Major Budapest bridge will be revamped soon – design process kicks off

The condition of Petőfi Bridge deteriorates year by year, prompting Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) to complete preparatory work for its modernisation between 2021 and 2023. On 24 February 2026, the Budapest Municipal Assembly approved funding for the first phase of the design process – the preparation of permit documentation and acquisition of necessary approvals.

The full assembly endorsed the launch of a tender for these design tasks the following day, paving the way for a decision on the scope of refurbishment and detailed plans, likely in autumn 2027.​

Flexible refurbishment options

A comprehensive structural overhaul of Petőfi Bridge – tailored to Budapest’s finances – could proceed in phases, per a November 2025 assembly resolution. Once permit plans and costs are clear, city leaders must weigh full renewal against partial measures by autumn 2027, even if the estimated 40-45 billion forint (£85-95 million) for a complete job proves elusive. Essential interventions would still go ahead regardless.​

Years of preparation

Planning has advanced steadily since 2021, with studies and inspections completed by 2023 and BKK readying tender documents. Funding for the procurement emerged in the 2026 city budget, sealed by the Municipal Council’s yesterday pact between BKK and the municipality.

Strategic phasing

BKK will now design a full refurbishment at permit level; afterwards, Budapest can opt for mere preservation work or a thorough upgrade, depending on its coffers and any central government aid. This timeline allows swift action on construction if funds materialise, staving off traffic curbs and escalating costs from further decay. Exact design expenses will emerge post-tender.​

Overdue modernisation

A full upgrade is decades overdue: the last major work came in 1979-80, followed by partial fixes in 1996 and slab repairs in 2013-14 amid corrosion from water ingress. With Danube bridges needing attention every 30-35 years, Petőfi tops BKK and Budapest Road Management’s priority list, its steelwork, concrete, deck, railings, and walkways all ravaged. Total costs, pegged at 40-45 billion forint gross, hinge on detailed plans, inflation, materials, and labour – underscoring the economic case for prompt intervention, with contractor tenders eyed for autumn 2028 and works possibly starting in 2029.

Budapest’s bridge legacy

The capital knows large-scale bridge reconstructions well: the Chain Bridge was reborn in just 25 months between 2021 and 2023, gleaming anew for the city’s 150th unification anniversary. With spans requiring overhauls every three decades, Budapest should tackle one every decade – making Petőfi urgent, with Árpád Bridge next in line.

​Municipal councillors of Fidesz, which is the opposition in Budapest, warned in November that the bridge was in a deteriorating state. They also shared images showing how the stain had already eaten away much of its structure.

If you missed our previous articles concerning traffic in Budapest:

• Budapest to repair 1,000 potholes a day: extreme winter left roads in record bad condition
• Autonomous taxis to roam Budapest streets this year