From today, 1 July 2024, the Ministry of Construction and Transport has made it possible for delegation vehicles arriving in the capital for the Hungarian EU Presidency to use the bus lanes. In addition to the amendment to the Highway Code, newly authorised cars will also be issued with distinctive stickers to make them easier to check and detect.
The Ministry of Construction and Transport (MCPT) is amending legislation to help transport in the capital during the EU presidency. To prevent EU presidency-related vehicles from causing additional congestion on Budapest’s already busy road network, an amendment to the decree on road traffic rules will allow “designated vehicles of delegations to use bus and trolleybus lanes without disturbing bus and trolleybus traffic, i.e. public transport” from 1 July.
However, this applies strictly only to designated vehicles that can use the bus lane without disrupting public transport. The bus lane will remain the bus and trolleybus lane, and public transport will continue to have priority.
Totalcar reports that vehicles newly entitled to use the bus lane will also receive distinctive self-adhesive stickers, which will be mandatory on the front and rear of vehicles to facilitate control and visibility.
The Highway Code is being rewritten in Hungary
The current legislation was drawn up in 1977 and has undergone several amendments since then. The authorities and the Ministry believe an entirely new basis should be given to the almost 50-year-old legislation.
The need for change is justified by the emergence of new types of vehicles, and the Hungarian Automobile Club, among others, is making suggestions to the Ministry of Construction and Transport, which is coordinating the whole process.
Experts believe that their silence is a significant source of danger for electric vehicles, especially smaller ones. There are proposals to install a motor that makes a sound, as they often travel unnoticed.
As we wrote, a vast renovation will start in Budapest this year, and traffic jams are expected. Readdetails HERE.
Police will check drivers nationwide between 17 and 23 June 2024 in Hungary.
Between 17 and 23 June, the Hungarian Police will carry out a nationwide operation based on the annual control plan of the European Road Policing Network (ROADPOL), police.hu reports.
During this period, uniformed officers target people who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, drunk or intoxicated.
Traffic restrictions will commence on Friday evening at Heroes’ Square, Kós Károly Promenade, and sections of Andrássy and Hermina Road due to a scheduled event. As a result, public transportation services in these areas will follow modified routes to accommodate the changes.
Traffic changes near Heroes’ Square due to an event
Híradó.hu reports that from 8 p.m. on Friday to 4 a.m. on Saturday, the “Night of Movement” will be held in Heroes’ Square and City Park. Budapest’s Public Transport Company (BKK) shares that due to the event, Kós Károly Promenade and Heroes’ Square will be closed from Friday evening at 6 p.m. until Saturday at 6 a.m., and from Friday at 9 p.m. until midnight, Dózsa György Street between Damjanich Street and Szondi Street, Andrássy Street between Heroes’ Square and Oktogon, and Hermina Street towards Ajtósi Dürer Row.
Restriction due to cyclists
During the cycling parade, scheduled between 12.15 a.m. and 2.00 a.m. on Saturday, major junctions will experience brief closures, allowing cross traffic to pass in sections. Traffic restrictions will be enforced along certain parts of the route. Here is the route the cyclists will follow: Dózsa György Road–Dráva Street–Népfürdő Street–Árpád Bridge–Margit Island ramp–Schulek Frigyes Promenade–Margit Bridge driveway–Margit Bridge–Arpád Prince’s Road–Bem embankment–Bem József Square–Fő Street-Clark Ádám Square–Chain Bridge–Széchenyi István Square–Apáczai Csere János Street–Petőfi Square–Belgrade Quay– Fővám Square–Vámház Boulevard–Kálvin Square–Múzeum Boulevard – Károly Boulevard–Deák Ferenc Square–Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Avenue–Andrássy Avenue–Heroes’ Square.
The affected routes
Bus 20E will stop at the bus stops of buses 30, 901 and 32 at Ötvenhatosok Square, Kacsóh Pongrác Road and Vágány Street/Róbert Károly Boulevard instead of Heroes’ Square and Vágány Street/Róbert Károly Boulevard.
Buses 30, 30A and 230 will stop at the bus stops between Zichy Géza Street and Gundel Károly Street instead of Damjanich Street/Dózsa György Road, Benczúr Street and Heroes’ Square, where buses 72 and 74 will stop.
