This is why there will be no BKV boat service in Budapest this year!

2022 will see no BKV boat service in Budapest partly because the government siphoned away too much money from the city’s budget. It seems that the capital’s large-scale boating dreams have ended. The Budapest Transport Company (BKV) only calculates a ferry service running between Csepel-Királyerdő and Soroksár Molnár Island.

Quality and sustainable Danube boat service in Budapest?

According to Népszava, the BKV and the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) business plans do not include boating for 2022. The reasons are the decreasing public transport revenues and the government’s measures. BKV suspended this service in 2021 because of the pandemic. The current plans show that only one ferry will remain in service between Budapest’s 21st and 23rd districts. Interestingly, this service alone produces a 44 million HUF loss per year.

Last autumn, the professional opinion of BKV was that they established a high-quality and sustainable Danube boat service. The grounds for optimism was an operator tender. The winner, Magyar Kikötő Zrt. offered a favourable price for boarding passengers, operating piers and mending boats. However, the contract has never been signed. Both the Hungarian Competition Authority and the Public Procurement Authority have started an investigation into the matter which is still ongoing. 

It could not become an integral part of the city’s public transport system

The issues with Danube boating did not begin this year. The service kicked off in 2013 thanks to an EU project Budapest won. The average number of passengers was 346,000 back then but it decreased to only 260,000 by 2019. In 2020, it was already hard to find an operator for the service, and the pandemic entirely killed the season. Interestingly, BKK acknowledged in 2015 that boating could not become an integral part of Budapest’s public transport. That was the original goal of the EU project.

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They credited their decision to the unsuitable boats, the long journey time, the slow boarding process and the disadvantageous traffic connections of the piers. As a result, revenues decreased to 50 million HUF by 2019, covering only 30 pc of the operating costs. The BKK wrote several development concepts, but they could not purchase new ships. Therefore, the average age of the boats remained above 40 years.

Furthermore, by the end of 2020, the compulsory service time the EU project described ended. In 2021, the municipal council decided to suspend the service because of the pandemic and certain government measures that were siphoning away money.

However, the Swiss-Hungarian Mahart-PassNave immediately filled the market gap. Last year, they launched round trips which are available five times a day. You can find more details below.

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Here is how you can enjoy Danube boating in Budapest this year

Bkk.hu reported that there is a regular boat service in the city centre. It started its operation on 29 April and runs a circle between Vigadó Square and Margaret Island providing a unique panoramic view of Budapest’s sights and the Danube riverfront. Furthermore, they also accept BKK-pass from Monday to Friday. You can find the timetable below:

Fares

Bkk.hu clears that on Mondays the service is suspended. From Tuesday to Friday, you can board with a monthly BKK-pass or a product with a validity of more than one month. Passengers without a BKK-pass can travel on the boat with a daily ticket of 1,500 HUF which allows them unlimited trips on the day of validity.

On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, the boat can only be used with a 1,500 HUF daily ticket. The ticket entitles the holder to unlimited travel on the day of validity.

Children under 7 years of age can travel free of charge, for which a registration ticket must be purchased in advance at the MAHART ticket office at Vigadó Square.

This boat line is not part of the public service and, therefore, local transport discounts, such as free or discounted travel for children, the elderly over 65 years of age and disabled persons with an MÁK card, do not apply.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the Vigadó Square pier and on-board at other piers.

Dogs and bicycles can also be carried on board for a 1,000 HUF ticket.

For more information, visit the MAHART homepage.

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Source: Népszava, bkk.hu