The public transport company in Budapest, BKK (Budapesti Közlekedési Központ), has published a call for proposals for the preparation of a feasibility study for the development of the south-Pest tram network. The traffic and technical inspection must also include the possible development and extension of tram line 42, as well as the planned extension of tram line 3 to Pesterzsébet district.
The bids must be submitted by July 4, 2024, and in the case of a successful procedure, the preparation of the study plan is expected to take half a year.
The winner of the contract must update the previous plans for the development of tram line 42, examine the environment and development studies as well as prepare a network organisation study plan so that the project best fits the needs of road users.
The planning area of the study plan also includes the planned extension of tram line 3 to Pesterzsébet district, since the impact of changes in the region on each other can best be examined in this way. The study also covers the public transport network in the area of the planned tram 3 in Pesterzsébet and the planned and existing sections of tram 42, such as the role of trams 2B, 52 and 62A, as well as the support of sustainable modes of transport and also for creating livable, barrier-free public spaces.
BKK has started to prepare significant development projects, for the financing of which it submitted a grant application within the framework of the Integrated Transport Development Operational Programme Plus (IKOP Plusz). Among these projects is the development of the south-Pest tram network, which can make public transport in the capital more competitive.
According to BKK’s plans, there may be many development projects covering tram network in Budapest until 2030, which can be realised with co-financing from the European Union. Thanks to the planned developments, public transport can be more comfortable and competitive. Tram line 3 could run on a longer route, all the way to the housing estate in the center of Pesterzsébet district.
As a result of the planned development and extension of tram line 42, the M3 metro would be much faster and more convenient to reach in the future than at present, from the Gloriett, Szent Lőrinc and Havanna settlements, while the access to the Bozsik Arena can also become significantly easier.
Earlier, when the Havanna settlement and the Gloriett settlement were planned, the area did not have a tram/metro connection, but only bus access with road traffic expected to increase. Thus, it was decided to extend tram line 42 which can not only provide a fast and convenient metro connection for the residents of Gloriett and Szent Lőrinc, but it can also make access to the the Bozsik Arena easier, and it can take a shorter time to reach the M3 by metro from the Havanna station. At the same time, the existing tram line will be modernised, a project which also includes the development of pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly network, and greener and more livable areas.
The planning of this project can begin soon, the preparation of the long-planned investment will be implemented with the co-financing of the European Union, under the Integrated Transport Development Operative Program Plusz (IKOP Plusz) programme.
At the same time, Budapest is also purchasing new CAF trams to renew its fleet. The barrier-free low-floor trams will be deployed also on the tram extensions which are to be implemented by 2030. The objective is that, in the future, people travelling between different parts of Budapest, as well as within the city districts, to travel in an environmentally friendly manner and more comfortably, without transfers and accessible to everyone.
“The expansion of the tram network and the introduction of new air-conditioned and low-floor modern vehicles will provide better travel experience for passengers. These developments also create an opportunity to renew public areas, thus making the capital city more livable,” said Gergely Karácsony, the Mayor of Budapest in May 2024, when announced the new public transport plans.
The main goal of city’s public transport policy is to make people use electric transport, a measure that led to the decision to develop the tram network and to acquire new and modern trams, as well as electric buses.
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