The 105 and 210 buses will not stop at the stops between Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road and Heroes’ Square, instead, the 72 trolleybus will stop at the affected stops between St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Honvédkórház.
Trolleybus 70 will not stop at the Olof Palme Promenade and Dvorák Promenade stops, but will instead stop at the 74 trolleybus stops between the Institute for the Blind and Ötvenhatosok Square. Trolleybuses 72 and 74 are expected to stop at Bethesda Street between 9 p.m. and 11.30 p.m., while they will stop at Ciklámen Street after the crossing of Zichy Mihály Street on the way to Ajtósi Dürer Row.
From 9 pm, trolleybus 75 will stop at the stops of trolleybus 72 between Ötvenhatosok Square and Heroes’ Square. The 76 trolleybuses will stop between Jászai Mari Square and Nyugati Railway Station and between Keleti Railway Station and Károly Boulevard.
The buses 909, 914, 914A, 950 and 950A to Deák Ferenc tér will temporarily stop on Üllői Road in front of Kálvin Square and at the Astoria tram stops of trams 47 and 49 between 01.20 a.m. and 2 a.m. The 990 bus will run from Friday midnight to 00.35 a.m. across the Erzsébet Bridge, stopping at the bus stops of bus number 5 between Széll Kálmán Square and Ferenciek Square
In Budapest, Andrássy Avenue between Kodály körönd and Heroes’ Square will be closed for a political demonstration from 9 PM on Friday evening, and Dózsa György Street between Podmaniczky Street and Városligeti fasor from 9 AM on Saturday morning, the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) said on Friday.
Budapest public transport changes
Photo: depositphotos.com
On Saturday, at 2 PM, Péter Magyar, vice-president of the Tisza Party (now the second strongest party in the country and the strongest opposition party), will hold a demonstration at Heroes’ Square. Traffic restrictions and closures are to be expected due to the event, Indexreports based on BKK.
According to the statement from BKK, during the closure of Andrássy Avenue from 9 PM on Friday to midnight on Saturday, buses 105, 210, and 210B will be diverted towards Podmaniczky Street. They will not stop between Vörösmarty Street and Heroes’ Square, instead, they will stop at the 72 trolleybus stops between Nyugati Railway Station (Podmaniczky Street) and Bajza Street, and at Podmaniczky Street near Heroes’ Square.
According to the BKK statement, the closures are expected to remain in effect until midnight on Saturday.
Bus 979 will be diverted along the Városligeti fasor-Bajza Street-Damjanich Street route, stopping at the 70 trolleybus stops between Kodály Körönd and Damjanich Street/Dózsa György Road. Bus 979A will operate on a shortened route to Oktogon due to the closures.
During the closure of Dózsa György Road from 9 AM to midnight on Saturday, bus 20E will follow a modified route through Városliget towards Hungária Boulevard, not stopping at Heroes’ Square and Vágány Street/Róbert Károly Boulevard.
Buses 30, 30A, 79, and 230 will be diverted along the Állatkerti Boulevard-Hermina Road-Zichy Mihály Road route, stopping at the 70 and 72 trolleybus stops between Dvorák Promenade and the Zoo.
Trolleybus 75 will operate along the Hermina Road-Állatkerti Boulevard route, temporarily stopping at the 72 trolleybus stops between Stefánia Road and Gundel Károly Road (Heroes’ Square).
Temporary traffic restrictions in District V
Photo: facebook.com/husztizenegy
The Budapest Police Headquarters informs drivers of the following traffic changes in the capital. It will be prohibited to stop from 12 AM to 3 PM on 8 June 2024 in the entire parking area of Kamermayer Károly Square in District V.
Additionally, it will be prohibited to stop from 4 PM on 8 June 2024 to 6 AM on 10 June 2024 in front of 23-25 Böszörményi Road, on the odd side of Böszörményi Road between Kiss János altábornagy Street and Apor Vilmos Square, and on both sides of Kiss János altábornagy Street between Törpe Street and Margaréta Street.
From 4 PM on 8 June 2024 to 6 AM on 10 June 2024, it will be prohibited to stop on both sides of Varsó Street between Pétervárad Street and Bácskai Street in District XIV, Budapest, on the entire section of Pétervárad Street, and on both sides of Nagybecskerek Street between Pétervárad Street and Bácskai Street.
