At the border crossing in Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border, long lines of cars form in the mornings. Thousands of people commute daily to Austria, where salaries are twice as high as in Hungary.
In recent weeks, the traffic jams have been particularly long, as several roads in the Austrian state of Burgenland have been closed to reduce traffic intensity. For instance, the highway to Klingenbach is blocked by a concrete barrier. According to representatives of the Austrian municipality, this decision was made to protect the peace of local residents.
"There were too many cars here. Traffic jams form on this road during the morning hours. It takes half an hour to get out, and many people simply cut through the village", a man explains.
More and more municipalities in Austria in this border area are trying to prevent traffic congestion on the roads. This bridge, connecting the Hungarian Agfalva and the Austrian Loipersbach, is also closed to traffic. It is now impossible to enter Burgenland via this route.
RelatedAnother border crossing between Agfalva and Schattendorf has been partially closed to cars since 2023: only those who have purchased a pass can cross the border. However, for several months, this was also impossible due to technical issues.
"You have to pay 160 euros, and only after that can you cross the border if you have a card. However, the road has been closed for over six months due to electronic issues", one of our interviewees explains.
"This is an embarrassment for Hungarians, and if Hungarians didn't come, their economy would suffer. They support their entire economy", another woman says.
Every day at the border crossing on the Hungarian side, people leave dozens of cars and walk or bike to work in Schattendorf.
A lawsuit for compensation has been filed against the Schattendorf municipality, explaining that Hungarians wishing to cross the border have to walk more than 30 kilometers. However, it was dismissed in the first instance by the Austrian regional court.