Taxi drivers block Budapest today in protest against city regulations – UPDATE

On Wednesday, 24 September, significant traffic disruptions are expected across Budapest as taxi drivers stage a marching protest. Their demonstration coincides with the Budapest City Assembly’s debate on an amendment to the taxi regulation, which drivers say ignores their most important demands.

Taxi drivers’ key demands

According to the Taxi Drivers’ Advocacy Organisation (TÉSZ), the city has refused to address the two main issues: limiting the number of taxi licenses and increasing fares.

Ádám Kiss, president of TÉSZ, told InfoRádió: “We are fed up with our requests being ignored – a cap on taxi numbers and fare adjustments. These are the two most important issues for drivers right now, but the city considers everything else more important.”

The group proposes limiting the number of taxis in Budapest to between 6,000 and 6,500, arguing that this would meet average demand without creating oversupply, which undermines drivers’ livelihoods.

Fares have remained unchanged since 2021, despite surging inflation and rising maintenance costs. The organisation is calling for at least a 20–30% increase, even in two stages, with annual reviews based on inflation. Current fares – HUF 1,100 (EUR 2.8) base fee, HUF 440 per kilometre and HUF 110 per minute – would rise to HUF 1,500 (EUR 3.8), HUF 560 and HUF 150 respectively.

• Choosing the best taxi service in Budapest: A guide for tourists

What is the city proposing?

City officials argue that there are too many taxis in Budapest, which causes both quality and livelihood problems, and are pushing for tighter regulation to clean up the market and improve passenger safety. The proposed amendments include:

• mandatory display of the driver’s name,
• stricter rules for card payments,
• improvements to passenger-side apps,
• granting the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) access to ride data,
• a more detailed registry of taxi drivers and vehicles,
• mandatory “de-yellowing” of vehicles once they leave the sector,
• stricter vehicle inspections and driver requirements,
• and permission for audio and video recording inside taxis.

According to Ambrus Kiss, Director General of the Mayor’s Office, these measures will make the industry more transparent and better regulated, ultimately benefiting passengers.

• Video and audio recordings could soon be mandatory in Budapest taxis

Rising tensions between Budapest and taxi drivers

Taxi associations, however, say their core professional proposals have been left out. Zoltán Metál, president of the National Taxi Association, described the package as “much ado about nothing,” adding that several new obligations – such as compulsory cameras and de-yellowing – place unjustified financial burdens on drivers.

Major traffic disruptions expected

Today’s protest will see taxi drivers marching between City Hall and Heroes’ Square. Organisers expect far higher turnout than at the January demonstration, which drew around 500–800 participants. Significant disruptions are therefore expected in downtown Budapest, especially along the protest routes.

The drivers hope the protest will force the city to take their demands seriously and revise the regulation accordingly. The final debate on the proposal is scheduled for this afternoon at the City Assembly.

UPDATE: Police take action against taxis slowing down traffic on Margit Bridge

The police have begun taking the necessary measures against taxis slowing down traffic on Margit Bridge, the Budapest Police Headquarters announced on Wednesday. They wrote that taxi organisations had announced two rallies in the capital on Wednesday: on Városház Street in District V and on Heroes’ Square.

The Budapest Police Headquarters acknowledged both rallies, but contrary to the acknowledged announcement, participants are slowing down traffic on Margit Bridge, so police have begun taking the necessary measures to ensure the flow of traffic, they said.

UPDATE 2.0: Demands

Norbert Váczi, co-chairman of the Budapest Taxi Association, told reporters at City Hall that professional organisations have been negotiating with the capital for almost a year. They requested that taxi fares be adjusted to the changed economic situation, i.e., a fare increase and automatic annual adjustments. They also requested regulation of the number of taxis, i.e., a cap on the number of taxis and the elimination of illegal passenger transport.

The lobbyist said that the Budapest General Assembly is expected to discuss amendments to the taxi regulations on Wednesday, but these do not include the requests of the taxi organisations, only provisions that make their working conditions more difficult, such as tightening the point system. The taxi organisation is demanding that the proposal be withdrawn and substantive negotiations begin, and until this is done, they will continue to demonstrate, Norbert Váczi said.

He added that representatives of taxi drivers will also attend Wednesday’s meeting of the Budapest General Assembly in person. According to the organisers, hundreds of taxis lined up in the streets around City Hall and Heroes’ Square.