The decision, announced by Mayor Gergely Karácsony following discussions with local transport authorities, comes amidst severe strain on the national power system caused by prolonged extreme heat and plummeting Danube water levels.

Key Public Transport Adjustments

Gentler Acceleration: Metro cars and trams will accelerate less intensively. While this will add a few minutes to typical travel times, the operational change is expected to save approximately 15 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity per day.

Trolleybus Replacements: On select weekday routes, electric trolleybuses are temporarily being replaced by modern, air-conditioned diesel buses to reduce load on overhead power lines.

Shifted E-Bus & Bike Charging: The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK), alongside operator ArrivaBus, has rescheduled charging cycles for the city's electric buses and MOL Bubi e-bikes to take place outside the peak demand window of 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Decorative Lighting & City Landmark Cuts

In addition to public transit adjustments, municipal authorities are curtailing public illumination. The decorative floodlighting on the Hungarian Parliament building has been switched off, with illumination across Buda Castle complex buildings phased out as well.

National Energy Grid Under Strain

The capital’s emergency conservation efforts align with broader national measures urged by government officials and transmission system operator MAVIR.

The primary driver behind the sudden electricity crunch is a drastic drop in output at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant — Hungary’s primary power generation facility.

Low water levels and high temperatures in the Danube River, which supplies vital cooling water to the plant, forced engineers to throttle back operations, dropping Paks’ total generation capacity from its standard 2,000 MW down to 480 MW.


Mayor Karácsony emphasized that the Hungarian power supply system is facing one of its most critical tests in decades, stating that every megawatt saved across municipal infrastructure helps prevent broader regional supply disruptions.

Passengers traveling around Budapest are advised to allow a few extra minutes for journeys, particularly during afternoon and evening peak hours.

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