Based on forecasts by the national water-level service, Gergely Karácsony, the mayor of Budapest, has issued a first-degree (lowest) flood alert along four stretches of the River Danube in Budapest, the mayor’s office said on Tuesday.
The lower embankment of the Danube is expected to be closed to traffic from 8 PM on Thursday, the statement said. Starting from Thursday afternoon, all cars parked in the area despite warnings to be placed on their windshield will be towed, it added.
Based on current forecasts, a higher-level flood alert may be introduced in the coming days.
The National Water Directorate General (OVF) told MTI on Monday that the water authority is prepared to protect the Danube river basin against the tidal surge caused by the significant amount of rain that has fallen in recent days and is expected to continue.
The National Technical Management Team of the water authority started working at 8 AM on Monday to coordinate the protection works. More than 60 specialists will be assigned from the Tisza water management directorates to the inter-island Danube section, it was reported.
Although the forecasts are uncertain due to unexpectedly heavy rainfall, they said, the latest calculations show that the Danube will rise to near the third degree close to Nagybajcs on Friday morning and is expected to rise above the first degree near Budapest on the weekend, approaching the lower quay.
According to the information, further rainfall was recorded in the upper Danube catchment area, with an area average of 10-18 millimetres of rain falling in the last 24 hours.
Over the next six days, water levels are expected to be above first degree at Komárom, Esztergom, Nagymaros, Budapest, Baja and Mohács, and above first degree on the Mura at Letenye, the Rába at Körmend and Győr. Water levels on the Tarna are above the level of flood protection alert level two, while on the lower reaches of the Zagyva at Jásztelek they are expected to be close to level one, they said.
It was pointed out that due to the heavy rainfall in the spring, the floodplain is subject to very dense vegetation, which slows down the flow of the river and may cause higher water levels than forecast.
“Water experts are monitoring the data 24 hours a day, monitoring the river and adapting flood protection measures to the changing situation,” the statement said.
Read also:
The body of the last victim of the Danube boat accident found, details HERE
Demonstration on the Danube: boatmen protest in Budapest, details HERE
The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) recommends using public transport for those going to the concerts held at the Puskás Arena on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings by today’s biggest Hungarian sensation, Azahriah. If you’re not going to the concert but have business around the area of the arena, public transport is also recommended.
Azahriah (Attila Baukó) in 2023. His concerts in Budapest on 24, 25 and 26 May await tens of thousands of people. Photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás
Traffic restrictions in Budapest on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
According to BKK, Dózsa György Road and Ifjúság Road may be closed from 18.30 in the vicinity of the stadium before the performance, which starts at 20.30. Stefánia Road will be closed for about an hour after the concerts, which are expected to end at 22.30, hvg.hu writes, based on BKK.
As parking is limited at the arena, BKK recommends using public transport to get to the venue.
The M2 and M4 metro lines and tram 1 will run more frequently, and all buses on Thököly Road will stop at Reiner Frigyes Park and Thököly Road/Stefánia Road.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/molbubi
In addition, the company also recommends the use of the MOL Bubi public bicycle system and points out that the stadium can be reached on foot not only from the Puskás Ferenc Stadion metro station but also from the Keleti Railway Station (via Verseny Street) with similar travel times.
BKK added that several buses and trolleybuses will be diverted in the area when the closures take effect.
They whizz by on roads, or roll along on the pavement, with or without knee pads and helmets, with two passengers or just one: today, electric scooters are a common sight on the streets of big cities. Budapest is no different. Yet, as widespread as this form of transport has become, there are still many misconceptions about the rules governing its use, which are, in many cases, not at all clear.
Rtl.hu spoke to Írisz Zsófia Sáfrány, a legal expert at Jog365, to collect the most important rules concerning electric scooters in Hungary. As the site writes, although electric scooters have become a permanent fixture on roads in the last 10 years or so, there is still a lot of controversy surrounding their presence in traffic.
Despite being a fast, cost-efficient, and simple way of transport, the electric scooter “has become a common enemy of the often warring pedestrian-cyclist-driver groups,” rtl.hu writes. The main source of conflict is that each side feels that scooters often do not follow the rules of the Highway Code properly.
