Hungary sets date for new motorway bypassing Budapest – VIDEO

Hungary has given the green light to a transformative infrastructure project that will fundamentally change how travellers navigate the country. The new M200 motorway, connecting the M1 (Vienna-Budapest route) directly to Hungary’s southern motorway network, will allow drivers to bypass the congested capital entirely when travelling to Croatia, Serbia, Romania, or Lake Balaton.

The project represents one of the most significant developments in Hungarian transport infrastructure in decades, and for foreign travellers, it could mean saving hours of driving time and avoiding Budapest’s notorious traffic.

Why this matters for international travellers

Currently, drivers arriving from Austria or Western Europe via the M1 motorway who want to reach southern destinations face a frustrating reality: they must navigate through or around Budapest using the heavily congested M0 ring road to access the southbound motorways, VG.hu said.

The new M200-M8 corridor changes everything:

• To Croatia (Adriatic coast): Direct route from M1 to M6/M7 without entering Budapest
• To Serbia (Belgrade): M1 connects to M5 via the new route
• To Romania (Transylvania): Bypass the capital entirely
• To Lake Balaton: Faster western approach without city traffic
• To Southern Hungary: Direct access to Kecskemét and Szeged regions

The motorway will effectively create an alternative southern corridor that relieves pressure on Budapest’s overstretched M0 ring road, which currently handles massive volumes of transit traffic never intended for the capital region.

The Route: M1 to M5/M6 connection

The M200 motorway will run from the M1 motorway (the main Vienna-Budapest route) near Székesfehérvár, Hungary’s ninth-largest city, and connect southward through Sárbogárd to join the M8 motorway, which will continue to Kecskemét where it meets the M5 (the main Budapest-Szeged-Serbian border route).

Key connections:

• M1 junction: 13th interchange on the M1 motorway
• M7 crossing: The new road will cross the M7 (Budapest-Lake Balaton-Croatia motorway)
• M8 connection: Links at Sárbogárd, continuing to Kecskemét
• M5 access: Via M8, providing direct western-to-southern route
• M6 indirect access: Through M8 and southern road network

The motorway will be built to 2×2 lane specifications with 110 km/h speed limits, matching Hungary’s modern motorway standards.

Timeline: when can travellers use it?

Hungarian authorities have announced concrete completion dates:

• 2027: Construction begins
• 2030: Sárbogárd to M1 section opens (the M200 proper)
• 2031: Sárbogárd to Dunaújváros section completed
• Future: Full M8 extension to Kecskemét and M5 connection

This means that by 2030-2031, travellers will be able to drive from Vienna to southern Hungary, Croatia, or Serbia without touching Budapest’s road network for the first time in Hungary’s modern history.

Impact on Budapest traffic

The new motorway is expected to significantly reduce traffic on the M0 ring road, particularly on the southern and western sections which currently handle enormous volumes of transit traffic.

For context, the M0 currently forces all east-west and north-south transit traffic through a single congested corridor around Budapest. During peak periods and holiday weekends, delays of 30-60 minutes are common, and accidents can cause gridlock for hours.

The M200-M8 corridor will allow:

• Western European tourists heading to Croatia to bypass Budapest entirely
• Austrian and German travellers to reach Lake Balaton via a less congested route
• Transit traffic to Serbia and Romania to avoid the capital
• Commercial freight to use alternative routes, reducing truck traffic in Budapest

Local authorities estimate this could reduce M0 traffic by 15-20% on key sections, dramatically improving conditions for both local commuters and remaining transit traffic.

Strategic importance beyond tourism

While the benefits for holiday travellers are obvious, the motorway has deeper strategic significance:

Economic development: The cities of Székesfehérvár and Dunaújváros will gain direct motorway access to both western and southern markets. Dunaújváros, home to the struggling Dunaferr steel plant, particularly sees this as crucial for its economic future.

Logistics hub potential: The junction of M1, M7, and the new M200-M8 corridor creates a major logistics node in central Hungary, potentially attracting distribution centres and manufacturing.

National connectivity: Hungary will have completed a proper motorway grid, rather than the current spoke-and-hub system centred entirely on Budapest.

As Pintér Tamás, Mayor of Dunaújváros, noted: “This development would further strengthen Dunaújváros’s central position and open up unavoidable logistics opportunities for the city and region.”

What this means for your next trip

If you’re planning to drive through Hungary in the coming years, here’s what to expect:

Before 2030:

• Continue using M0 ring road to access southern motorways
• Expect congestion, especially during summer holiday periods
• Allow extra time for Budapest bypass

After 2030:

• New M200 offers direct M1 to southern network connection
• Significantly faster journeys to Croatia, Serbia, Lake Balaton
• Less stress navigating Hungary’s road network
• Potential toll costs on new motorway section (Hungary uses vignette system)

Pro tip: Hungary’s motorway vignette (e-matrica) system requires pre-purchase. Make sure your vignette covers all motorways you’ll use, including new sections as they open.

Also important:

Drivers in Hungary could save up to EUR 40 on motorway vignettes in 2026 – but many remain unaware

The bigger picture: Trans-European Corridors

The M200-M8 project fits into broader European transport planning. It creates an alternative route for the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors that currently funnel through Budapest.

For travellers from Northern Europe, Scandinavia, or the Baltic states heading to the Balkans or Greece, this new route offers a viable alternative to the traditional path through Budapest, potentially redistributing traffic more evenly across Hungary’s motorway network.

If you missed it:

New road signs are spreading in Europe – when will they reach Hungary?

Environmental and safety considerations

Modern motorways are significantly safer than older trunk roads, and the replacement of Route 52 (currently serving the Kecskemét corridor and described by local officials as being in “tragic” condition) with a proper motorway will likely save lives.

The environmental impact is more complex: while new motorways generate some additional traffic through induced demand, removing heavy transit traffic from urban areas like Budapest improves air quality and reduces emissions where people actually live.

Looking ahead

With construction potentially beginning in 2027 and the first sections opening by 2030, the M200 motorway represents a significant shift in how Hungary’s transport network functions.

For the millions of Western Europeans who drive through Hungary each year on their way to summer holidays in Croatia, winter ski trips in Romania, or business in the Balkans, this new route will be a welcome development—one less congested city to navigate, one more efficient route to their destination.

As infrastructure projects go, it’s rare to find one that benefits locals, tourists, transit traffic, and economic development simultaneously. The M200-M8 corridor appears to be one of those rare exceptions.