The first three Mercedes-Benz Citaro K buses, which will serve to renew the capital's public transport system, entered service on Wednesday morning, while experts are currently carrying out final preparations on three additional vehicles before they are put into operation. By the end of the first quarter of 2026, a total of 65 maximidi type buses will be available to passengers. The first vehicles are operating on route 121 in Újpest, and they will soon appear on route 27 on Gellért Hill as well.

BKV's new Mercedes-Benz Citaro K buses are equipped to meet modern standards, featuring an ergonomic passenger compartment, on-board cameras, and an up-to-date passenger information system that also displays transfer connections. For passenger convenience, USB charging ports are located next to the seats. The buses are low-floor and air-conditioned and their barrier-free design makes them comfortable for passengers with strollers and reduced mobility. Both the exterior and interior lighting are provided by energy-efficient LEDs. Thanks to their modern 7.7-liter BlueTEC EURO VI-E engines, which are classified as environmentally friendly, their average fuel consumption and thus their environmental impact are low.

The 10.6-meter-long, highly maneuverable vehicles belong to the maximidi-bus-category and provide comfortable and environmentally friendly transport on routes with less traffic and narrower streets in the city. The first new buses started operating on route 121 in Újpest on Wednesday, and they will also be available on route 27 on Gellért Hill in the near future. The maximidi buses are arriving to Budapest continuously, and according to plans, all 65 new buses will be in service by April 2026. This fleet renewal will update 8% of BKV's bus fleet, replacing vehicles equipped with outdated EURO 2 and EURO 3 engines.

More comfortable, more modern vehicles accessible to everyone are on the way

The vehicle fleet developments launched in recent years have significantly improved public transport in the capital and, as a result, the air quality in Budapest. The Municipality of Budapest and BKK are committed to doing even more in the future to make Budapest greener and encourage more people to choose public transport. The standard of the capital's public transport fleet will be significantly improved with the new Mercedes-Benz Citaro K buses, the first six of which have already arrived in the city.

The new vehicles will contribute to increased travel comfort and passenger satisfaction and will also play a key role in ensuring equal opportunities, achieving climate goals, and improving energy efficiency. According to current plans, a total of 70 new fully electric buses – 50 solo and 20 articulated – will enter service by 2027. In addition to these, 25 new low-floor, air-conditioned diesel buses equipped with on-board cameras and a modern passenger information system have recently been introduced in Budapest, and more than 170 additional vehicles of this kind are expected to arrive in several phases in the coming years. With the introduction of these new diesel and electric buses, by 2027 nearly 90 % of the capital's bus fleet will consist of vehicles powered by modern EURO 5 or newer drive systems. As a result, approximately 8000 tonnes less exhaust emissions will be released into Budapest’s air locally each year.  

BKV Zrt.
BKK Zrt.

October 15, 2025