Budapest traffic to be completely disrupted on 15 March: here is what to expect

Road restrictions and therefore public transport changes are expected in the city centre on Wednesday 15 March due to the national holiday programme in Budapest. Here is what to look out for.

There will be closures in the morning on the route Kossuth Lajos Square – Alkotmány Street – Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road – Károly Boulevard – Museum Boulevard, and throughout the day on the section of Andrássy Road within the Grand Boulevard (Nagykörút). Thus, the BKK (Budapest Transport Centre) recommends that motorists avoid the city centre.

On 15 March, BKK’s services will operate according to the timetable valid on Sundays and public holidays. However, there will be major regional closures related to the festive programmes. These will also significantly affect public transport, BKK said in a statement.

The company recommends the use of public transport, in particular the metro. BKK will keep you informed about changes to public transport on bkk.hu/nemzetiunnep. On 15 March, the M3 metro will run all day between Újpest-központ and Göncz Árpád city centre, and between Kőbánya-Kispest and Deák Ferenc tér, with a metro bus service on the city centre section, Index reports.

Due to the events in Kossuth Lajos Square, trams 2, 2b and 2m will run from 8 AM to 10 AM from the south only to Kossuth Lajos Square (Széchenyi rakpart). Meanwhile, buses 15 and 115 will provide transport between Szent István Boulevard and Kossuth Lajos Square.

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Changes due to the festive procession

At 9:30 AM, a festive procession will start to the Museum Garden (Múzeumkert). During the procession, intermittent and temporary closures are expected on the route Kossuth Lajos Square – Alkotmány Street – Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road – Deák Ferenc Square – Károly Boulevard – Astoria – Museum Boulevard. The closure of the Museum Boulevard is expected to last until 11:30 AM.

Because of this, the following changes will be in effect:

• The M3 replacement bus is expected to run between 9:30 AM and 10:00 AM between Nyugati Railway Station and Deák Ferenc Square on the modified route Andrássy út – Nagykörút, Arany János utca will not be touched.
• Trams 47 and 49 will run between 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM during the restriction of the Múzeum Boulevard only on Buda, instead of Deák Ferenc Square to Döbrentei Square.
• Bus 100E will run on a shortened route between 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM between Liszt Ferenc Airport Terminal 2 and Kálvin Square, excluding Astoria and Deák Ferenc Square.
• Bus 9 will run in both directions between 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM, modified due to the closure of Múzeum Boulevard, on the route Baross Street – Grand Boulevard/Nagykörút – Margaret Bridge, stopping at bus stop 923.
• The 72M trolleybus will run between 9:30 AM and presumably 11:30 AM, between Orczy Square and Kálvin Square (Szabó Ervin Square); between 9:30 AM and 10:00 AM between Zugló railway station (Hermina Street) and Kossuth Lajos Square, and between 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM to Deák Ferenc Square.