Budapest, 1 September 2021 - The General Assembly of the Municipality of Budapest has approved Mayor Gergely Karácsony’s proposal, in the framework of which, passengers under the age of 14 are entitled to free transport on Budapest’s public transport lines. The decree entered into force on 2 September 2021 (Thursday). For passengers who have already purchased their pass in the meanwhile and are entitled to free travel from 2 September, BKK will refund the price of their pass.
Please find details about the changes applicable affecting the youngest passengers:
Who are eligible for free transport on BKK’s lines?
Pupils to whom this decree relates can use the service free-of-charge to the last day of the school term (until 31 August), in which they turn 14. Under this decree pupils under the age of 14 born after . 1 September 2007 are entitled to free travel on BKK’s lines who are in possession of a valid Hungarian student ID,
Meaning pupils born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008 are entitled to free travel until 31 August 2022. Pupils who turned 14 on 15 July 2021 are not entitled to free travel in the school term 2021/2022. In case pupils turn 14 on 15 September 2021, they are entitled to free travel until 31 August 2022 under the given conditions.
On which BKK’s lines is free travel applicable?
Pupils under the age of 14 are entitled to free travel on lines where the Budapest-passes are valid. Within Budapest’s administrative boundaries:
- on BKK’s lines,
- on the Budapest section of regional buses and
- On the Budapest section of suburban railway lines,
Please note that free travel is not applicable on the railway services of MÁV-START and on the regional bus services of VOLÁNBUSZ. If someone travels from the administrative area to Budapest by train, a railway ticket is required for the full length of the line, as within Budapest’s administrative boundaries, no free travel is granted, no matter that s/he is under the age of 14.
How is entitlement checked?
Pupils under the age of 14 can verify their entitlement, by showing their Hungarian ID (on which the pupil’s birth date is indicated)), or the student certificate specified in the government regulation replacing the student ID (on which the pupil’s birth date is indicated). These Ids can be checked by ticket inspectors and – where the front-door-only-boarding is applicable – even by vehicle drivers.
In case a pupil whose entitlement is checked cannot show his/her required ID, s/he could be subject to a fining procedure to be launched by BKK’s ticket inspectors. In this case the given pupil under the age of 14 is entitled to show his/her student ID or the student certificate subsequently - in exchange of payment of a procedure fee in the amount of HUF 1,000 – at one of the Customer Service Centres, thus can discontinue the fining procedure.
Refund of already-purchased passes
Between 2 September and 31 October 2021, BKK Centre for Budapest Transport refunds pupils’ passes for pupils under the age of 14 who already purchased their passes before the decree entered into force and whose validity period overlaps into the free travel-related period. Types of refundable passes are the following:
- 15-day Budapest-pass for pupils
- Monthly Budapest-pass for pupils
- Quarterly Budapest-pass for pupils
- Semester Budapest-pass for pupils
- Discounted annual Budapest-pass for pupils
BKK refunds on full fare the passes that are valid from 1 September 2021. These products can be simply and quickly refunded without the need to settle processing fee and without the need to submit a request at any personal sales point a.k.a. at BKK’sCustomer Service Centres, Customer Service Pointsand ticketoffices.
Passes whose validity period has already started.before 1 September can be refunded proportionately and pro rata temporis. Even these products can be refunded at BKK’s personal sales points - except for ticket offices, by submitting a request.
Please find more information on free travel for passengers under the age of 14 at: bkk.hu/14evalatt