However, unfortunately, the situation is not so simple. The problem is that although more than 60,000 scooters have been in use on Hungarian roads for years, their regulation still leaves much to be desired. As rtl.hu points out, the rapid development of technology has challenged legislators, who, it seems, have not yet been able to respond adequately to this – increasingly pressing, and nowadays not so novel – challenge.
Currently, a statement from the Minister of Interior regulates electric scooters – or does it?
Electric scooters are currently not part of the Highway Code, and as such, there is no specific vehicle category in Hungary that covers this means of transport. In 2019, Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér, in response to a question from a member of parliament, said that scooters should be treated as mopeds until there is separate legislation created to regulate them. This position was later confirmed by the National Police Headquarters.
Then, in accordance with the rules regarding mopeds, scooters cannot be ridden on pavements and may travel on cycle paths only outside residential areas. The use of a helmet and a valid driving licence are compulsory for regular scooter riding.
However, the position of the Minister of the Interior does not constitute legislation. Moreover, this categorisation of electric scooters as mopeds is also disputed under the Highway Code, according to which any vehicle falls under the category of a “bicycle” that has at least two wheels, is driven by human power, and is assisted by a motor with a power of up to 300 kW.
Therefore, certain electric scooters with lower power capabilities might be categorised as bicycles and subjected to the rules made for cyclists. For this reason, as the Teszt Plussz Magazine points out, it is largely up to the police officers how lenient they are with people regarding regulations when they ride an electric scooter.
Photo: Pixabay
There are two important rules to be aware of
Regardless of the lack of regulation, there are cases where the rules to follow are clear.
First of all, drunk driving on an electric scooter is strictly forbidden. The Curia has taken a clear position on this, pointing out that electric scooters are undoubtedly mechanically propelled vehicles and therefore it is prohibited to drive them under the influence of alcohol. If someone drives an electric scooter while drunk, they are to face the same legal consequences as if they had driven a motorbike or a car while under the influence.
The second case, which is less direct but still important to be aware of, concerns public transport. Generally speaking, if the electric scooter can be folded up and its transport does not endanger the valuables of other passengers (for example, it does not dirty others’ clothes), it can be taken on public transport. If the electric scooter does not fold, it is usually treated the same way as a bicycle and requires a ticket.
However, it is always worth checking the conditions of the service provider. On BKK services, for example, this is stated in the conditions of use:
“Each passenger is entitled to carry either of the following items free of charge: up to two pieces of hand luggage of a size not exceeding 40x50x80cm or 20x20x200cm; […] The transportation of bicycles is conditional upon payment and is allowed only on the suburban railway and the cogwheel railway.”
The conditions of MÁV include the following: “’A passenger may carry a maximum of 2 pieces of hand luggage not exceeding 40x50x80 cm or 2 pieces of hand luggage not exceeding 20x20x200 cm; or in addition to 1 piece of hand luggage […] a small bicycle, a folding bicycle […] free of charge. […] One oversized item larger than the above but not exceeding 100x100x200 cm may be carried in the area marked with a pictogram on the trolleybus, subject to payment of a fee. […] One bicycle per passenger may also be carried in the designated area on the HÉV and on the HÉV replacement bus marked with a pictogram, subject to payment of a fee.”
What changes in laws can we expect in the future?
As DNH reported on it very recently, from mid-July, all non-human powered vehicles capable of exceeding 25 km/h will be required to be covered by insurance.
The speed limit of 25 km/h is likely to be an important number when it comes to future regulations, too. As rtl.hu points out, several statements have already been published that would link the amendment of the Highway Code to this speed: slower vehicles would be included in the bicycle category and faster ones in the moped category.
However, the future of the new regulations is uncertain: the amendment to the Highway Code was originally promised to come into effect last year, but to date, it has not been implemented.
Between 2003 and 2023, the Hungarian Embassy in London accumulated more than HUF 625 million (EUR 1.6 million, GBP 1.37 million) in unpaid congestion charges to the city.
Since the introduction of the London congestion charge in 2003, the Hungarian Embassy has accumulated a considerable amount of unpaid fees. The British capital now wants to recover HUF 625 million, hvg.hu reports.
