The contract between the Budapest Development Center (BFK) and Főmterv Zrt. The winner of the public procurement, Főmterv Zrt., Undertook the work for a net amount of HUF 850 million, the aim of which is to obtain an environmental permit for the railway tunnel under the Danube and related sections, he said. The investment is co-financed by the European Union.

As he wrote, following the successful application, the European Network Finance Facility (CEF) will receive HUF 500 million in support from the EU fund for the design of the railway tunnel between the Western Railway Station and Kelenföld. And the government adds the same amount to the amount.


Map of the Danube Tunnel (source: Dávid Vitézy / Facebook)

Vitézy reminded that the key element of the Budapest Agglomeration Railway Strategy, which was adopted by the government at the end of last year and included a unified framework for programming until 2040, is the creation of internal, continuous connections between suburban lines.

The most important of these is the railway tunnel connecting Kelenföld with the Western Railway Station by touching Széll Kálmán tér, the construction of which will bring a leap forward development in agglomeration, within Budapest and in the long-distance railway traffic connecting the regions.

He emphasized that Budapest could not receive more trains during the peak periods due to the congestion and lack of capacity of the main railway stations, although due to the needs of suburban transport, more than 90 trains would have to arrive at peak hours instead of the current 42.

He drew attention to the fact that the development has a significant impact on the environment, therefore it is necessary to carry out the environmental impact assessment procedure before starting it, which includes not only the tunnel, but also the design of the new two-storey Western Railway Station and the development of sections from Vác and Cegléd. .

The tunnel will bring a leap forward in the transport of the capital and the agglomeration (source: bfk.hu)

Planning should take into account, for example, new underground stations, stops, traffic areas, ventilation systems, utilities, but also surface parks, car parks, public transport elements, plant facilities and safety equipment, he listed. From now on, a detailed analysis of the noise and vibration values affecting the population, the effects on residential urban areas and specific properties caused by the construction of the tunnel and the long-term operation should be carried out. It must be taken into account that the protection of soil, geological environment and groundwater is important for the investment, and Natura 2000 impact assessments must be carried out, he added.

The CEO pointed out that the environmental impact study should also cover the transformation of caves and resources, the affected utilities, the examination of the effect of ventilation chimneys, and take into account emergency situations and possible accidents. In addition, different construction technologies need to be compared and how construction fits into the environment needs to be demonstrated.

The planner has 510 days from the entry into force of the contract to prepare the environmental impact study and obtain the environmental permit, Vitézy pointed out.

He also indicated that the construction of the tunnel is a long-term goal, but in the meantime they intend to develop suburban train transport. This is served by the ongoing development of the Southern Railway and the planned expansion of the Western Railway Station. The two-storey railway station will be able to receive 50 percent more trains than at present before the construction of the tunnel, and the capacity of the tunnel can be further expanded.

Source: Dávid Vitézy / Facebook, MTI

Cover photo: The railway tunnel between the Western Railway Station and Kelenföld will be created as part of the Budapest Agglomeration Railway Strategy (source: bfk.hu)