According to a recent report by the International Railway Journal and multiple Hungarian news outlets, this month the Hungarian government officially abandoned all proposals to demolish Déli Railway Station and establish new green spaces in its place (admirable as this intention may have been), citing the logistical burden that this plan would have placed on the city’s other rail depots. Considering that Déli is the primary Budapest terminus for trains traveling to Lake Balaton and many other destinations across the Hungarian countryside and beyond, we are relieved that the station will continue to be a conveniently central transport nexus – but now, what will become of the station building itself?
Although trains have rolled into this section of Buda since 1861, the current Déli Railway Station facility was built during the 1970s, and its appearance has changed little since then, beyond showing widespread signs of decay. While the sweepingly curvaceous façade, winding staircases, and circular ticket office may have looked refreshingly postmodern when Déli’s depot was first unveiled, these features haven’t aged well, and maintenance seems to be minimal at best. What’s more, most of the shops and food stands appear as grim relics of Hungary’s communist era, which may provide some retro charm for longtime Budapest residents, but the overall scene here looks more like a ruin pub than a railway hub.However, now that the government has decided to keep Déli operating into the indefinite future, can we expect to see any comprehensive renovations to the outdated building? Actually, the station doesn’t need all that much refurbishing – as it is, the facility has many appealing architectural elements, such as the huge glass-walled waiting area providing impressive views over the Castle District, and the large semicircular courtyard that houses some active shops and an increasingly popular open-air bar in summertime. With a few basic repairs, an extensive cleanup, some better lighting, and the addition of some more modern cafés and stores, Déli could become a genuinely appealing place to wait for a train.A couple of significant renovations have already helped improve the appearance and usefulness of this facility already, as a few months ago a new BKK ticketing center was established here by the entrance to the M2 metro escalator, while a modern Relay newsstand was added next door. Now that we know Déli will continue to welcome passengers into the future, we hope that the station management and Budapest government will creatively consider how this facility can finally arrive in style during our modern era.
