This year, the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place between 29 and 31 July. Similarly to previous years, changes in the traffic layout should also be anticipated in 2011 along the M3 motorway between Budapest and Mogyoród.
This year again, the State Motorway Management Company will play an important part in ensuring the availability of the location of the 26th Hungarian Grand Prix. The Company has taken all necessary measures to allow the anticipated large number of fans to reach the Hungaroring via the motorways without traffic jams. The dispatch service, the Call Centre (available on the 06-40-40-50-60 local rate number both in English and in Hungarian), and the engineering bureaus concerned (especially on the M0 highway and the M3 and M31 motorways) are fully prepared for the increased number of inquiries.
The main way 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, between the interchange with the M0 highway and the Ring rest area (13-18 km section), a separate traffic lane will be established on the hard shoulder for VIP guests. This lane will be exclusively for VIP guests – visitors will be allowed to access the connecting road leading to the Hungaroring through a temporary exit slip road, established at the 19.1 km section. The race track can also be approached from the Mogyoród Junction (no. 23). Motorists should bear in mind that the M3 motorway may only be used after the 13 km section when a valid road-use authorisation has been paid for.
Just as last year, spectators coming from Budapest South (Liszt Ferenc International Airport) can also access the Hungaroring via the M31. Motorists coming from the M5 should enter the M31 at junction 54 of the M0, and continue driving to the Mogyoród junction of the M3 from where they can access the race track (please note that this section of the M3 can only be used with valid road-use authorisation!). Drivers will be informed on the temporary traffic layout via information signs and the variable message boards.
After the race, motorists will be able to access the M3 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 the rest area will be able to do so without the need to give way. If traffic requires, motorists may also travel on the hard shoulder, about which they will be informed through signs.
As last year, after the race it will be possible to leave the race track through the M3 motorway (Gödöllő junction) – M31 motorway – M0 highway route. In order to avoid congestion, those travelling in the afternoon from the direction of Nyíregyháza towards Budapest are also recommended to use this route.
Longer travelling times should be expected on the M3 motorway section between Budapest and Gödöllő on Saturday and Sunday morning, as well as on Thursday afternoon, during the free pit lane visit. Traffic on the Budapest-bound section will significantly increase on Saturday between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm, following the qualifying session, 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 work carried out on the expressway network managed by SMMC that would reduce traffic capacity will be suspended. Accordingly, traffic restrictions and diversions involving lane closures will take place only in case of accidents.
E-vignette sales figures, which are quite high throughout the summer season, generally undergo a further increase at the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. The turnover of sales points along the affected route (M1 – M0 – M3) usually show an increase of about 50% in this period of the year. In order to avoid long queues, which might occur at the sales locations, road users can purchase the e-vignettes via the internet, mobile phone SMS systems, bank card payment or phone calls in just a few minutes, even in advance (for the conditions of purchase and other details visit the E-vignette & Toll Payment / Online Purchase section at www.motorway.hu).
With the increased traffic related to the GP in mind, the there will be more staff at SMMC’s Call Centre over the weekend. Information about current diversions and closures, the traffic situation, road condition and road-use authorisation is available through the 7/24, local rate info line of the Company (06-40-40-50-60).
Traffic information is also available via the SMMC’s text message-based info system. Thanks to recent developments, this service already covers all expressway sections operated by the Company. In order to obtain data, just send the code of the selected motorway (M0, M1, M15, M19, M3, M30, M31, M35, M5, M6, M7, M70, M8, M9) in a regular text message to 06 70 777 4636. The two reply messages contain general traffic information and a short description of the two most recent events on the given motorway.