Passenger-friendly improvements planned for the World Heritage Site of the tram line 2

The BKK has launched a conditional public procurement procedure for the construction of the infrastructure improvements, with the aim of running modern, low-floor CAF trams on tram line 2 from the second half of 2026.
The line, which is one of the ten most beautiful tram lines in the world, will require a number of infrastructure investments to enable the introduction of low-floor CAF trams with a length of 34 metres in the second half of 2026. According to the BKK, these include the renovation of the viaduct at the Pesti Unter quay, the reconstruction of the tramway track and the accessibility of the platforms at Eötvös Square.

Restorers also supervise the work

The project must be carried out with particular care, as stricter regulations must be complied with due to the World Heritage Site status. Therefore, the renovation of the railings and lampposts, as well as the repair of the retaining wall, will be carried out under the supervision of restoration experts. According to the announcement published in the EU public procurement notice, the contractor must install a temporary track connection in order to maintain tram service on line 2 to Március 15-e tér.

The contractor has to carry out a complex task

The BKK is part of the investment:

• will partially renovate and rebuild the viaduct under the tracks of tramway 2, and will position the tracks to accommodate the CAF trams that will run on it;
• making the Eötvös Square stop of tram No 2 accessible: building platforms at a raised height to match modern vehicles, so that people with pushchairs, large luggage and people with reduced mobility can use the low-floor trams comfortably, and installing tactile warning and information panels on the renovated platforms to help blind and partially sighted people;
• renovates almost 900 metres of tram track;
• repairs defects in the retaining wall and cleans the blockstone parapet on the Danube embankment;
• widen the pedestrian steps leading to the lower quay, and
• upgrading street lighting and sewerage networks.

The public procurement procedure is conditional, the project will require EU funding, and the works are scheduled to start in the first half of 2025, subject to the successful completion of the procedure and the availability of funds.

Many aspects were considered in the preparation

BKK also mentioned that the accessibility of the Vigadó Square stop was also examined during the preparatory works. At the end of the process, it was concluded that due to technical constraints and World Heritage requirements, full accessibility of the stop could not be achieved, but that it was possible to create a wider boarding area than currently exists. The report also states that the redesign of the Eötvös Square stop, located less than 300 metres away, will also improve accessibility to Vigadó Square via the continuous pedestrian zone of the Danube Corridor.

More trams to be bought by 2030

According to the plans of BKK and the Municipality of Budapest, there are still a number of tram-related developments in Budapest that could be co-financed by the European Union. These include the renewal of the vehicle fleet, with a total of 51 new CAF trams entering service. The BKK is already working on a tender to bring up to 100 more new modern trams to Budapest.