Hungary

From Driverspedia
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

Handedness of road traffic

Hungary is a right-hand traffic country.

Speed Limits

The general speed limits in Hungary are presented in the following table:[1]

General Speed limits in km/h (mph)[note 1][2]
Type of vehicle / Conditions Built-up areas Rural Expressways Motorways
Motorcycles and cars ≤ 3,5 t GVWR 50 (31)[note 2][3] 90 (55)[note 3][3] 110 (68) 130 km/h (80 mph)
Cars ≤ 3,5 t GVWR with a trailer[4] 50 (31) 70 (43) 80 (49) 80 (49)
Vehicles fitted with snow chains[5] 50 (31) 50 (31) 50 (31) 50 (31)

Notes:

  1. A vehicle that has a speed limit determined during roadworthiness inspection that is mentioned in its registration, which is lower than the road's speed limit should not be driven at a higher speed than the one mentioned in its registration.
  2. In case a road sign indicates a speed limit higher than 50 km/h in a built-up area, then vehicles with a mass ≤ 3,5 t GVWR can be driven up to the speed indicated by the sign.
  3. In case a road sign indicates a speed limit higher than 90 km/h on a rural road, then vehicles with a mass ≤ 3,5 t GVWR can be driven up to the speed indicated by the sign.

Documents

  1. Driver's license. EU, EEA and Switzerland's citizens can use the license issued by their countries. Citizens of other countries should carry International Driving Permits conforming either with the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.
  2. Car registration certificate.
  3. Certificate of Motor Insurance. Carrying an International Motor Insurance Card (Green Card) is a good idea even for EU / EEA citizens. At least third party coverage is required.

Items required in cars or with motorcycles

  1. Warning triangle. Outside built-up areas, immobilized vehicles, with the exception of two-wheel motorcycles, shall use a warning triangle. The warning triangle must be placed behind the vehicle in a distance sufficient to warn other road users in time for the obstacle ahead of them. A warning triangle may also be used in inhabited areas.
    In addition to the warning triangle, an immobilized vehicle can use its hazard warning lights.[6]
  2. Reflective vest. A pedestrian on the roadway, on the shoulder of the road, on a sidewalk of a road outside a residential area, excluding pedestrian traffic in groups, must wear a reflective vest at night and in case of limited visibility.[7] Technically you are not obligged to carry one with you, but you should wear it if your car or motorcycle breaks down or generally if you have to make an emergency stop during the night or when there is limited visibility.

Winter conditions

There is no obligation for the use of winter tires during winter.

Snow chains may only be used on snow-covered or icy roads.[8] Road sign D-033 indicates the mandatory use of snow chains - if road conditions require their use - at least on the wheels of one drive axle of the car. Road sign D-034 indicates the obligatory removal of snow chains. If sign D-033 is placed at a a border crossing, only vehicles that carry snow chains at least for the wheels of one drive axle can enter in Hungary.[9]

Studded tires

The use of studded tires is prohibited in Hungary.

Headlights

Outside built-up areas both cars and motorcycles must use their low beam (dipped) headlights even during the day and with good visibility conditions.[10]

Filling stations

Fuel stations in Hungary are mostly attended. After filling your car you have to pay in the shop in cash or with a credit / debit card.

Fuel Types

  1. Unleaded petrol / gasoline – (Hungarian: Ólmozatlan motorbenzin.
    It is commonly called at the pump ESZ-95 and it has an octane rating of 95 RON.
    The labels E5 and E10 that characterize unleaded petrol refer to the percentage of ethanol in the mix with it being 5% or 10% respectively and the rest of the mix consists of standard unleaded fuel.
  2. Diesel. It is called Gázolaj in Hungarian.
  3. LPG. It's also called PB-gáz in Hungary. A list of stations that sell LPG is available by following the previous link.
  4. CNG. A list of CNG stations in Hungary can be found by following the link.

Fuel stations locations and fuel prices

A source of locations of fuel stations and real time prices of fuel in Hungary can be found at:

  1. fuelo.net also available as an app for Android and iOS.

Electric vehicle chargers

You can find electric car and PHEVs chargers in Hungary at lemnet.org, also available for Android and iOS

Chargers are also listed in electromaps.com, also available as an app for Android and iOS.

Road user charges

Electronic toll sticker (e-vignette)

The e-vignette (e-matrica) system applies to motorcycles, passenger cars (and their trailers), light-duty vehicles of a maximum permissible mass not exceeding 3,5 tonnes, buses, motor vehicles not subject to toll under separate legislation, and the trailers of the above. Motorways, highways and certain sections of main roads can only be used only after paying for the e-vignette.

There are a few exceptions to the obligation of buying an e-vignette. The use of the following roads or sections of roads is free of charge:

This map marks in red roads where an e-vignette is obligatory and with green toll-free roads where you can drive without purchasing an e-vignette.

