On the proposal of János Lázár, Minister of Construction and Transport, the government has cancelled the HUF 1.1 billion EU funding contract already awarded for the spring design competition for the Nyugati Railway Station. The government gave the green light for the project last October, but the official justification for cancelling it is to protect the reduction of overheads and to meet defence objectives in a time of war in Hungary's neighbourhood.
In October 2021, a two-round, open, international architectural design competition was launched for the renewal of the Nyugati Railway Station and its surroundings.
The project was to create a two-storey terminal station with 13 tracks above ground and 6 underground, which would have also connected to a future railway tunnel. This would double the capacity of the station, while reducing its footprint, allowing for the creation of a new park and new urban development areas.
Twelve architect teams were shortlisted and the first prize was awarded to British architects Grimshaw Architects on 26 March 2022.