In a press release, Transport for London (TfL), the local authority responsible for transport in the British capital, also published a “list of shame”. According to the list, the United States owes the most money: however, the Hungarian embassy is also in the middle of the “ranking”.
Budapest owes millions to London
The Hungarian Embassy in London owes millions of pounds to the British capital. Photo: depositphotos.com
According to TfL, between 2003 and 2023, the Hungarian Embassy in London owed them GBP 1,374,870, or more than HUF 625 million, because they have not paid a penny for using the toll road network since the introduction of congestion charging in 2003.
The organisation argues that the congestion charge is not a tax, but a fee for a service, and therefore diplomats are not exempt from it.
TfL says that the majority of embassies are paying the tolls properly, but there is a “stubborn minority” who refuse to pay. Accordingly, GBP 143,527,113, or more than HUF 65 billion, would now be collected from the various embassies, citing congestion charges that have accumulated over nearly 20 years.
Nowadays, electric scooters enjoy enormous popularity. People like them for a set of reasons, they are easy to carry around and they are relatively fast. However, changes will affect electric scooter enthusiasts in Hungary. The range of vehicles that must be covered by compulsory vehicle insurance will be extended from 16 July.
Photo: Pixabay
Compulsory insurance for electric scooters
As Telex has reported, the Association of Hungarian Insurance Companies (MABISZ) highlighted today that according to the latest regulations announced on the 30th of April, certain micro-mobility devices, including certain electric scooters, will be covered by compulsory vehicle insurance.
How does it affect you?
Each operator must verify their vehicle’s net mass and design speed. Insurers have until 8 June to establish tariffs for micro-mobility equipment, a new provision. Currently, estimating premiums for compulsory motor liability insurance for these vehicles is not feasible.
Under the Compulsory Motor Insurance Act, an unregistered vehicle, lacking a registration number, is deemed the responsibility of the operator. Therefore, it’s crucial to confirm if the vehicle requires compulsory motor insurance coverage before use.
On Thursday, Alexandra Szentkirályi, Fidesz’s candidate for mayor in Budapest, wrote on her social media page that Mayor Gergely Karácsony and the new head of the Climate Agency, Ada Ámon, would ban cars older than ten years from the streets of Budapest. Karácsony reacted to the claim and responded to questions on Facebook.
Does Karácsony really want to ban older cars out of Budapest?
Does Budapest mayor Karácsony want to ban cars older than 10 years out of the city? The answer is a short one. Photo: Daily News Hungary
According to Szentkirályi, the head of the Climate Agency spoke in a podcast about the feasibility of banning cars over ten years old from Budapest, thus helping to create zero-emission zones, Index writes.
In a video published on her Facebook page on Thursday, Alexandra Szentkirályi said that according to the Ministry of Interior, there are currently 440,000 cars older than ten years on the streets of the capital. That is 61 percent of all cars in Budapest.
In a comment on his social media page, Gergely Karácsony was asked, “what is true out of this?”. The major provided a short but to-the-point answer:
Nothing.
The head of the Climate Agency also respondedto Szentkirályi’s comments. According to Ada Ámon, she never said what Szentkirályi claims, and assessed the video of the candidate for mayor as the latest product of Fidesz propaganda.
The renovation of the Flórián Square flyover in Óbuda can start this year, BKK (Budapest Transport Centre) wrote on social media. The call for tenders for the renovation was published on 8 May.
Flórián Square flyover renovation could start soon
The flyover at Flórián Square, Budapest, Hungary. Photo: BKK
“In case of a successful procedure, the visible work will start in the second half of the year, as a result of which the flyover will be safe to use for decades to come,” BKK reported on Facebook.
The flyover, which ensures the daily passage of tens of thousands of vehicles, plays a key role in Budapest’s transport system, as it connects transit routes that cross the city’s borders, BKK wrote. They pointed out that the reconstruction of the important flyover could start this year.
Earlier, Ambrus Kiss, Deputy Mayor of Budapest, also said that the renovation of the Flórián Square flyover could start as early as this autumn. According to Pénzcentrum, the renovation of the Flórián Square flyover was put out to tender in 2018, but the only bid received was too expensive, so the work could not start. In March 2024, part of the funds were made available and now the call for tenders has been published.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Budapest today, on Wednesday. This will lead to increased controls and traffic restrictions at Liszt Ferenc International Airport (Budapest Airport) until 10 May. Here are the details.
