Magyar Posta to auction 21 former post office buildings

Magyar Posta is preparing to auction 21 former post office buildings located across 16 Hungarian settlements, signaling that these locations are unlikely to reopen for traditional postal services. The properties are situated in various locations, including Budapest, Debrecen, Miskolc, Szeged, and several county seats such as Veszprém, Sopron, and Kecskemét.

This move follows a significant contraction of the national postal network that began in November 2022. At that time, 366 post offices in 210 settlements were suspended as part of a cost-cutting initiative. While initially described as temporary, many of these locations have remained closed. Data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office highlights this trend: the number of directly operated postal service points fell from 2,430 in 2021 to 1,890 in 2022, with projections suggesting only 1,213 such locations will remain by 2025.

The reduction in physical branches has raised concerns regarding accessibility, particularly for elderly citizens and those less proficient with digital services. In Budapest's III. district, residents previously organized petitions to prevent closures, as the lack of local branches forces citizens to travel further for essential tasks like bill payments and official mail handling.