You have to buy an e-vignette appropriate for your vehicle category before using road sections for which the charges apply. In case you fail to buy an e-vignette beforehand, you have to buy one urgently, within 60 minutes of driving on a road for which the e-vignette is mandatory, in order to avoid getting fined.

E-vignettes are available with a validity period of 10 days, one month or one year. 10 days and monthly vignettes are valid nationwide. Annual vignettes are available in 2 versions: one with nationwide validity and a second one with regional validity. Please note that trailers should have their own e-vignette purchased.

The scope of validity of the regional e-vignettes extends outside their relevant county, up to the first junction past the county border. It is presented on the following maps, one for each Hungarian county:

The rates for all the e-vignette categories of all validity periods and regions and for all vehicle categories are listed on the official website. The fines for failing to buy an e-vignette for roads where its use is mandatory are also listed on the official website, for each vehicle category and for each length of delay for the payment.

You can buy an e-vignette online. A detailed guide for the process is available by the National Toll Payment Service. Please note that registration is required for the purchase. Alternatively, if you don't want to register or make an online purchase for any reason you can buy the e-vignette at any of the physical sales points listed here (you can filter them by country and county, as well as by the company it makes the sale), also presented on this map.

In the Customer Service Offices of the National Toll Payment Service, you can also purchase Austrian, Czech and Slovenian highway vignettes, useful if you plan to continue your road trip in any of these countries.

Urban Access Regulations

Protected zones

Budapest has 11 protected zones and it also has 15 restricted zones. Protected zones are historical sites or recreational green sites where vehicles are banned, while restricted zones concern only heavy vehicles > 3,5 t.

The list of the protected zones includes these areas of the city:

  1. District V inner zone
  2. Vicinity of the Szent István Bazilika
  3. Népliget
  4. Normafa
  5. Margitsziget
  6. Városliget
  7. Magyar Állami Operaház
  8. Budai Vár
  9. Óbudai Fő tér
  10. Római-part
  11. Óbudai-sziget

In all these sites vehicular access is banned all day long, with the only exception being the area close to Szent István Bazilika where there is a complete ban from 10 a.m. to 7 a.m. and a ban of vehicles > 3,5 t from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The map presents the protected zones in gray and green color with the later representing green sites of the city.

Emergency scheme

The city of Budapest has adopted an emergency scheme for high pollution levels which affects the entire city, except motorway M0.

When an alert is active only cars that meet or surpass Euro 5 standard of the European emission standards can drive unrestricted, while the traffic of Euro 4 or lower standard cars is banned from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

You can check if an alert is active on idokep.hu.

References

  1. Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", IV. RÉSZ A járműközlekedésre vonatkozó szabályok, I. fejezet A járműközlekedés általános szabályai, Sebesség 26. § (1) a), 2020.05.08
  2. Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", IV. RÉSZ A járműközlekedésre vonatkozó szabályok, I. fejezet A járműközlekedés általános szabályai, Sebesség 26. § (3), 2020.05.08
  3. 3.0 3.1 Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", IV. RÉSZ A járműközlekedésre vonatkozó szabályok, I. fejezet A járműközlekedés általános szabályai, Sebesség 26. § (2), 2020.05.08
  4. Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", IV. RÉSZ A járműközlekedésre vonatkozó szabályok, I. fejezet A járműközlekedés általános szabályai, Sebesség 26. § (1) b), 2020.05.08
  5. Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", IV. RÉSZ A járműközlekedésre vonatkozó szabályok, I. fejezet A járműközlekedés általános szabályai, Sebesség 26. § (1) db) d/1, 2020.05.08
  6. Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", IV. RÉSZ A járműközlekedésre vonatkozó szabályok, V. fejezet Rendkívüli események, Műszaki hiba, 56. § (6) & 56. § (7), 2020.05.08
  7. Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", 'III. RÉSZ A gyalogosokra és a járművek utasaira vonatkozó szabályok, Gyalogosok közlekedése, 21. § (12), 2020.05.08
  8. Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", IV. RÉSZ A járműközlekedésre vonatkozó szabályok, IV. fejezet Egyes járműfajták közlekedésére vonatkozó külön szabályok, A közlekedésben való részvétel külön feltételei, 48. § (2), 2020.05.08
  9. Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", II. RÉSZ Közúti jelzések, Utasítást adó jelzőtáblák 13. § (1) k) & k/1 & k/2, 2020.05.08
  10. Belügyminisztérium, "1/1975. (II. 5.) KPM-BM együttes rendelet a közúti közlekedés szabályairól", IV. RÉSZ A járműközlekedésre vonatkozó szabályok, II. fejezet A járművek kivilágítása, A forgalomban részt vevő járművek kivilágítása, 44. § (8), 2020.05.08