The Airport Police Directorate has ordered an increased control at the Budapest Airport during the stay of the delegation of Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hungary, police.hu reports.
According to the statement, the restrictions are being introduced to ensure the safety of the delegation’s unhindered transport. Those entering the marked area can also expect increased controls and restrictions on access and stay.
From 6 AM on 8 May until 10 PM on 10 May at the latest, vehicle stops and pedestrian traffic will be banned on certain road sections, including the road to Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport, roadside land and the surrounding area.
From 3 PM to 10 PM on 8 May and from 1:30 PM to 7 PM on 10 May, the walkways of the departure level of Terminal 2A of Budapest Airport will be closed and visitors will not be allowed to enter the observation deck and the AEROPARK area.
From 8 to 10 May, after Paris and Belgrade, Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Budapest. The aim of the visit is to further strengthen inter-state and economic and trade relations between Hungary and China and to extend cooperation to new areas.
Due to the arrival of the Chinese President, temporary traffic restrictions are expected until 10 May: details HERE.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is coming to Budapest today. This visit of historical importance will cause significant abruptions and traffic restrictions in the Hungarian capital. The President is leading a huge delegation, prompting the Hungarian police to restrict traffic in Budapest. According to the Budapest Police Headquarters, the following traffic regime change will take effect in the capital, while it will be forbidden to stop in certain places.
Xi Jinping in Budapest: important traffic restrictions
Source: Pexels/Czapp Árpád
There will be temporary traffic restrictions in District I of Budapest between 7 May and 10 May 2024 due to the arrival of the Chinese delegation, police.hu reports.
Between 7 and 9 May the Neo-Renaissance Garden (Neoreneszánsz kert), between 8 and 9 May the Öntőház Courtyard (Öntőház udvar) and on 9 May the entire area of the Buda Castle District (Budavári Palotanegyed) will be closed. Between 8 and 10 May, there will also be significant traffic restrictions on the approach to the Buda Castle district.
According to the Budapest Police Headquarters, it will be forbidden to stop at the following locations:
From 8 AM on 7 May to 8 PM on 10 May at the following locations in District I:
on both sides of Palota Road,
on the whole Dísz Square,
on both sides of János Hunyadi Street between the entrance barrier and Dísz Square,
on both sides of Tárnok Street between Dísz Square and Szentháromság Square,
on the whole Szentháromság Square,
on the whole Hess András Square,
on both sides of Táncsics Mihály Street between Hess András Square and Boldog XI. Ince Pápa Street,
on both sides of Fortuna Street between Hess András Square and Kard Street,
on the whole Kapisztrán Square,
on both sides of Szent György Street,
on Szent György Square,
on the area of Oroszlános Courtyard (Oroszlános udvar),
on both sides of Színház Street between Dísz Square and Szent György Square.
From 8 May at 5 PM to 10 May at 5 PM, Táncsics Mihály Street and Fortuna Street in District I will be closed and one-way traffic will be introduced in the area of Buda Castle. Road traffic will only be allowed from the Vienna Gate Square (Bécsi kapu tér) towards the Dísz Square on Országház Street and Úri Street.
Tour de Hongrie: further traffic restrictions
Photo: www.facebook.com/TourdeHongrie
The Tour de Hongrie cycling event will also cause temporary traffic restrictions in several Budapest districts on Friday and Saturday, the Budapest Police Headquarters reported. In Budapest districts I, II, III, V, VI, XI and XIV, there will be several changes to the traffic on 10 and 11 May.
It will be forbidden to stop from 6 PM on 10 May to 4 PM on 11 May at the following locations:
on both sides of Állatkert Boulevard (Állatkerti körút) between Gundel Károly Road and Heroes’ Square,
on both sides of the Olof Palme promenade between Heroes’ Square and Verona angyalai Street.
On 11 May from 8 AM to 2 PM at the following locations:
on both sides of Fő Street between Clark Ádám Square and Halász Street,
on both sides of Andrássy Avenue between Oktogon and Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road.
The M4 airport junction was renovated in one month, and the roads around Budapest Airport are fully operational again.
