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View from Gellért Hill along the Danube through Budapest, with the white Elisabeth Bridge, embankments and the city stretching to the horizon

Hungary

Budapest

Photo: Kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Budapest is adapting to climate change with a new stormwater strategy and sponge-city designs, while preparing the Nagykörút renewal and converting a disused school into affordable housing.

Updated · Checked against official sources

  • Population

    1,675,777 residents

    1 January 2026

  • Mayor

    Gergely Karácsony, Mayor of Budapest

  • EU programmes

    5

Latest

  1. Mobility ·

    Permit plans ready for the renewal of Budapest’s Nagykörút boulevard

    Budapest has completed the permit plans for renewing the Nagykörút between Nyugati tér and Boráros tér, with more trees, wider pavements and protected cycle lanes.

    Facts and source
    • Permit plans are complete for the Nagykörút section between Nyugati tér and Boráros tér.
    • For every tree that has to be replaced, at least three new trees will be planted.
    • The plans include physically protected cycle lanes.

    Source: Municipality of Budapest, “Elkészültek a Nagykörút megújításának engedélyezési tervei”

  2. Climate and energy ·

    Budapest wins USD 50,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies for youth-led climate projects

    Budapest will run a Youth Climate Action Fund with USD 50,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies, supporting at least eight climate micro-projects led by young people.

    Facts and source
    • Budapest receives USD 50,000, about HUF 15.5 million, from Bloomberg for the Youth Climate Action Fund project.
    • The city has committed to support at least eight youth-led climate micro-projects.
    • Around 300 cities worldwide can run their own calls under the initiative.

    Source: Municipality of Budapest, “Fiatalok klímavédelmi projektjeire nyert nemzetközi forrásokat a Főváros”

  3. Mobility ·

    Budapest relaunches its MOL Bubi public bike system with e-bikes and a new operator

    The new generation of Budapest’s MOL Bubi bike sharing started on 3 August 2026 with a new operator, a new app and electrically assisted bikes.

    Facts and source
    • The renewed MOL Bubi service started in Budapest on 3 August.
    • After the initial period BKK will provide 3,300 bikes in total, 2,500 classic and 800 electrically assisted.
    • The operating contract runs for five years and can be extended by a further 1.5 years.

    Source: Municipality of Budapest, “Elindult a megújult MOL Bubi szolgáltatás”

  4. Regeneration and housing ·

    Budapest City Hall Park wins heritage permits, opening the way to detailed design

    Budapest has received heritage permits for the City Hall Park and Open City Hall plans, so detailed construction plans can now be drawn up.

    Facts and source
    • The heritage authority has granted the permits needed for the City Hall Park and Open City Hall plans.
    • The park is planned with 7,730 m² of green space, 6,966 m² of rainwater-collecting paving and 850 m² of permeable paving.
    • The design competition was launched in 2021 and decided in 2022.

    Source: Municipality of Budapest, “Indulhat a Városháza park kivitelezése”

  5. Climate and energy ·

    Budapest completes a stormwater strategy to keep rainwater in the city

    The Municipality of Budapest has completed a stormwater management strategy that treats rainwater as a resource to be held and reused locally rather than drained away.

    Facts and source
    • The Municipality of Budapest has completed a stormwater management strategy for the city.
    • The strategy aims to make Budapest a more liveable, resilient and climate-adaptive city by 2035.
    • Implementation will run in phases, with ongoing monitoring and a review every three years.

    Source: Municipality of Budapest, “Elkészült Budapest csapadékvíz-gazdálkodási stratégiája”

City briefs are drafted with AI from official sources; every fact is checked against the source text before an editor approves it.

Projects we track

5 projects · 1 completed · 1 under way

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    AHA Budapest - Affordable Housing for All

    Converts an unused public building into energy-efficient social housing and tests a data-driven early warning system for households facing rent arrears and energy poverty.

    Budget EUR 4,985,110.40 (ERDF granted) Funded by European Urban Initiative (ERDF) Regeneration and housing

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Nagykörút (Grand Boulevard) renewal

    Permit plans are complete for the section between Nyugati tér and Boráros tér, covering tree rows, wider step-free pavements, physically protected cycle lanes and sponge-city drainage.

    Mobility

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    City Hall Park and Open City Hall

    Heritage permits are in place for a new central park built on sponge-city principles beside City Hall; detailed construction plans are due early next year.

    Regeneration and housing

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    New-generation MOL Bubi bike sharing

    The renewed public bike system launched on 3 August 2026 with a new operator, app and e-bikes; BKK plans 3,300 bikes after the start-up phase.

    Mobility

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Municipal food processing centre (Fővárosi Feldolgozóközpont)

    A new urban food distribution model that will use unsold but edible fruit and vegetables from the city's markets, funded through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge.

    Budget USD 1 million Funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies Food systems

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

EU programmes and networks

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