State railway company MÁV has been providing free rides to refugees from Ukraine.

Three desks await the arrivals at Nyugati station, one for those who want to move on to the airport, one for those who have no place to go and one for those who wish to proceed by train toward Poland. The latter are transported by bus to Keleti station.

Those who have nowhere to go are accommodated by the city council or charity services.

There is a heated bus in the car park, and the Budapest Methodological Social Centre and Institutions has opened a hostel to accommodate 120 refugees.

Budapest city officials say most of the refugees are complete families with children.

Some of the families immediately move on toward Western Europe, but several families – mostly ethnic Hungarians from Zakarpattia – said they would like to stay in Hungary permanently.

It is conspicuous that many African travellers appear among the refugees. Most are reportedly university students who have been studying in Ukraine and fast-food employees. There are plenty of foreigners among the refugees, including Chinese, Ecuadorians and Nigerians.

NOTE: if you wish to help, please contact Migration Aid

MTI Photo: Zoltán Balogh