Budapest Keleti closure: M4, Kelenföld, and Nyugati guide

Published on Aug 24, 2025, 10:59 am CDT

7 min read

Budapest's main rail terminal, Keleti, will close from August 25 to September 20, 2025, for reliability upgrades that affect many long-distance and international trains. River cruisers starting or ending in Budapest will see most westbound services arrive at or depart from Kelenföld, while several eastern routes move to Nyugati. The good news, Metro M4 links Kelenföld to central Pest quickly, so you can still drop bags and explore before embarkation or after disembarkation. Here is how to navigate the changes, with Vienna and Balkans connections in mind.

Key Points

Why it matters: Keleti's four-week closure shifts arrivals and departures across the city, changing transfer plans.
Travel impact: Vienna corridor trains use Kelenföld; several eastern lines use Nyugati; allow extra time.
What's next: Replacement links, ticket acceptance, and frequent Metro M4 service keep sightseeing feasible.
Kelenföld to city center via Metro M4 in about 13 minutes, with easy stops at Kálvin tér and Fővám tér.
Croatia's Adria and Zagreb trains use Kelenföld; Romanian routes pivot to Nyugati in this window.

Snapshot

From August 25 to September 20, Keleti will be closed to all trains as track, switch, and overhead-line work proceeds. Westbound long-distance services on the Győr mainline, including the Vienna corridor, will start and end at Budapest-Kelenföld. InterCity and InterRégió services toward Miskolc and Békéscsaba will use Nyugati, with a few suburban lines short-turning at Kőbánya felső where bus links meet the metro. For river cruisers, the cleanest plan is Kelenföld to the city on Metro M4, then a short walk or taxi to hotels, restaurants, and the riverfront. BKK is adding capacity and accepting rail tickets on designated routes during the works. Build 20 to 30 minutes of margin for transfers, and confirm your train's Budapest station when booking.

Background

Keleti, Budapest's busiest international hub, funnels Railjet, InterCity, and regional services across Hungary and into Central Europe. The closure window, August 25 through September 20, concentrates a deep maintenance push to cut failures and speed restrictions. MÁV's program includes replacing sleepers and switches, ballast cleaning and track regulation, plus catenary work and platform refreshes. Because Keleti sits in Pest, many travelers have habit-based routings that end there; during the works, MÁV is re-platforming by corridor to balance flows between Kelenföld in Buda and Nyugati in Pest. BKK, the city transport operator, is backing the rail plan with a temporary express tram, added frequency, and limited ticket acceptance so rail passengers can connect across town without buying extra fares. For visitors, the M4 metro between Kelenföld and Keleti area stations is the simplest, most reliable bridge during the outage.

Latest Developments

Where your train will arrive, Kelenföld vs. Nyugati

By corridor, MÁV's plan is clear. Trains on the Győr mainline, which covers Vienna and points west, will arrive at and depart from Budapest-Kelenföld. InterCity services to Pécs and Kaposvár also use Kelenföld. Eastbound services that normally use Keleti shift as follows, Budapest-Miskolc InterCity moves to Nyugati, while Békéscsaba InterRégió and InterCity services also use Nyugati. Some InterRégió and S-lines will start or end at Kőbánya felső, with shuttle links toward the M2 metro at Puskás Ferenc Stadion. Practical tip for cruisers, if your ship is moored near the central embankments, treat Kálvin tér or Fővám tér as your M4 stop and walk the last stretch, or use a short taxi hop.

Using Metro M4 between Kelenföld and the city

Metro M4 runs Kelenföld vasútállomás to Keleti pályaudvar with intermediate stops that are perfect for sightseeing breaks. From Kelenföld, ride to Fővám tér for the Great Market Hall and Liberty Bridge views, or one more stop to Kálvin tér for the National Museum and hotel clusters. End-to-end is roughly 13 minutes with frequent service. During the closure, BKK is boosting capacity and introducing a temporary express tram, while accepting rail tickets on specified routes to ease cross-city transfers. Buy or validate your BKK ticket before boarding when required, keep your rail ticket handy when using eligible BKK lines, and watch station signage for crowd-management flows. Elevators and wide gates on M4 make luggage easy, which helps if you are heading to or from your river cruise.

Vienna, Austria, and Balkans connections

For Vienna, Salzburg, and other westbound destinations, assume Budapest-Kelenföld as your Budapest station throughout the closure. Vienna-bound Railjet and other long-distance trains on the Győr mainline will use Kelenföld, preserving normal frequencies with minor platform changes. For the Balkans, Croatia's Adria InterCity and the daytime Budapest-Zagreb service shift to Kelenföld as well, with slight retimes published in operator notices. Eastward toward Romania, Békéscsaba and the Curtici border flows pivot to Nyugati, so allow time if you are connecting between stations. Belgrade's direct service remains limited while the corridor upgrade continues; travelers typically route via Szeged and Subotica until the rebuilt line fully opens. Always verify your Budapest terminal on your ticket, and consider building a Kelenföld coffee stop into your plan if your hotel is not yet ready for luggage.

Analysis

River cruisers often land early and sail late, which makes station choice and baggage handling central to a good day in Budapest. With Keleti offline, Kelenföld becomes your most likely railhead. Treat M4 as your spine, then branch to short walks or taxis. Kálvin tér places you near District V hotels, cafés, and the river promenade. Fővám tér drops you beside the Great Market Hall for an easy first lunch, then a scenic stroll across Liberty Bridge to Gellért Baths. If you need a museum hour, ride one more stop to Rákóczi tér and walk to the Erkel Theatre area. For embarkation days, aim to be riverside two hours before boarding windows, which leaves a cushion if platforms change at Kelenföld or if metro crowds slow escalators. For disembarkation days, pack a day bag and leave your main suitcase sealed; most hotels will store luggage for free, and station lockers at Keleti will not be available during the works. When heading onward to Vienna, board at Kelenföld, then enjoy a no-stress two and a half hours to Wien Hbf. If you are continuing to Croatia, confirm whether you are on the daytime IC or the overnight seasonal service, both using Kelenföld in this window. Eastbound travelers to Romania should arrive at Nyugati early, then connect by metro or tram to dinner in the center after ticketing. Build margin, keep plans flexible, and your Budapest stop still feels effortless.

Final Thoughts

Budapest remains easy to explore during the Keleti closure if you plan around the two hubs, Kelenföld for west and south, Nyugati for east. Use Metro M4 as your backbone, then pick stops that match your hotel or your favorite pre-cruise snack. Confirm your terminal when booking, allow a little extra transfer time, and lean on BKK's added capacity. If you are tracking river conditions, pair this with our planning tools for Danube sailings. With a few tweaks, your embarkation or post-cruise day still delivers Budapest's baths, markets, and river views, even during the Budapest Keleti station closure.

Related reading: Budapest Keleti closure diverts trains Aug 25 to Sep 20 and River Levels.