Budapest revives Gellért Hill project after 20 years – planned funicular could carry over 1,000 passengers per hour

The recently renovated Citadel on Gellért Hill has reopened to visitors, while a long-delayed funicular project has once again returned to the agenda. The development could help ease the growing traffic pressure on the area, which is already heavily burdened.

Replacing tourist buses with a funicular?

Transport on Gellért Hill has been overloaded for years, and the situation has only worsened recently. An estimated 4–5 million visitors arrive here annually, while the narrow hillside roads struggle to handle the volume. Traffic jams are common, tourist buses often queue up, and cars frequently park on both sides of the streets, slowing down even scheduled bus services.

The situation may be further intensified by the renovation of the Citadel, which has reopened and is expected to attract even more visitors. The proposed funicular could offer an alternative by significantly reducing traffic on the hill.

As reported by Portfolio, plans for the Gellért Hill funicular date back to 2004, but the project has been delayed for years due to legal and permitting disputes. In the meantime, developers have obtained several key permits, including building permits for the lower and upper stations, as well as road and railway authority approvals.

A lengthy legal dispute over the environmental permit was finally resolved in 2025, when the developer won the case, making the permit legally binding.

Capacity of over a thousand passengers per hour

According to Portfolio, the funicular could carry around 1,150 passengers per hour in each direction, amounting to an annual capacity of up to 6 million passengers.

The route would start from the Tabán area, at the foot of Gellért Hill on Budapest’s Buda side, run partly underground, and then continue along the hillside to a station near the Citadel. Travel time would be short, and the system would provide a continuous and predictable connection between the city centre and the hill.

The investment is estimated at around HUF 20 billion, with construction expected to take approximately 13 months.

Before construction begins, a three-month archaeological excavation would be required, as the planned route crosses a Celtic earthwork of historical significance. Supporters argue that the funicular could reduce road traffic and environmental impact in the long term, though questions remain about how it can be integrated without harming the landscape.

Budapest sets strict conditions for the funicular project

In response to Portfolio’s inquiry, the Municipality of Budapest stated that it does not oppose the project, but its implementation depends on several conditions.

These include protecting the World Heritage skyline, preserving natural areas, and minimising the loss of green spaces. The city also expects a restrained development approach, avoiding unnecessary commercial facilities.

Transport reorganisation is another key issue: the number of tourist buses should be reduced once the funicular is in operation, and traffic around the Rác Bath area should be improved. The municipality also wants part of the ticket revenue to be reinvested into maintaining the Gellért Hill park.

According to the developer, the current plans already meet several of these requirements, while other aspects will require further negotiations.

Political support may help the project

The project could also gain momentum from recent developments in transport policy. Dávid Vitézy, who has recently been appointed to a key role in the sector, has previously expressed support for the Gellért Hill funicular.

In earlier statements, he argued that only a fixed-track solution could effectively reduce the hill’s congestion. His appointment could therefore give new impetus to the long-delayed project, although its realisation will still depend on agreements between the city and the government.