Spectacular progress is expected in the autumn at the Nyugati (Western) Railway Station: the protective roof in front of the facade of Teréz Boulevard, which obstructs pedestrian traffic, will be demolished. With this, the iconic part of the building, which represents a significant architectural and technical monument and is protected as a national monument, will once again be unobstructed, says the MÁV (Hungarian State Railways) in its press release. The work on the facade, on the north-west (subway-facing) tower, has been carried out by ÉPKAR since last autumn, according to the plans, until the end of June; while MÁV FKG specialists will work on the south-east (fast food restaurant side) tower, expected until November.

They will work on the facade of Nyugati Railway Station, the north-west tower until the end of June, and the work on the south-east tower will be completed in autumn (Photo: MÁV)

The press release reveals that, due to the technical condition of the Nyugati Railway Station, which is used by nearly 18.5 million people annually and is 146 years old this year and to preserve its historical value, as well as its prominent role in railway traffic, the start of the reconstruction of the roof structure of the building complex in the spring of 2020 could not be postponed. As a prominent part of the MÁV station development project, Magyar Építő carried out the renovation of the roof structure by completely closing the passenger hall. The renovation of the roof section above Marble Hall has already been completed, and it has also been done above the international waiting room, which is expected to open next year, as well as the former ABC and the Ceglédi Corridor. The roof structures of the office wing facing Nyugati Square and the related canopies were also completely renovated.

The railway company explained: as a result of the renovation of the cross underpass under the 10-13th tracks of the station, which is expected to start in the summer, in addition to the complete replacement of the lighting and coverings of the worn false ceiling, accessibility will be given an important emphasis by replacing the existing but unused platform elevator. During the works, the false ceiling of the underpass must be completely replaced on an area of 1,100 square metres, with light fixtures and a new electrical network.

The wall coverings will be changed approximately on a surface of 500 square metres; as well as the entire, approximately 900 square metres of flooring will also be replaced. A new elevator with a load capacity of 1,000 kg, a steel support structure, and a vandal-proof design will be built in place of the unused platform elevator according to the plans, the construction of which is expected to start this summer as well.

The wooden structures were replaced and the metal structures were renovated in the building, which is protected as a national monument (Photo: MÁV)

It is also announced that as part of the security improvements, a new asset protection video system will be built, with the installation of around 246 IP cameras both on the platforms and in the interior spaces. The camera system necessary to make the station safer will be built this year. The renovation of the external facade and interior of the cashier's hall, the police passage, and the external facade of the Nyugati Square office section is also under preparation.

It is recalled that during the renovation of the roof structure during the previous works, the inner facade of the track hall and the windows were renovated, the two longitudinal stone plinths were replaced and modern interior lighting was installed. Construction was completed last fall. A dispatch centre was built at the station, and in the spirit of modernising passenger information, a new, loud passenger information system was created, the passenger information boards at the end of the tracks and the summary board were replaced and modernised, and two large LED signs similar to the ones at Keleti Railway Station were also installed.

The protective roof in front of the renewed facade is expected to be demolished in autumn (Photo: MÁV)

The roof and ceiling of the fast food restaurant were renewed, and the historic renovation of the six smaller tower roofs on the facade was carried out with a complete replacement of the roofage, covering a total of about 8,200 square metres. The wooden structures were replaced, the metal structures were renovated, and the rainwater drainage system of the reconstructed roof sections was partially new. Thanks to the roof covering, there is no water damage even during heavy rains.

The renovated roof section above the Marble Hall, the international waiting room, the former ABC, and the Ceglédi Corridor was completed in the fall of 2022 (Photo: MÁV)

A new ramp was created for barrier-free access to the railway station from Teréz Boulevard, as agreed with the heritage protection authority. In the area of the railway station, a so-called tactile lane leading for the blind and partially sighted was built in the hall from its own resources, and The Hungarian Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted provided assistance in its planning. The Marble Hall and the Ceglédi Corridor were beautified; the distribution of ticket machines within the station has also become even more passenger-friendly.

Source: MÁV (Hungarian State Railways)

Cover photo: The renewal of Nyugati Railway Station continues with spectacular improvements (Photo: MÁV)