The BalatonBike365 service has been operating for three years now and is showing increasingly impressive results in cycling tourism around Lake Balaton. In an interview with turizmus.com, Péter Princzinger, managing director of VisitBalaton365, spoke in detail about the impacts of the development and the latest figures.
The project, carried out between 2019 and 2022, aimed to transform the Balaton region into a four-season cycling destination. Princzinger reported that over 143,000 cyclists were registered at Balatonszárszó during the first eight months of 2025, which is 5% more than the previous year. A 5% increase was also observed at the measurement point near Örvényes, while growth is noticeable on the more hidden BalatonBike365 (BB365) routes—for instance, traffic at Gyenesdiás increased by 18%.
The effects of the developments are measured using three data sources: automatic traffic counters, BAHART (Balaton Shipping Company) ticket sales data, and statistics from the BB365-BBT (Balaton Bike Tour) rental system.
The managing director emphasized that boating is also an important element of the cycling experience at Lake Balaton.
In the summer of 2025, 14% more cyclists traveled on the ferries and 23% more on the passenger ships compared to the same period the previous year.
Princzinger pointed out that cooperation with BAHART also contributes to this success, with bike racks installed in the ports and maps available at ticket offices for cyclists.
The collected data revealed that bike rentals are experiencing a renaissance around the “Hungarian Sea”: 16,500 people rented bikes through the BB365 system during the first eight months of 2025, which is 25% more than last year and 81% more than in 2023.
The growth is even more pronounced during the summer period: the number of bike renters increased by 63% compared to 2023.
At BBT rentals, 70% choose e-bikes, with e-MTB and e-trekking models being particularly popular. The fleet has now expanded to 1,000 bikes, with another 100 expected by the end of the year, the managing director revealed.
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Via Turizmus.com, Featured image: Pixabay
The post Cycling Tourism Is Booming at Lake Balaton appeared first on Hungary Today.
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