In the autumn of 2020, the Hungarian Government devoted 4 billion HUF (more than 11 million EUR) to planning cycle routes through the country. The coordination is assigned to the government commissioner for ‘Active Hungary’, who is responsible for the distribution and consultation with the competent authorities (Ministry for Innovation and Technology, Centre for Development of Active and Ecotourism) about the route developments. Each of the 19 counties in Hungary will be entitled to receive 200 million HUF (~560 thousand EUR), except for Pest (central) county including the capital city of Budapest, which will receive the double of this amount. When planning is ready (and the projects are prepared), it might be faster and more efficient to expend the potential resources for the building of bicycle infrastructure.

According to Bálint Madarász-Losonczy (Ministry for Innovation and Technology, associated partner of DCP) there are four main aspects for the selection of cycle routes:

• support mainly interurban connections;
• the network approach is essential;
• the tracks should be significant for both (every day) commuters and tourists;
• the road traffic should be more than 2000 passenger car units per day on a selected section.

Miklós Berencsi (Centre for Development of Active and Ecotourism, associated partner of DCP) highlighted that the goal is to create a dense and coherent network in the whole country that serves daily trips, but also supports cycle tourism. According to the preliminary schedule, most of the cycle route plans will be ready by the summer, and the most complicated ones will be finished by the end of 2021.

More at: Aktiv Magyarorszag (Hungarian)