This year, the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place between July 29 and 1 August. Similarly to previous years, modifications in the traffic order are to be anticipated in 2010 as well along the M3 motorway between Budapest and Mogyoród.
In 2010, State Motorway Management Co. Ltd. will play a crucial role again in providing easy access to the site of the 25th Hungarian Grand Prix. The Company has taken all necessary measures to allow the anticipated large number of fans to reach the Hungaroring via motorways without traffic jams. The dispatch service, the Call Centre (06-40-40-50-60 – the calls are free of charge and the service is available both in English and in Hungarian) and the concerned engineering bureaus (on the M0 highway, the M3 motorway and the newly opened M31 motorway) have fully prepared for the increased number of inquiries.
The main method of accessing the site of the race from the direction of downtown Budapest will be similar to the past years’ practice. On the right-hand side of the M3 motorway (heading to Nyíregyháza), between the interchange with the M0 highway and the Ring rest area (13-18 km section), a separate traffic zone will be established for VIP guests on the hard shoulder. This zone will be exclusively for VIP guests – visitors will be allowed to access the connection road leading to the Hungaroring through a temporary off ramp established at the 19.1 km-section. The site can also be approached from the Mogyoród Junction (Junction 23). It is important to know that the M3 motorway may only be used against a road toll from the 13 km section.
However, those arriving from the south of Budapest (from the direction of Ferihegy) on the M31 motorway will be able to use a new route this year. Those travelling on the M0 highway will be able to access the M31 motorway at Junction 54, and, following the M31 motorway, it will be possible for them to reach the M3 motorway at Junction 23 (as described above) and go on in the direction of the Hungaroring. The temporary order of the traffic will be indicated through information signs and variable message signs.
After the race, accessing the motorway in the direction of downtown Budapest will be possible at Junction 23 and through the Ring rest area. At the rest area, the flow of incoming traffic will be assisted by the staff of the Gödöllő Engineering Bureau by mobile rerouting. If necessary, the passing lane will be closed so that those entering the motorway from this place will be able to do so without the necessity to yield. If traffic requires, motorists may also travel on the hard shoulder, about which they will be informed through signs.
It is a new development as opposed to past years that it will be possible to leave the race track through the M3 motorway (Gödöllő junction)-M31 motorway-M0 highway route. If you want to avoid congestion, SMMC Ltd’s experts suggest using this route if you want to travel from the direction of Nyíregyháza to the direction of Budapest Sunday afternoon.
On the M3 motorway section from Budapest towards Gödöllő, longer travelling times should be expected on Saturday and Sunday morning, as well as on Thursday afternoon, during the pit lane visit. Traffic on the incoming section will significantly increase on Saturday between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm, following the qualification round, and on Sunday, between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm, after the end of the race. It should be noted that during the race, in order to ensure smooth traffic, all reconstruction works carried out on the expressway network managed by SMMC that would cause a decrease in traffic capacity will be suspended. Accordingly, traffic restrictions and diversions involving lane closures will only take place if there are accidents.
E-Vignette sales figures, which are otherwise quite high in the tourist season, generally undergo a further increase on the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. Sales figures at locations along the affected route (M1 – M0 – M3) are expected to show a significant increase during the Grand Prix weekend. In order to avoid long queues, which might occur at the sales locations, road users can purchase the e-vignettes in just a few minutes via the Internet through bank card payment, via mobile phones by SMS, or by a phone call, even in advance in certain cases. Please check www.motorway.hu E-Vign. & Toll payment / Online purchase options for details.
Besides e-vignettes, SMMC also offers comfortable access to up-to-date traffic information through its SMS-information service. In order to request data, the code of the selected Motorway (M0, M1, M3, M30, M35 or M7) should be sent to the 06 70 777 4636 phone number. The two reply messages contain general traffic information and a short description of the last two events regarding the given motorway.