Major multi-vehicle crash shuts down Hungarian motorway, causing 15-km-long traffic jam

A serious traffic accident involving a lorry, five passenger cars and a trailer has brought traffic to a standstill on Hungary’s M1 motorway on Saturday afternoon, forcing authorities to completely close one side of the highway near the town of Ács. The crash caused long tailbacks stretching over 15 kilometres and prompted a large-scale emergency response.

According to Hungary’s road traffic information service Útinform, the accident occurred shortly after midday on the Vienna-bound M1 motorway, one of the country’s busiest transport corridors linking Budapest with western Hungary and Austria. Due to ongoing roadworks in the area, traffic had been diverted into a temporary contraflow system, and the collision took place in this redirected section at kilometre marker 88.

Lorry, cars and trailer collide in temporary traffic diversion

Reports indicate that a heavy goods vehicle collided with five cars and a trailer, which was believed to be towed by one of the passenger vehicles. The circumstances of the accident are still under investigation, but the impact was severe enough to trap two people inside one of the vehicles.

According to Blikk, professional firefighters from Komárom and Tatabánya, supported by local municipal and volunteer fire brigades from Ács, carried out a complex technical rescue operation. The trapped occupants were freed from the wreckage using specialised equipment.

Due to the seriousness of the injuries, an air ambulance helicopter was also dispatched to the scene, alongside ground ambulance units. Authorities have not yet released official information about the condition of those involved.

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Full closure towards Budapest, traffic diverted

As a result of the crash and the ongoing rescue and investigation work, police ordered a full closure of the Budapest-bound side of the M1 motorway near Ács. Traffic heading towards the capital has been diverted off the motorway at kilometre marker 93, with drivers instructed to rejoin the M1 near Komárom.

Útinform and disaster management authorities have urged motorists to avoid the affected section if possible and to expect significant delays throughout the afternoon and early evening. Drivers travelling in the opposite direction were also warned of slow-moving traffic as congestion continued to build around the crash site.

Authorities urge caution and alternative routes

Police and emergency services remain on the scene while forensic investigations are carried out and damaged vehicles are removed. There is currently no official information on when the motorway will be reopened in full.

Motorists are being advised to plan alternative routes, monitor real-time traffic updates and follow the instructions of police and emergency personnel working at the site. Authorities have also reminded drivers to exercise increased caution, particularly in roadwork zones where traffic patterns may change unexpectedly.