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Hungary

Truck driving restrictions

Basic information


from 1st July to 31st August:

  • from Saturday at 15:00 to Sunday at 22:00
  • from 22:00 on the day before a public holiday to 22:00 on Sundays or the public holiday

Note: if a public holiday precedes a Saturday or Sunday, the driving restrictions apply nonstop from 08:00 on the first day to 22:00 on the last day.


from 1st September to 30th June:

  • from 22:00 on Saturdays and the day before a public holiday to 22:00 on Sundays and public holidays

Note: if a public holiday precedes a Sunday, the driving restrictions apply nonstop from 08:00 on the first day to 22:00 on the last day.


During the winter period from 4th November to 1st March, the above-mentioned restrictions do not apply to vehicles of EURO 3 standard or higher operating in international transport.

Vehicles


heavy goods vehicles, agricultural tractors with trailers of over 7.5t maximum permissible weight (MPW)

Applies to roads


throughout the road and motorway network

Detailed information


Exceptions

  • vehicles operated by the armed forces, police, national security services, prison authorities, fire brigade, civil defense, customs authorities, National Transport Authority, emergency vehicles
  • in the case of combined transport, according to the agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Hungary on the conditions of road transport and the promotion of combined transport
  • vehicles travelling between the combined transport terminal and the place of loading or unloading or vehicles travelling between the combined transport terminal nearest to the border crossing point and the border crossing point
  • vehicles used for prevention or assistance in cases of disasters
  • vehicles used in cases of accident or breakdown
  • humanitarian consignments (with the appropriate documentation)
  • transport of fresh flowers or plants
  • postal services, newspapers
  • vehicles involved in community work (including town cleaning services, waste removal, public utilities repair services)
  • vehicles of EURO 3 standard (or higher) transporting liquid gas
  • vehicles used in the construction, maintenance, repair or cleaning of roads, railways and public utilities
  • vehicles used for the transport of harvested crops or fodder or for the relocation of agricultural machines or slow vehicles
  • vehicles transporting livestock, fresh milk, fresh dairy produce, fresh and deep-frozen meat and meat products, vegetables, eggs, fresh bakery products or other perishable foodstuffs, and vehicles travelling empty in connection with such transport
  • vehicles travelling from the Hungarian border to the nearest parking area designated by the transport authorities for this purpose
  • during the summer driving restrictions, vehicles travelling from the border to their premises in Hungary or to the first unloading place
  • vehicles used for the transport of equipment or animals necessary for cultural, business or sports events (including transport in connection with radio, television or cinema recordings)
  • removals of private individuals
  • vehicles involved in the transport to and from railway stations, river ports or airports (between the premises of the consigner/consignee and the nearest such station, port or airport) of goods arriving or forwarded during the period affected by the prohibition
  • vehicles of EURO 3 standard or higher, with a MPW not exceeding 7.5t, travelling without a trailer

Drivers of goods vehicles which are exempt from the driving restrictions should note, however, that during the driving restrictions (see above) in the summer period (1st July – 31st August) the exemptions are not valid on the following routes:

  • M7 motorway
  • M2 motorway
  • main road No.2 between Budapest and Parassapuszta
  • trunk road 2A
  • main road No.6 between Dunaujvaros and Budapest
  • main road No.7
  • main road No.10 between Dorog and Budapest
  • main road No.11 between Esztergom and Budapest
  • main road No.12
  • road No.1201
  • main road No.51 from its intersection with main road 510 to Dömsöd
  • main road No.71
  • the following sections of main road No.76
  • between its junctions with main road No.71 and main road No.7
  • between Zalaapáti and main road No.71
  • main road No.55 between Alsónyék and Baja
  • main road No.82 between main road No.8 and Veszprémvarsány
  • main road No.84 between Sümeg and main road No.71
  • main road No.33 between Dormánd and Debrecen
  • main road No.86 between Janossomorja and Nemesböd and between Körmend and Zalabaksa
  • main road No.37 between Miskolc and Satoraljaujhely
  • main road No.38 from its intersection with main road No.37 to Rakamaz

NOTE: Applications for exemption must be submitted to the National Transport Authority:

Nemzeti Közlekedési Hatóság

Pf 102

1389 Budapest Pf. 102

office@nkh.gov.hu

www.nkh.hu

Drivers must be in possession of the documents confirming their exemption, and should present them on request to the relevant authorities.


