The opening of the latest section means that service now runs between Kőbánya-Kispest and Kálvin Square along the metro line’s southern section.

Addressing the inauguration of the new section, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony said the upgrade of the metro line spanned multiple city administrations, was a matter outside of partisan politics and was a shared issue for the entire country.

Karácsony thanked the European Union and the Hungarian government for their support for the project, adding that he intended to carry on the dialogue with the government about the next metro upgrades.

István Tarlós, the prime minister’s commissioner in charge of the development of national transport and public services infrastructure and former mayor of Budapest, noted that Metro 3 was Hungary’s busiest traffic route and that the renovation of the line had started in 2017.

Tarlós said the project was the shared achievement of two city administrations and the government.

From BKK:

The most important changes in the transport of metroline M3 from 14 May are the following:

During the daytime on weekdays, metroline M3 is in service between the sections of Kőbánya-Kispest and Kálvin tér and Göncz Árpád városközpont and Újpest-központ. Between the section of Kálvin tér and Göncz Árpád városközpont, the replacement bus M3 is in service, while between the section of Nyugati pályaudvar and Göncz Árpád városközpont, also the replacement bus M3A is in operation.

During weekday nights and at weekends, metroline M3 is in service between the section of Göncz Árpád városközpont and Újpest-központ. Between the section of Kőbánya-Kispest and Göncz Árpád városközpont, passengers can take replacement bus M3.

Due to the reconstruction works, the metro skips the Nagyvárad tér metro station. To reach the surroundings of Nagyvárad tér, passengers can take the replacement buses from Népliget and the direct service of tram 2M from the city centre or hop on a MOL Bubi bike at or walk from Semmelweis metro station.

Due to the reconstruction works, motorists and public transport passengers should calculate with longer travel time, especially those who reach the city centre on Váci út from the Northern parts.

Nagyvárad tér skipped by metroline M3

Please note that metrocars providing service between Kőbánya-Kispest and Kálvin tér skip the Nagyvárad tér metro station from 14 May (Saturday), due to its reconstruction works. Passengers can reach the surroundings of Nagyvárad tér by the station replacement bus M30 departing from Népliget, tramlines 2M and 24 running from the direction of the city centre and Keleti pályaudvar or by walking or hopping on a MOL Bubi bike at Semmelweis Klinikák. 

Transport service during daytime on weekdays

From 16 May (Monday), on weekdays, metroline M3 is in service on two sections: between Kőbánya-Kispest and Kálvin tér and Göncz Árpád városközpont and Újpest-központ, skipping the Nagyvárad tér metro station.

Along the middle section, between Kálvin tér and Göncz Árpád városközpont, the replacement bus M3 is in service, while between the section of Nyugati pályaudvar and Göncz Árpád városközpont, to mitigate the burden of the city centre and to provide high-level service of the expected travel demands, the metro replacement bus M3A is in operation in dedicated bus lanes.

Transport services on weekday nights and at weekends 

From 16 May (Monday), on weekday nights, from circa 21:00 as well as at weekends, metroline M3 is in service only on the Northern part, between Újpest-központ and Göncz Árpád városközpont, while the metro replacement bus is operating between Göncz Árpád városközpont and Kőbánya-Kispest.

Changes in sales points at some places

Due to the reconstruction works, the Nagyvárad tér and Lehel tér stations are closed, therefore BKK’s ticket offices operable on the inner premises of these locations are closed, too. BKK recommends that customers purchase mobile tickets available also in the BudapestGO app. 

Please note that BKK’s TVMs operable in the underground of Nagyvárad tér and in the underground and at the tram stop of Lehel tér remain operable.

The personal sales points to be found the nearest to Nagyvárad tér are the Népliget M Customer Service Centre and the Kőbánya-Kispest M Customer Service Centre. The personal sales point to be found the nearest to Lehel tér is the Deák Ferenc tér M Customer Service Centre.

Please note that there is even a mobile BKK point operable from 16 May (Monday) at the Nyugati pályaudvar stop of replacement bus M3 to Göncz Árpád városközpont. Please find BKK’s other sales points and vendors at BKK’s Sales Point Finder.

Changes at Göncz Árpád városközpont

From 14 May (Saturday), at Göncz Árpád városközpont, metrocars arrive at and also depart from the platform in the direction of Újpest-központ.

To make transfer more easier, the direction of the escalators to be found in the underground changes: on the Northern escalator, the direction is from the metro to the replacement buses, while on the Southern escalator, it is the opposite direction.

Due to reorganising the transport order of the transport hub, buslines 34 and 106 to their Buda terminuses do not serve temporarily the Göncz Árpád városközpont M stop to be found past the Váci út intersection after they have departed their terminus.

At the Göncz Árpád városközpont terminus, the boarding point of bus lines 26, 32, 115 and 120 is modified.

Changes in the transport of alternative lines functioning as part of the metro replacement services

From 16 May (Monday), instead of the line 254M, the service of the previously-operable express line 254E resumes between the Népliget metro station and Alacskai úti lakótelep. From the vicinity of Pestszentimre, Boráros tér remains available by buslines 54 and 55.

Transfer point from busline 254E to tramline 3 is at the Nagykőrösi út/Határ út stop in the direction of the city centre, while is at the Ecseri út metro station to Alacskai úti lakótelep.

From the direction of Gyál and Pestszentimre, metroline M3 running directly to the city centre is accessible at Határ út metro station, in the manner accustomed in the pre-reconstruction period. Thus, instead of buslines 84M, 94M and 294M, buslines 84E, 94E and 294E are in service to the Határ út metro station, skipping Nagyvárad tér even in the morning period.

Busline 98E runs more frequently from the surrounding area of Rákoshegy and reaches Kőbánya-Kispest more quickly than before.  

In the vicinity of Pesterzsébet, busline 223M remains in operation, providing quick service from Szentlőrinci úti lakótelep to Boráros tér. In the vicinity of Havanna-lakótelep, busline 194M continues to provide quick access to Határ út metro station from Gloriett-lakótelep. The routes of further lines affected by the metro replacement remain unchanged. 

Public road-related changes

Due to the reconstruction works, motorists and public transport passengers should calculate with more complex access circumstances, especially those who reach the city centre on Váci út from the Northern parts.

Replacement buses are authorised to provide their service in a dedicated bus lane, likewise beforehand, therefore, motorists have less lanes for their trip on the section between Váci út - Lehel tér and Göncz Árpád városközpont.

Due to the construction works, at Dózsa György út, two lanes are continued to be designated per directions, however replacement buses have priorities in the outer lanes. BKK would like to kindly request motorists to help replacement buses provide smooth services.

At Göncz Árpád városközpont, replacement buses heading to the city centre are authorised to pass two bus lanes in the intersection, therefore from the Northern direction from Váci út, no left turn to Róbert Károly körút is possible.

From the Southern direction, turning is still possible from Váci út to Árpád híd. Buses turn at Petneházy utca on Váci út, therefore passengers should calculate with a speed limit of 50 km/h and traffic controlled by traffic lamps.

Replacement buses turn back at Kálvin tér via Szentkirályi utca, therefore on the section of Szentkirályi utca - Baross utca - Üllői út, a two-way traffic order enters into force and parking is not possible on the affected area. On this section of the street, motorists are still permitted to go to Baross utca, while to the opposite direction, only replacement buses are authorised to operate.

BKK Centre for Budapest Transport would like to kindly request both public transport passengers and other passengers using individual transport to not get about in the Hungarian capital in the upcoming weeks, as they have accustomed to, as several changes are expected during the metro replacement’s new phase.