Revolutionary change: BKK to launch flexible bus service to make commuting easier for many in Budapest

Budapest is set to introduce a new type of bus service, responding directly to passenger needs by offering flexible routes. The Budapest Transport Company (BKK) will be the first in Hungary to create and test a demand-driven, dynamic transit system.

BKK to introduce a flexible bus service

The innovation behind the proposed Telebus service lies in its lack of a fixed route. Instead, passengers will specify their pick-up and drop-off locations when booking, and the bus’s route will be optimised in real-time using software to meet these requests.

BKK will be the first in Hungary to create and test a demand-driven, dynamic transit system. Photo: depositphotos.com

According to BKK, this new Telebus line is expected to launch in 2025 under the number 274, Pénzcentrum writes. It will follow a scheduled departure from Cinkota HÉV station, continuing along Ostoros Street and Bóbitás Street, before transitioning into a flexible-route area. If a request is made, the bus will pass through Menyhért Street, Monoki Street, and Muzsika Street, stopping at the Muzsika Street bus stop, served by the 31 bus. Within the flexible area, the bus won’t follow a predetermined route but will instead adjust to demand, serving key streets based on requests for pick-up or drop-off.

First of its kind

The first year of operation will serve as a test phase, with buses running at approximately 30-minute intervals. The service will connect to the H8 and H9 HÉV trains at Cinkota and to the 31 bus at Muzsika Street.

The 274 bus will not travel along a fixed route within the designated area but will instead navigate the streets pre-selected for potential stops, based on passenger demand. These pick-up and drop-off points won’t be traditional bus stops but will be marked locations along streets or at intersections, allowing passengers to board or alight from buses arriving from any direction.

BKK has initiated a public consultation process regarding the proposed 274 bus route and is seeking feedback from local residents and stakeholders through an online survey, available on their public consultation website.

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Featured image: depositphotos.com