TRAVELLING BY A VEHICLE WITH AN EXCEEDED AXLE LOAD

An authority competent to issue authorizations for driving a heavy goods vehicle with an exceeded axle load (10t) or an exceeded total weight (3-axle 24t) as well as to issue authorizations for transporting off-specification loads is:

Állami Közúti Műszaki és Információs Kht. - ÁKMI Kht.

(State Technical – Informative Company for Public Roads)

Útvonalengedélyező osztály


TACHOGRAPHS

All heavy goods vehicles and buses of over 3.5t MPW have to be equipped in tachographs.


TRANSPORTING DANGEROUS GOODS

Transporting dangerous goods of 1.4G and 1.3G class throughout Hungary may only take place on the basis of relevant authorizations.

The authorizations are issued by the National Police Headquarters (Országos Rendőr-Főkapitányság ORFK, 1139 Budapest, Teve u.4-6, www.orfk.hu) only to the subjects having their premises on the territory of Hungary and being included in the register of explosive and dangerous goods transport in the Economy and Transport Department.


NOTE

Since 1st January 2011 regulations concerning transport have changed. In accordance with the National Development Department announcement, an amended ordinance 1/1975 introduces a prohibition of overtaking by heavy goods vehicles of over 7.5t MPW on motorways and dual main roads between 06:00 and 22:00. Such vehicles must keep a distance which will allow a similar dimension vehicle with a trailer.

Holidays


Public holidays 2026


  • 1st January - New Year's Day
  • 15th March - 1848 Revolution Memorial Day
  • 18th April - Good Friday
  • 21st April - Easter Monday
  • 1st May - Labor Day / May Day
  • 9th June - Whit Monday
  • 20th August - Hungary National Day
  • 23rd October - 1956 Revolution Memorial Day
  • 1st November - All Saints' Day
  • 25th December - Christmas Day
  • 26th December - Second Day of Christmas

Good to know


Budapest – car traffic ban in the city centre, on Margaret Island and in the Castle District, only vehicles with special authorizations are allowed in these areas.

Further traffic restrictions in Budapest:

The Mayor of Budapest has issued a regulation concerning traffic restrictions in the city when the level of exhaust fumes pollution during 2 consecutive days exceeds the permitted level.

Vehicles with the odd last figure of the registration number are allowed to drive on odd days and those with the even last figure of the registration number are allowed to drive on even days.

The restriction will be in effect from 06:00 to 22:00 and its infringement will be punished with a fine of HUF 100,000.

The restriction concerns also vehicles with foreign registration numbers.


in winter – carrying anti-slid chains is advisable.


Outside built-up area, including motorways, every engine vehicle is supposed to drive with dipped headlights for 24h


Maximum speed of heavy goods vehicles in built-up area is 50kph, outside built-up area 70kph, on the so-called first class road and on motorways 80kph.


Maximum blood-alcohol content – 0,00‰, and detecting 0,8‰ of such substance in the driver’s blood is treated as a crime.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is punished with a fine up to HUF100,000 and with other sanctions imposed by Court.


The level of fines

Since 1st January 2011 a lot of regulations of the penal code in Hungary have changed, e.g. during a road control it is possible to impose a fine from HUF 10,000 to 300,000 for not fastening one’s seatbelts, speeding, failure to stop on the red light or driving under the influence of alcohol. This relates to cars registered in Hungary, as well as abroad. In the issued announcement, the National Development Department indicates that not paying the administrative fine in a specified time may cause an application by relevant services resulting in a temporary traffic withdrawal of the car. The creating of a European data base which will allow a more effective collection of administrative fines, has been also stated.

It is also possible to halt a car for a technical examination (up to 2 hours) in spite of having a valid technical examination document.

A system of penalty points has already been introduced.


IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS:


assistance breakdown service is provided by the Hungarian Automobileclub MAK, available 24h; telephone: 188 or +36 1-345 1755

police - 107

emergency - 104

fire brigade - 105

or the unified number- 112