Metro Line 3 is to be extended by two new stations – a review of the plans has begun

The Budapest Transport Centre has begun reviewing the plans available for the extension of Metro Line 3. As part of this work, they are analysing how the project – previously planned to run as far as Káposztásmegyer – can be divided into phases so that the first phase extends as far as Rákospalota-Újpest railway station. In addition, the expected timeframe for the project will be determined and the risks associated with the investment will also be assessed, according to the Mayor’s Office.

Detailed preparatory documentation for the development project will be presented at Friday’s meeting of the Budapest General Assembly’s Transport and Urban Development Committee. In the meantime, BKK has extended the validity of all railway authority licences, meaning they will remain in force until December 2028.

 

A new metro section of around 1,900 metres may be built

The section of Metro Line 3 running from the city centre reached Újpest-központ in 1990, but the originally planned extension has still not been completed.

The BKK had previously commissioned the planning permission documents for the extension to Káposztásmegyer, and the Gábor Baross Railway Development Plan, announced by the government in July 2026, already includes this project. In the first phase of this, the metro line would be extended to Rákospalota-Újpest.

The new section would start from the end of the existing underground metro line’s tunnel at 119 Árpád út and run for approximately 1,900 metres to Rákospalota-Újpest railway station. The line would be constructed using the ‘top-down’ method, including all the structures and systems required for metro operations.

As part of the development, two new stations would be built:

• Rózsa Street;
• Rákospalota-Újpest railway station.

The latter could become an important transport hub, providing direct connections to the Budapest–Vác–Szob and Budapest–Veresegyház–Vác railway lines.

The public procurement contract may be drawn up under the Design & Build scheme

In the document submitted to the committee, BKK summarised the documentation already available and that still required to launch the project, and set out the key steps in the preparatory work. The company will immediately commence the process of ordering the tender documentation in accordance with the current framework agreement for design services. The construction tender can be launched using the planning drawings and existing permits, under contract Design & Build, i.e. in a structure encompassing both design and construction. A prerequisite for publishing the tender is the compilation of the technical and professional volumes of the documentation. BKK will order these from the designer at the price specified in its still-valid framework agreement.

Around 24 properties need to be acquired along the route

In order to commence construction, it will also be necessary to acquire ownership of some 24 properties in the vicinity of Árpád út and Szilágyi utca that lie along the planned route. Securing the construction site mainly involves residential properties.
According to BKK, the Budapest Capital City Asset Management Centre (Zrt.) must commence the purchase of the properties, and, if necessary, the expropriation procedures, as soon as possible. The design cost estimate drawn up in 2021 set aside 2.8 billion forints for this task.
In order to ensure the project gets off the ground quickly, the capital city, the capital city’s companies and the local authorities of Districts IV and XV concerned must issue the necessary approvals as soon as possible.

The development may be carried out to an extremely tight schedule

The BKK identified the time factor as one of the project’s most significant risks. The time available is extremely tight given the scale and complexity of the investment; therefore, implementation is only conceivable under a tight schedule.

Rapid and coordinated cooperation between central and local government bodies, as well as the companies involved, will be particularly necessary during the preparatory phase. This is because the interdependent processes of licensing, tender preparation, property acquisition and construction can only be carried out with minimal delay.

The new section must be served using the existing rolling stock

The vehicle-side requirements for the development were also examined. According to the BKK information sheet, the current Metrowagonmash trainsets on Metro Line 3 are expected to remain in service for at least the next twenty years. The contract between BKV and the Russian manufacturer previously included an option to procure a further seven trainsets; however, this option has now lapsed. As Metrowagonmash is subject to sanctions due to the Russia–Ukraine war, no further trains can currently be procured in this way.
The two-station extension will therefore have to be served by the existing fleet, which, as far as the BKV is concerned, will require even tighter vehicle management than at present.