Major Railway Disruption Alert: Budapest’s Keleti Station Closing for 4 Weeks This Summer
Budapest’s iconic Keleti Railway Station, one of the city’s main transportation hubs, is about to undergo its most significant renovation in over a decade. If you’re planning to visit Hungary’s capital between August 25 and September 20, 2025, this closure will likely affect your travel plans. But don’t worry – we’ve got all the essential information you need to navigate this temporary disruption.
Why Is Keleti Station Closing?
The Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) has scheduled this ambitious renovation project during the tail end of summer holidays for a very strategic reason. As the back-to-school and work season approaches in early September, there are actually more alternative transportation options available compared to the traditionally busy summer tourist period.
This four-week closure represents the largest technical renovation since 2019, involving round-the-clock work by approximately 400-450 specialists. The scope of work is truly impressive – crews will replace railway tracks, switches, and over 2,000 railway sleepers, conduct ballast screening across three kilometers of track, regulate tracks over 14 kilometers, and repair the overhead electrical network spanning roughly 16 kilometers.
The renovation also includes upgrading the station’s electrical distribution systems, rebuilding platforms between tracks 1 and 2, maintaining all platform roofs, and improving pedestrian walkways throughout the station.
What This Means for Your Budapest Travel Plans
During the closure period, trains that normally arrive at and depart from Keleti Station will be redirected to various alternative stations throughout Budapest. The good news is that MÁV has established multiple transfer points across the city, all easily accessible via HÉV suburban trains, VOLÁN buses, and BKK public transport services.
Key Route Changes You Should Know About
Trains heading to and from Győr will now use Budapest-Kelenfold station instead of Keleti. You can easily travel between Kelenfold and where Keleti normally serves via the M4 metro line, making this transition relatively seamless.
If you’re traveling to or from Miskolc, including the popular InterCity services and the Tisza Lake express train, these will now operate from Nyugati (Western) Railway Station. Regional trains and S80 services on this route will use Kőbánya Felső station instead, with replacement buses running between Kőbánya Felső and Puskás Ferenc Stadium metro station to ensure smooth connections to the city center.
Passengers using trains to Pécs and Kaposvár will find their InterCity services terminating at Budapest-Kelenfold rather than Keleti. Meanwhile, some S76 trains will run on extended routes between Pilisvörösvár and Pécel, providing convenient connections to the M3 metro line.
Alternative Transportation Options
The railway company has worked closely with local transport operators to ensure minimal disruption to your travel experience. Your existing railway tickets will be accepted on alternative VOLÁN bus routes and BKK city transport services along parallel routes. This means you won’t face additional costs when using these alternative options.
For those with county or national transport passes, you can continue using these without purchasing additional tickets. The transport companies are planning to increase frequency on these alternative routes to accommodate the expected higher passenger volumes.
Nine Strategic Transfer Points Across Budapest
MÁV has established nine key transfer stations throughout Budapest to help you navigate the temporary changes. These include Rákoshegy, Rákos, Kőbánya Felső, Pillangó Street, Kelenfold Railway Station, Kőbánya-Kispest, Újpest-Városkapu, Nyugati Station, and Puskás Ferenc Stadium.
Each of these locations offers excellent connections to VOLÁN intercity buses, HÉV suburban trains, and BKK city transport, ensuring you can reach virtually any part of Budapest with ease.
Services Still Available at Keleti Station
While most of the main station will be closed, some essential services will remain operational. The Government Office and Police services will continue functioning on the ground floor. The domestic and international ticket sales office and customer service will operate from the Passenger Center, accessible via the underground level through a specially constructed safe, covered corridor.
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However, be aware that ticket vending machines, the Premium Lounge near platform 9, and automated luggage storage facilities will not be available during this period.
Planning Your Journey During the Closure
Updated timetables and announcements will be available on all official MÁV platforms, including the MÁV and MÁV+ apps, EMMA, and jegy.mav.hu from August 10 at the latest. This gives you plenty of time to plan alternative routes before the closure begins.
The railway company emphasizes the importance of checking current information before traveling rather than relying on familiar routines during this period. They’re also preparing alternative travel suggestions for those who prefer public transport options.
Special Considerations for Accessibility
Cyclists will still be able to transport their bikes on the alternative train services during the renovation period. Additionally, dedicated bike paths connect the city center with the alternative stations, providing another travel option.
If you have mobility restrictions, MÁV’s customer service team is available to help plan personalized journey options that meet your specific accessibility needs.
The Long-term Benefits
While this temporary inconvenience might affect your immediate travel plans, the renovation will significantly improve Budapest’s railway infrastructure. The upgrades will enhance operational reliability, dramatically reduce equipment failures and service disruptions, and improve punctuality and predictability for trains using Keleti Station.
The track improvements will allow for higher speeds on main lines and eliminate most speed restrictions on secondary tracks. This is particularly important since current speed limitations typically cause delays of about 1.5 minutes per journey. The enhanced infrastructure will also reduce shunting and car arrangement times, increasing the station’s overall capacity and reducing congestion.
Staying Informed
MÁV will provide continuous updates through their official channels and will have personal assistants available at Budapest-Kelenfold, Kőbánya Felső, Kőbánya-Kispest, and Rákos stations during the first few days of the closure. These staff members will be on hand to help answer travel-related questions and provide guidance.
Information will also be displayed on station screens, posters, and public announcements, as well as through sales channels and at BKK stops and on their vehicles.
The Bottom Line for Tourists
While this major renovation will temporarily disrupt normal railway operations, the extensive alternative arrangements mean your Budapest adventure doesn’t have to be derailed. The key is planning ahead and staying flexible with your transportation choices.
The timing of this renovation, deliberately scheduled for late summer, actually works in favor of tourists, as it avoids the peak vacation period while providing more alternative transport options than would be available during the height of summer travel season.
By staying informed through official channels and embracing the alternative routes, you’ll still be able to explore all that Budapest and the surrounding regions have to offer. Think of it as an opportunity to discover different parts of the city and perhaps find new favorite routes through Hungary’s beautiful capital.
Remember to check the latest information before your trip, allow extra time for transfers, and don’t hesitate to ask for help at the various transfer points throughout the city. The temporary inconvenience will pave the way for a much-improved railway experience for future visitors to Budapest.
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