by SWIETELSKY Építő Kft., while the renovation of the tracks was the responsibility of SWIETELSKY Vasúttechnika Kft.. The individual sectional plans were prepared by FŐMTERV Zrt..

The southern and northern sections were completed first

In the case of the northern section, which was handed over in March 2019, between Újpest-központ and Dózsa György út, six stations were modernised by Strabag Építőipari Zrt., while the tunnels and tracks were renovated by SWIETELSKY Vasúttechnika Kft.. The renovation plans were prepared by the consortium of Főmterv Zrt. and Uvaterv Zrt..

Six stops were renovated on the southern section between Nagyvárad tér and Kőbánya-Kispest. the works were completed on 22 October 2020. Here, the stops were renovated and modernised by Strabag Építőipari Zrt., the tracks and related elements were renovated by SWIETELSKY Vasútechnika Kft., and the EDR national network expansion and radio coverage works were carried out by PRO-M Zrt.. The renovation plans were prepared by the consortium of Főmterv Zrt. and Uvaterv Zrt..

Hundreds of thousands of passengers a day - one of the capital's trump cards

It is not an exaggeration to say that without the M3 metro, Budapest would be without transport. Connecting South Pest to North Pest under the city centre, the line plays a key role in the daily operations of the capital. The M3 metro line serves hubs such as Nyugati pályaudvar, Deák Ferenc tér and Kálvin tér, among others. Tens of thousands of people pass through these stations every day - BKK's statement reminds us - before looking back at the history of the M3 metro: the first section was opened in 1976, and the last, northern section was completed by 1990. The north-south metro line is the busiest in the capital, with trains departing every 2-5 minutes during weekday peak hours.

The six-carriage trains, called "panda" by workers because of their black-and-white colour, cover the more than 16-kilometre distance between Kőbánya-Kispest and Újpest-központ in just over half an hour. As well as being a fast and reliable means of transport, the metro will also improve the liveability of the city, as the fast underground rail link will significantly reduce surface car traffic and thus reduce noise and air pollution in the capital.

More than a means of transport - modern spaces under Budapest

The renovated stations of the M3 metro have been given a clean, distinctive look that offers functionality as well as aesthetic appeal. The modern and contemporary cladding and the brighter spaces are also designed to provide a more pleasant environment for metro users. The refurbishment has included the installation of special inclined lifts, a rarity in the world, to provide barrier-free access to underground stations.

The renovation has also received professional recognition: the Budapest Chamber of Architects commended the reconstruction of the central and southern stations of the metro line, and the Deák Ferenc Square station was a finalist in the New York-based Architizer A+Awards competition.

Equal opportunities - full accessibility

In addition to the new look and interior of the stations and tunnels, the entire line has been made barrier-free during the renovation, which was completed two years ago. This included the installation of lifts and inclined lifts, a guideway and a modern passenger information system to help wheelchair users, the elderly, people with pushchairs and the visually impaired.