Environment protection reasons motivate the necessity of regulating the freight traffic, as the diesel vehicles, especially the trucks result the solid pollution and nitrogen oxide pollution of the air that is exceeding the air quality limit values in the Hungarian capital. Freight traffic entry system of Budapest motivates the freight companies to establish an effective and rational logistics system and operate vehicles with favourable environment protection classification in order to protect the citizens of Budapest. The representative public opinion poll of the Szonda Ipsos, which was executed in December 2008, found that 98% of the Budapest citizens agree on the strict limitations of the freight traffic.
Freight vehicles are obliged to pay entry fee to enter to the area of the capital, except to the destination traffic areas that provide access to the industrial and commercial areas. Freight vehicles are granted 30% discount from their entry permits that are valid from 8 PM to 6 AM to support reduction of the freight traffic of the city during the daytime. Further discounts may be required for the freight vehicles in or above the environment protection category EURO 3. List of the destination traffic areas, entry fees for the restricted and protected areas, list of the entry fee discounts and the related map are available by clicking to the link.
Metropolitan Assembly specifies open periods (from 5 AM to 7 AM and from 6 PM to 10 PM) in accordance with the request of the representing bodies in which periods the freight vehicles are allowed to enter to the internal 3.5 ton and 7.5 ton gross weight restriction areas of the capital without any entry fee.
Public Space Supervisors are authorized to levy a fine in the maximum amount of 20 000 HUF, till the police is authorized to levy a fine in the maximum amount of 300 000 HUF in case of entering to the capital without valid entry permit.
Loading plate may take the freight forwarding easier as provides 20 minutes free parking possibility within the waiting zones from 10 AM to 5 PM. Loading plate shall be applied to sign the starting time of the parking by being placed behind the front windscreen of the transport vehicle in a well visible way.
Application form for the entry permit may be submitted online after a previous registration, or at the customer service centre of the Parking Kft. (personally, via fax or via e-mail). Budapest Mayor's Office makes decision on the submitted applications, and then the entry permits are issued by the customer service centre within 48 hours after the submission. Application form, which includes the completion manual as well, is available here.
Entry permits are issued in accordance with the following schedule:
submitting the application form online or at the customer service centre (personally, via fax or via e-mail);
processing the application forms, data recording;
on-site audit, discussion with the local governments, decision preparation;
making a suggestion for the decision, and then forwarding it to the local government of Budapest;
receiving the decision of the Budapest Local Government;
informing the applicant about the decision and about the receipt of the entry permit;
issuing the entry permit to the applicant at the customer service centre.
Contact information for the customer service centre: Tel: +36 1 374-0814 or +36 1 374-0815, Fax: +36 1 374-0724, E-mail: behajtas@parking.hu, Address: III. district, Kossuth Lajos u. 48-66., office hours: from 8 Am to 5 PM (from Monday to Friday).
