An amphibious bus will transport passengers between Silistra and Calarasi

An innovative bus that, in addition to land, can also move on water, will connect the cities of Silistra (Bulgaria) and Calarasi (Romania) across the Danube. BTA reports that the vehicle was purchased by the district council of the Romanian city as part of a project under the cross-border program between the two countries. The Bulgarian city bought an electric catamaran under the project.

The amphibious bus is called the Frog Bus and has 35 seats. It costs about 900 thousand euros and was purchased from Hungary, more precisely from the company RiverRide Kft, which has been producing such vehicles since 2009. These frog buses operate in Budapest and offer tourists the opportunity for an attractive cruise along the Danube. In 2023, some 30-35 thousand passengers were transported this way. Similar buses are also used in Portugal.

The amphibious bus will not only take tourists on water but will also visit the two cities along the Danube - Silistra and Calarasi. Only then will it return to its starting station. For the moment, however, it remains unclear when the bus will start operating, nor what the fares will be.

In Budapest, a frog bus tour on the Danube River costs about 25 euros for an adult and 8 euros for children. It lasts an hour and a half. For shorter tourist tours of 50 minutes, the price is reduced to 20 euros for adults.

The Romanian publication Turizmus writes that the frog bus is powered by a diesel engine on land, but floats on water using electric power. The vehicle is equipped with German batteries, though Hungarian electronics are also included in the engine.

Translated by Tzvetozar Vincent Iolov