The M2 Metro will not operate between Deák Ferenc tér and Örs vezér tere from the start of service on Saturday until the end of service on Sunday. 

Replacement buses will run on the affected section, but the disruption is expected to impact around 100,000 passenger journeys each day.

According to Hungarian media reports, scenes for a new American action movie are being filmed in the tunnel section near the Stadion station. 

Since the production cannot be separated safely from normal metro operations, authorities have agreed to suspend services on one of the capital's busiest transport corridors for the entire weekend.

The timing has also raised eyebrows as the closure coincides with the popular Night of Museums programme, when many Budapest residents and visitors rely on public transport to move around the city.

For passengers planning to travel that way this weekend, BKK advises using replacement buses on the affected section and considering alternative routes via tram lines 1 and 3, with connections to several bus services heading towards the city centre.

Endre Bíró, head of the Metro Association, described the two-day shutdown of the busiest section of the M2 line as excessive. He argued that a production of this kind could have been accommodated elsewhere on the metro network without causing such widespread disruption.

The decision has sparked a lively public debate online, with many commuters questioning whether a major public transport route should be closed for a commercial film shoot. 

Others have pointed to the economic benefits that large international productions bring to Hungary, including spending by cast and crew, employment for local film professionals, and the country's reputation as one of Europe's leading filming destinations.

Budapest has long been a favourite location for Hollywood studios, with productions ranging from blockbuster action films to major streaming series making use of the city's architecture, transport infrastructure and competitive production costs.

MTI Stock Photo

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