After weeks of renovation, roadworks around Liszt Ferenc International Airport have finally been completed. On 2 April, the scheduled reconstruction of the M4 Ferihegy Airport hub branches started. The reconstruction work was carried out in several phases and was completed nine days ahead of schedule.
Last year, 150,000 square kilometres of the M4 motorway were resurfaced, with the April works involving the levelling of another 15,000 square metres of pavement.
The bridges in the area were also inspected, cleaned and, where necessary, reconstructed.
Passenger traffic at Liszt Ferenc International Airport grew by 20% last year to 14.6 million, reaching 91% of the record year of 2019 by the end of the year. Last year, British passengers visited in the biggest numbers, followed by Italian and German passengers.
Read also:
As we wrote yesterday, a brand new Budapest Airport Hotel is on its way – astonishing VISUALS
The momentum of last week is continuing and fuel prices in Hungary will fall this week, according to a recent data release by Holtankoljak.hu.
In recent weeks, we have witnessed an extraordinary drop in fuel prices in Hungary.
According to current information, petrol will cost HUF 5 less gross, while diesel will cost HUF 4 less gross. This means that vehicle owners can expect the following average prices from mid-week:
95 petrol: HUF 624 (EUR 1.6) per litre – at present: HUF 629 (EUR 1.62) per litre
diesel: HUF 612 (EUR 1.57) per litre – at present: HUF 616 (EUR 1.58) per litre
At the same time, typical retail prices are a few forints lower: petrol is now HUF 624-627 and diesel HUF 610-613. Thus, you can expect the most typical retail prices at petrol stations to be around HUF 620 (EUR 1.59) for petrol and HUF 608 (EUR 1.56) for diesel starting Wednesday.
In mid-April, the average price of 95-litre petrol was HUF 650 per litre and that of diesel was HUF 647. As can be seen, in just three weeks, the average price of petrol has fallen by HUF 26 a litre and diesel by HUF 35 a litre. However, even so far this year, from January to now, the wholesale price of petrol has risen by HUF 94 per litre and the price of diesel by HUF 46, but this includes HUF 41 due to the mandatory excise duty increase in January. This also means a net increase of HUF 53 for petrol and HUF 5 for diesel.
If we calculate that after an increase of around HUF 40-100 per liter, an average 50-liter tank of petrol costs HUF 2,000-5,000 (EUR 5.13-12.83) more now than last December.
Why are fuel prices falling in Hungary?
Oil and the forint: Oil prices have fallen massively in recent days. Brent was at a high of USD 83 on Monday morning, down 5% in a week. The last time we saw such low levels was two months ago. In addition, the forint has also strengthened against the dollar, by almost HUF 5 weekly, and is now trading around HUF 361
Government warning: The cabinet expects Hungarian fuel prices not to exceed the average prices in neighbouring countries. Read details here – Extreme fuel prices in Hungary: here is the government’s ‘ultimatum’
Nostalgia vehicles will carry passengers on spectacular routes in Budapest’s downtown from May until October. Here is everything you should know about the May rides.
The vehicles you can get on ran on the streets of Budapest decades ago and were part of the capital’s everyday life. Thankfully, experts managed to restore them.
All of them run on spectacular routes in Budapest’s downtown. For example, the N2 tram carries passengers on the Pest Danube embankment. It will touch the Hungarian Parliament, the illustrious palaces of the Pest embankment, the Vigadó, several magnificent bridges, and Budapest’s oldest church. Moreover, that route has been selected as the world’s top 10 most scenic, bkk.hu wrote.
Nostalgia tram and the exquisite Buda Castle Funicular
The N18 tram commutes on the Szent János Hospital–Széll Kálmán Square–Krisztina Promenade–Szent Gellért Square–Bartók Béla Street–Csóka Street route, which is also very spectacular on the Buda side of the city.
Source: bkk.hu
The N19 tram will commute between the Deák Ferenc Square and the Szent Gellért Square in the Buda Danube embankment. You can discover multiple world-known Budapest baths, historic bridges and parks during your journey. Furthermore, you may change to the Buda Castle Funicular at the Clark Ádám Square.
Heritage buses in Budapest
N109 is a traditional Ikarus bus touching the Hungarian Parliament, the Danube Promenade and the Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street. If the weather is fine it can be transformed into a Cabrio bus.
