Scheduled for 29 August 2026, the Generali OWT Danube Swim Crossing is expected to be one of Budapest’s standout sporting events next year.

Organised by the Open Water Tournament (OWT), the event will once again allow swimmers to cross the river from Pest to Buda along a 500-metre course between Corvinus University and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME).

The swim first launched in 2016 near Liberty Bridge in cooperation with the Pest County Search and Rescue Service. According to OWT founder Balázs Mezős, the original event became the foundation for a broader initiative aimed at promoting open-water swimming throughout Hungary.

“Back in 2016, we organised the first Budapest Danube swim at Liberty Bridge together with the Pest County Search and Rescue Service. That event became the starting point for the Open Water Tournament, which now aims to open up not only the Danube but all of Hungary’s waters to open-water enthusiasts. This year, however, we are returning to our roots,” Mezős said.

In recent years, the Danube crossing had not taken place due to the high organisational and safety costs involved in securing the course in central Budapest. The event’s return has been made possible with support from Generali and the Generali for Safety Foundation.

Both experienced swimmers and amateurs will be able to take part in the event. As in previous editions, participants will enter the water from a floating dock near Corvinus University on the Pest side before swimming across to the finish area near BME in Buda.

Organisers expect the water temperature to be around 23°C, with swimmers starting in staggered groups throughout the day.

Safety arrangements will again play a central role. The Pest County Search and Rescue Service, which has operated as a volunteer rescue organisation for more than two decades, will oversee water safety together with the Danube Water Police.

Organisers say 12 motorised rescue boats and around 30 rescue professionals will monitor the swimming corridor, supervising up to 20 swimmers in the water at any one time.

The Danube Swim Crossing will form part of the wider Generali Night Run Budapest programme, which will feature sporting events throughout the day.

For many residents and visitors alike, the event offers a rare chance to experience the Danube not simply as a landmark, but as an active part of city life in Budapest.

More: 
Danube Cross Swimming

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