Heavy snowfall throws Budapest traffic into chaos

Heavy snowfall caused widespread disruption across Budapest on Tuesday, as winter weather tightened its grip on the Hungarian capital and surrounding motorways. Despite continuous clearing efforts, many roads remain snow-covered, slushy and extremely slippery, leading to major delays, rerouted public transport services and numerous traffic accidents.

Snowfall caused massive disruptions in Budapest’s transport

Meteorological forecasts had warned of snow, freezing rain and rainfall, and conditions have unfolded largely as predicted. In several parts of Budapest, driving has become hazardous, with the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) reporting serious difficulties on multiple bus routes. Several services have been diverted, shortened or suspended entirely due to impassable road sections, while others are skipping certain stops to maintain limited operation.

Among the most affected routes, multiple buses are no longer serving sections of their original lines, and some, including the 149 service, have been completely withdrawn for the day, reports Telex. Passengers are also advised that a number of buses are stopping at alternative tram replacement stops rather than their usual locations, particularly at major hubs such as Móricz Zsigmond Square, Margit Bridge and Astoria. The Zugliget Chairlift has also been shut down because of adverse weather conditions.

Budapest Transport Centre asks everybody to use public transport

Authorities are urging residents to allow for significantly longer travel times and, where possible, to opt for public transport instead of driving. The disaster management agency has stressed that only vehicles prepared for winter conditions should be used, advising motorists to drive cautiously, adapt to poor visibility and road conditions, and keep fuel tanks full.

The situation is not limited to the capital. Several serious accidents have been reported nationwide, including collisions on major motorways. On the M0 ring road, crashes involving multiple vehicles have led to lane closures and congestion stretching several kilometres. Similar scenes have unfolded on the M7 motorway towards Budapest, where traffic has come to a standstill near Siófok following multi-car pile-ups, forcing drivers onto alternative routes.

With snowfall expected to continue, travellers are strongly advised to check the latest updates on the BKK website or via the BudapestGO app before setting off, and to prepare for ongoing disruptions throughout the day.