A man brought one of Budapest’s busiest tram routes to a standstill after spending several hours dancing, jumping and performing gymnastic movements on top of a tram in the Hungarian capital.

The unusual incident took place in the early hours of Thursday morning on a Combino tram operating on the city’s busy 4-6 line. Witnesses reported seeing the man moving around on the roof of the vehicle, at times dancing, bending and jumping while emergency services attempted to bring the situation under control.

According to RTL’s report, police officers were called to the scene and spent a considerable amount of time trying to persuade the man to come down safely. Ambulance crews also attended the incident, while bystanders captured footage showing the dramatic rescue operation.

Tram services suspended for hours

The man’s actions caused significant disruption to public transport across one of Budapest’s most heavily used tram corridors. Tram services on lines 4 and 6 were suspended for an extended period, with replacement buses brought in to transport passengers.

Traffic on the route remained disrupted throughout the night, and delays were still being reported during the morning rush hour. Normal operations were only fully restored at around 6 AM.

The transport operator said the rescue operation required the affected section of the tram network to be temporarily de-energised for safety reasons. The company also reported damage to the tram, including a broken windscreen wiper and a damaged rear-view mirror.

Dramatic rescue ends with inflatable cushion

After hours of negotiations, emergency responders succeeded in convincing the man to leave the tram roof. He eventually descended onto a large inflatable rescue cushion positioned below the vehicle.

Following the rescue, paramedics transported him to hospital for further assessment and treatment. Witnesses told local media that the man appeared to have suffered a head injury and was bleeding during the incident.

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Police launch investigation

Hungarian police have launched proceedings against the man on suspicion of disrupting the operation of a public utility service. Authorities have not yet released further details about the circumstances leading up to the incident or the man’s condition after he was taken to hospital.

Videos of the unusual stunt have since circulated online, attracting attention due to the length of the stand-off and the disruption caused to one of Budapest’s most important public transport routes.

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