Nearly one thousand people swim across Danube in Budapest for first crossing in six years

Nearly 1,000 swimmers braved the Danube in Budapest on Saturday for the first Generali OWT Danube Crossing open-water swim in six years. The event, held between Corvinus University and the Budapest University of Technology, required closing a usually busy stretch of the river for four hours to ensure safety.

Organiser Balázs Mezős told Euronews that the preparation for the swim is extensive. "This is a very big event: almost 40 paramedics watch over the swimmers, 12 motorboats look after them, and the entire Danube is closed for four hours, so no one can enter or leave. The larger ships have to be cleared from the start and finish areas and moved elsewhere," he explained.

For many participants, the swim offered a unique perspective of Budapest. "I used to come to university over Liberty Bridge every day," one young swimmer said. "I would always look out from the tram, wondering what it would be like to swim across — whether you actually could. It never occurred to me that it was really possible. Then we found out this event existed, and we signed up as soon as registration opened."

Organisers assured participants that the water is clean and the stretch is safe, with no dangerous eddies. "People are very wary of the Danube," Mezős said. "That basically stems from the fact that they don't swim in it, because usually you're not allowed to. Fortunately, more and more open-water Danube beaches are being built here in Budapest and across the country, so people are slowly getting used to it."

He added, "You have to give it a try: the first time or two might feel a bit uncomfortable, or exciting, or even scary, but by the third time it's a real pleasure. Swimming while carried along by a current of about five kilometres per hour is heaven itself."

A British man living in Budapest called the experience "a fantastic experience." His wife and two young daughters were waiting for him at the finish line near the Budapest University of Technology. "Every Budapest resident should try it once. The start is tough because of the current — you think you're swimming in a straight line, but you're not. But the organisation is excellent; it's a great event."

The Danube Swim is part of the Generali Night Run sports festival, which offers participants a range of running distances through some of Budapest's most iconic locations.

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