Going across town by underground in Budapest is like time travel. Just change from contemporary driverless metro line M4 to Soviet-era M3 at Kálvin Square and you find yourself hopping between generations. Last year, new Russian-built trains were put into service to replace some of the dilapidated M3 vehicles, while works to spruce up this line began in November, affecting underground operations between Lehel tér and Újpest-központ. During the renovation, the tracks and tunnels will be modernized, and many of the stations will be reconstructed to sport a unified design.
The first phase of the works will transform all six stations between Dózsa György út and Újpest-központ, two of which will also be renamed – the current Árpád híd station will be called Göncz Árpád városközpont, honoring former President of Hungary Árpád Göncz, while Újpest-Városkapu will become Újpest vasútállomás, referring to the adjacent railway terminal. Stations along this segment of the M3 currently feature diverse design elements from abstract enamel to scattered pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, all presented in mismatching colors.
The first plans for the modernization of the retro stations have just been unveiled, showing a sleek if uniform design with an understated color scheme. For the most part, they feature lighter tones, unlike the opulent patterns in some stations along the M4, the newest of Budapest’s four metro lines. In one image of the M3 plans, the appearance of a pram suggests that accessibility has been considered as far as proposed station design is concerned.
