Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is already under pressure ahead the Champions League final from PSG and Arsenal. Tourism experts estimate that more than 200,000 supporters will arrive in the Hungarian capital, and the city is preparing for what could become the biggest tourist event in its history.
Data on flight and accommodation bookings show an increase of around 250% compared to a normal period, while transport infrastructure is expected to be operating at full capacity.
Historic event in Budapest: “Between 200,000 and 250,000 people will come to the city these days”
“Budapest has hardly ever faced such pressure from a tourism point of view. Data on bookings, prices, bookings on Booking and air traffic show that between 200,000 and 250,000 people will come to the city for several days“, explained Gabor Bodis, lecturer at the Metropolitan University of Budapest.
It warns that the massive influx of visitors will significantly affect the daily lives of local residents and that “the transport network will be under huge pressure”, quoted by The Guardian.
The first signs of this invasion can be seen in the prices charged in the city. Budapest's luxury hotels have been fully booked for weeks, and the few remaining options have reached staggering rates. In the city center, a single night's accommodation can exceed 2,800 euros, while even modest rooms are listed at over 700 euros.
Air transport is no more affordable either: flights from London and Paris to Budapest have come to cost from around €500 each way, and some direct flights from the English capital have sold out even with £1,500.
Bucharest, bypass route for the capital of Hungary!
In this context, Bucharest became one of the solutions that many supporters of the “gunners” turned to. Tom Hall, Lonely Planet travel expert and season ticket holder of the London club, revealed that many fans are looking for detours to avoid the huge costs of the final.
“I have seen return flights to Bucharest for less than 200 lirefrom where it's only about a 15-hour bus or train ride to Budapest,” explained Hall.
The same specialist claims that the problem of accommodation has become almost as difficult as that of transport. “There are several night train options to and from from Bucharest that can help you overcome the problem of accommodation. Honestly, I don't see many other solutions,” he added.
An even more complicated option, but taken into account by some supporters, is the journey by coach from London to Budapest. Return tickets are under £300, but the journey takes around 48 hours and includes a night in Nuremberg.
“Some fans in my area bought tickets to Bratislava and Viennaand I saw direct round-trip flights to Bucharest for under 200 lire, from where it would be a 15-hour journey by bus or train to Budapest,” said Hall.
In addition to transportation and hotels, tickets have also become a real challenge. PSG and Arsenal have each received around 17,000 seats for supporters, but the demand is much higher. On the unofficial market, some tickets are offered at prices even of 6-7000 euroswhile UEFA warns that tickets bought through unauthorized channels risk being cancelled.
