Hungary

With an area of 93,030 sq. km, and a population of 9.5 million. It is located at the center of the Carpathian Basin, on both the banks of the River Danube; Budapest is the capital, the largest and the most populous city of Hungary. It is the country’s major administrative, industrial and economic center

Abnormal Road Movements

Vehicles that carry abnormal loads that exceed the maximum permitted weight and dimensions must acquire a special transport permit. For these special load types, certain taxes apply for each kilometre.

All abnormal load operators will require a keeper’s certificate to prove ownership of the trailer, which must be carried as part of the vehicle documents at all times.

EU Directive – Within the European Union (EC), the Council Directive 96/53/EC gives information about the permissible dimensions and weights for road vehicles in international traffic. Vehicle combinations (trucks with ordinary trailers or semi-trailers) which comply with the criteria specified here may travel on roads within the EU without a special permit. The size and weight limits set by the Council Directive are summarised in the tables at the link here

Carriage of Dangerous Goods

Special documentation must be prepared for thetransport of dangerous goods in Hungary.

If you are shipping dangerous goods, you must also complete a dangerous goods declaration. See guidance on moving dangerous goods 

Main Competent Authority

Ministry for Innovation and Technology

H-1440 Budapest, P.O. Box 1

Fõ utca 44-50

Tel: +36-1-795-1700

Email: ottilia.pinter-deak@itm.gov.hu & imre.meszaros@itm.gov.hu

Web: https://www.kormany.hu

Other Competent Authority

Notification by Hungary according to section 1.8.4 of the ADR (English only – Updated July 2019)

Heavy Goods Vehicles Road Tolls

Hungary operate the HU-GO e-toll system via an On-Board Unit (OBU). The toll payment obligation for tolled expressway and main road sections extends to all heavy-duty vehicles with a maximum permissible mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes. For more information on tolled road sections, please visit the hu-go.hu website  or download the Hungarian e-toll brochure – brochure (hu-go.hu) for tolled roads and road sections.

The fee is calculated per kilometre travelled on the tolled road, and depends on:

• the type of road being used (motorway, highway, main road)
• the number of axles (J2 = 2 axles; J3 = 3 axles , J4 = 4 or more axles)
• the environmental classification of the vehicle (category ‘A’ >= EURO III; category ‘B’ = EURO II; category ‘C’ = EURO I)

Weekend and public holiday Driving Bans

General driving ban on Saturdays as well the day before a public holiday from 22:00 till 22:00 hrs on Sundays or the holiday itself for vehicles exceeding 7,5 t gross weight on all roads.

During the winter period from 04 November until 01 March, the above-mentioned driving ban is NOT valid for vehicles with Euro 3 motor class and better in international traffic.

If a public holiday startson a Saturday or a Sunday in the period from 01 September until 30 June, the driving ban starts from 08:00 hrs on the first day until 22:00 hrs on the last day.

Driving ban on all roads between 01 July and 31 August on all Saturdaysfrom 15:00 hrs until Sundays 22:00 hrs for vehicles exceeding 7, 5 t gross vehicle weight.

Driver & Vehicle Documentation

Check what other vehicle documents and driver documents the driver needs to carry on international journeys.

Permits

Check which international road haulage permits you need.

Check which international road haulage permits you need – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Find out how to apply for bilateral international road haulage permits and the rules you have to follow at the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/international-road-haulage-permits-for-some-non-eu-countries

To find out more about ECMT Permits, please visit the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ecmt-international-road-haulage-permits

To find out more about ECMT International Removal Permits, please visit the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/international-road-haulage-removal-permits

Speed Limits for HGV’s over 3.5t

The following speed limits are applicable to HGVs:

• Urban Roads – 50km/hr
• Non-Urban Roads – 70km/hr
• Motorways/Expressways – 80km/hr

Drink Driving

Hungary has a Zero Tolerance to drink driving, so if you drink, DO NOT drive.

Other Items Required

In addition to required documents, motorists are also required by law to carry the following items when driving to avoid hefty on-the-spot fines:

• Reflective jackets (which should be worn in case of breakdown outside built-up areas and on all major routes)
• Warning triangle
• First aid kit
• Spare bulbs

Items you should not take into Hungary

Be aware that you cannot take the following with you:

• meat or products containing meat
• milk or dairy products

You cannot take the following unless you pay to have them inspected before you leave and get a ‘Phytosanitary certificate’:

• fresh fruit (apart from bananas, coconuts, dates, pineapples and durians)
• vegetables
• plants
• plant products

Seat belts

Seat belts are compulsory at all times.

In an emergency

112 – You can dial 112 from anywhere in Europe and an operator will connect you to an emergency service in the country you are visiting.  Operators can answer your call in their native language, English or French.

Low Emission Zones

A number of regions have low emission zones for Lorries. These LEZs also affect the cities within those regions. For further information on LEZ’s

Transport Organisation

Hungarian Road Transport Association (MKFE),  

77 Egressy Road 
Budapest 
Hungary 1149 
Tel: +36 (1) 252-0688 /225  

Email:  posta@mkfe.hu  

Website:  https://www.mkfe.hu/hu/  

British Embassy

Budapest
Füge utca 5-7
1022
Hungary

Telephone: +36 (1) 266 2888