Photo: bkk.hu
BKK summed showed all the heritage lines in THISmap. In a lower resolution, you can check it out below. Some of them even reach the outskirts of Budapest.
Source: bkk.hu
The N2 line operates from this weekend. The first day of operation of the N109 retro line will be 11 May. The N74 Nostalgia trolley bus line will start carrying passengers on 18 May. You may find all the dates below the aforementioned map on BKK’s website.
Here are the prices
Normal tickets and passes are only valid for the so-called retro vehicles (Ikarus 260 and 415 buses, ZiU-9 trolley bus, and the UV and MUV trams).
You must buy special tickets or daily passes for the nostalgia lines. The daily pass is valid on all heritage vehicles commuting on that day.
The routes are free of charge for children below 14. Tickets can be acquired via the BudapestGO app, at the BKK customer service centres and from the crew of the nostalgia vehicles.
A nostalgia ticket costs HUF 500 (EUR 1.3), while a nostalgia daily pass is EUR 5.1.
Read also:
Happy news: 110-year-old nostalgia boat returns to Lake Balaton – PHOTOS and more in THISarticle
One of the most important Danube bridges in Budapest, the Szabadság Bridge, will be closed from Friday evening until midnight on Sunday. The occasion is the events celebrating the 20th anniversary of the accession to the European Union. There will be changes in road and public transport services due to the closure, Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) said.
Major Danube bridge to be closed
One of the most important Danube bridges, the Liberty Bridge. Source: Wikimedia Commons / Christo
On Friday 3 May, from 18:00 to midnight on Sunday 5 May, the Szabadság Bridge will be closed, as well as Fővám Square and Közraktár Street between Bakáts Street and Fővám Square in the evenings, Pénzcentrum reports, based on BKK.
On the Pest side, trams no. 47, 48 and 49 will be replaced by metros no. 3 and 4 and buses no. 9 and 72, while between Pest and Buda, metro no. 4, and buses no. 7 and 133E will be available.
Due to the closure of the Danube bridge, it is not possible to drive from Veres Pálné Street to Vámház Boulevard, instead the Belgrade quay can be reached via Só Street, and from there it is possible to drive back to Vámház Boulevard, except in the evening.
Traffic diversions
The Great Market Hall at Fővám Square. Photo: Daily News Hungary
BKK announced that every evening (from 21:00 on Friday, and from 19:30 to 24:00 on Saturday and Sunday), the Vámház Boulevard will be closed from Fővám Square to Lónyay Street. During this period, it will only be possible to proceed from Belgrade quay and Salkaházi Sára quay towards Havas Street.
From the Vámház Boulevard-Lónyay Street junction, it will not be possible to turn onto Vámház Boulevard towards the Liberty Bridge.
In Közraktár Street, those arriving from Boráros Square will be directed via Bakáts Street to Lónyay Street. In Közraktár Street, on the section between Fővám Square and Bakáts Street, traffic will also be allowed to go towards the Salkaházi Sára quay and towards Boráros Square.
In the evenings, tourist buses will not be able to use the diversion roads around Fővám Square. Buses arriving from Boráros Square will only be able to continue on the Bakáts Street-Lónyay Street route. Several tram and bus services will also operate on modified routes, BKK added.
From Thursday, 2 May, the renovation of the M4 motorway flyover before the Liszt Ferenc International Airport (Budapest Airport) junction will continue, so traffic restrictions will be in place. On 6 May, the road reconstruction works, which also affect the accessibility of the main Budapest air gate, will be completed.
According to the announcement of MKIF Hungarian Concession Infrastructure Development Plc. posted on Tuesday, the road reconstruction works, which also affect the accessibility of Liszt Ferenc International Airport, will be completed at the end of the day on 6 May.
Budapest Airport harder to reach for one more week
Photo: Budapest Airport/FB
It was reported that the pavement of the flyover has already been renewed, and that work will now be carried out on the two edges of the bridge, allowing traffic to move continuously on an extra lane, with alternating traffic restrictions during the works, turizmus.com reports based on MKIF.
Passengers travelling by air are advised to be aware of the time needed to reach the airport when planning their journey. Please be aware that diversions and closures may also impact travel time to the airport by car and public transport.
