Knowledge Promoting Dutch Cycling in Hungary: A Conversation with the Dutch Embassy in Budapest 12 November 2026 General Cycling is gaining increasing attention across Hungary, where approximately 16% of the population uses the bicycle as their primary mode of transportation, and infrastructure is steadily growing and improving. In recent years, the Dutch Embassy in Budapest has been promoting Dutch cycling practices and culture. We discuss the challenges and opportunities of cycling in Hungary with Yvette Szepesi, Deputy Ambassador, and Éva Szabó, representative of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hungary. How would you describe cycling culture in Hungary? Yvette Szepesi: I have been visiting Budapest since I was little, and I can see how much cycling has increased since then. You can spot more bicycles and cycle paths, and as cycling increases, cars are also becoming more accustomed to cyclists. Of course, you cannot compare it directly with the Netherlands, where people cycle regardless of the weather and the bicycle is one of the main means of transportation. In Budapest, people prefer cycling in good weather, and if it is raining they will probably choose another form of transport. Éva: Budapest has the most developed cycling infrastructure in the country, but cycling is also present in other areas. In larger cities, and particularly in the Great Plains, cycling has traditionally been part of everyday life. It is a very flat region, and in the past many people did not have cars, so cycling was a practical necessity. You can still see this in smaller cities and villages today. What is the Dutch Embassy doing to promote cycling in Hungary? Éva: For the Dutch Embassy, promoting cycling culture is an important mission. We participate and promote events such as the “I bike Budapest” cycling rally, where the ambassadors often speaks before the event, and we have organized exhibitions and presentations on Dutch cycling culture during European Mobility Week, also in collaboration with the Dutch Cycling Embassy. We also started a collaboration with the Active Hungary Development Centre. When the organisation was established, we discussed how we could help by sharing Dutch best practices. This led to study trips for city leaders to different Dutch cities, with the goal of facilitating knowledge exchanges to learn from Dutch examples while thinking about Hungarian cycling networks. The Dutch Embassy also translated the Dutch Cycling Vision into Hungarian and distributed it among city leaders and government officials. Based partly on this experience, Hungary also developed its own national cycling strategy, which has been a very positive development. You have both experienced cycling in the Netherlands. What is something from Dutch cycling culture that you would like to bring to Hungary? Yvette: If I could import one element, it is the attitude of seeing cycling as a reliable means of transportation, from home to work, from home to school, and back again. I would like to see that mindset become stronger in Hungary, knowing how cycling can be one of the cleanest, fastest and nicest ways to travel, whether you are going to work or school. Cycling i is already popular in Hungary, but there is still work to do to make it more widespread as a form of daily transportation. And is there something from Hungarian cycling culture that you would bring to the Netherlands? Yvette: I would say cycling for enjoyment. Many Dutch people cycle for leisure as well, but I think Hungarians have a particularly nice culture of taking the bicycle out simply to enjoy a day. For example, quite a few people cycle from Budapest to Szentendre, a beautiful town along the Danube. It is around 22 kilometres, and people will cycle there on a Sunday simply for fun. They might go with their children, have something to eat in Szentendre and then cycle back. In this way, cycling truly becomes a way to enjoy the environment and the outdoors, to spend time together with friends and family, not just a way of going from A to B. What do you see as the biggest challenge for the future of cycling in Hungary? Éva: Infrastructure is a big challenge. People need to feel and see that cycling infrastructure is safe, especially in larger cities where there is a lot of traffic. However, this is a chicken-and-egg situation. People say cycling is not safe because of car traffic, arguing that you need to wait for better infrastructure before cycling. Others argue that you should just start cycling, because you need a critical mass of cyclists to convince governments to invest in cycling infrastructure. Why is promoting Dutch cycling in Hungary important to you? Éva: As representatives of the Dutch Embassy, we are here to promote the Netherlands in general. Cycling is very much part of the Dutch DNA, so it is the perfect way to show what the Netherlands is about. Cycling also helps connect with people, it provides a natural entry point for conversations about the Netherlands and topics such as sustainable mobility. Yvette: I think it is also very much in line with the other priorities of the Embassy, particularly sustainability. Cycling is a sustainable form of transport, it promotes healthy behaviors and spending time outside; it ticks a lot of boxes. It connects mobility, sustainability and health, while also bringing people and countries together. Looking ahead The exchange between Hungary and the Netherlands shows that cycling knowledge does not have to travel in only one direction. Hungary can draw inspiration from the Netherlands’ experience with cycling as an everyday mode of transport, while Dutch partners can also learn from Hungarian cycling culture and its strong recreational dimension. With continued investment in safe, connected infrastructure and knowledge exchange, cycling can play an increasingly important role in creating more sustainable, healthy and liveable Hungarian cities.