The boat service stops at Vigadó tér-Akadémia-Margitsziget (Sports Hall)-Batthyány tér-Vigadó tér ports.Continue reading
As numerous problems have already surrounded the BKV boats in the past, from this year they will no longer be operating on the Danube, writes Népszava. However, Budapest’s regular boat service will not disappear completely, because shipping company Mahart-PassNave immediately seized this opportunity. The company will operate five times a day from Tuesday to Sunday between the National Theater and Margaret Island.
This article was originally published on our sister-site, Ungarn Heute.
The service of Budapest’s public transport company BKV was always an attractive option for both locals and tourists, as it was possible to take a scenic ferryboat trip on the Danube for the price of a single public transport ticket.
The boat service, launched in 2013, was always unprofitable, but the decline in ridership due to the epidemic and government cutbacks have made it completely unsustainable. Just like last year, the capital is unable to provide the necessary funding to operate the shipping services, so the suspension of BKV shipping services will continue in 2022.
The capital’s withdrawal from Danube shipping is not without precedent: it was already difficult to find an operator for the fleet of seven ships for the 2020 season, but the epidemic swept even them away.
Fortunately, Budapest will not be without Danube cruises, because Hungarian shipping company Mahart will now offer its services. The company will operate five times a day between the National Theater and Margaret Island from Tuesday to Sunday. From Tuesday to Thursday you can also use the ships with a BKK pass, but on the other days, you have to buy a ticket for 1,500 HUF (4 euros). Mahart will use its own ships and ports for the project.
Timetable, tickets, and more information can be found here.
Featured image via József Balaton/MTVA