Várnagy Zoltán: Urban Transportation - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1994)

of the Millenary celebrations in 1896, they had 1.8 million fares. The business done by Budapest Propeller Ferry and Sailing Co. was far bigger with 2.5 million passengers carried in 1899. Crossing the river first class cost 14 fillérs (10 second class) for a long time, but in 1903 the company decided to reduce its prices due to losses sustained the previous year. The 40 per cent price reduction resulted in a 41 per cent growth in passenger figures. In 1905 changes in the fare system included the introduction of fares enabling passengers to transfer to trams. The cheapest of these transfer tickets cost 16 krajcárs.

There were as many as ten regular ferries in 1910. In 1914 8.3 million passengers crossed the Danube. DGT's contract expired in 1916, which was followed in 1917 by the expiry of the licence held by Propeller Co., and the permits were not renewed. It was the Hungarian River Sailing and Freight Shipping Co. (MFTR) that obtained a new licence to operate river boats and ferries. Of the two activities, the latter always produced losses, which lead to heated arguments between the company and the municipality every year about the spring-time reopening of the service. Although MFTR was subsidised, it permanently terminated its services in 1929. However, there always remained ferries in operation until the end of World War 11.

In the meantime, Rezső Bossányi Havass started his water-taxi business with three ten-seat motor boats in

Single route service on the Danube

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