Thousands of Hungarians cross the border daily to work in Austria, where wages are twice as high as in Hungary. More than 120,000 Hungarians are employed in Austria, primarily in the service and trade industries.
Recently, the Hungarian-Austrian border crossing at Sopron has seen a notable increase in traffic. To alleviate congestion, several roads in Burgenland have been closed, a move the local municipality justified as necessary to maintain residents’ peace.
A local resident described how traffic congestion began early in the morning, with many drivers taking shortcuts through nearby villages. To manage the growing traffic, Austrian municipalities have been blocking popular border crossings to curb vehicle flow. In Ágfalva and Schattendorf, a 160-euro sticker was mandated for crossing; however, technical problems have prevented sticker holders from using the route.
This disruption has led to a surge in parked cars near the border, forcing some commuters to walk or cycle to Schattendorf. In response, an international law office filed a compensation lawsuit against Schattendorf, arguing that Hungarians now have to travel over 30 kilometers to cross into the village. However, the Austrian provincial court dismissed the lawsuit in its initial ruling.
