Yongpai: At the beginning of the new year, this international flight takes them on a journey to China

Flight FM898 from Budapest. Reporter Yang Hui/Photo by

Yongpai Client Intern Reporter Yang Di Correspondent Chen Yan Tao Xin Intern He Xinrui
　　   
At 1:28 pm on January 13th, flight FM898 from Budapest landed smoothly at Ningbo Lishe International Airport, marking the fourth direct flight from Hungary to Ningbo this year. According to statistical data, the average occupancy rate of passengers on this route during peak hours exceeds 80%, with foreign nationals accounting for over 50%. The continued popularity of air routes is witnessing the benefits of visa free travel and new trends in China's economic and trade exchanges with Europe. And those foreign tourists who rushed to enter China in the first month of the new year have also embarked on this year's "China Tour" from Ningbo.
The first stop of the New Year is' Silk and Smooth Cost Performance '
This is my first stop at work this year and also my first time coming to Ningbo. I chose this place because there are direct flights from Budapest, which are very helpful for the development of my work this year
Among the incoming crowd, the reporter met Gergely Pinter from Hungary. He told reporters that he is engaged in the mechanical manufacturing industry and his focus this year is to implement a hydraulic coastal development project in 18 countries around the world. Before coming to Ningbo, he also studied its location and transportation. The convenient direct flight service made it his preferred stop for holding international business conferences and coordinating production plans from 18 countries. I hope to have a good start to my career here this year
Bence, a passenger from Hungary, plans to travel to the Philippines, and the reason for choosing to land in Ningbo for a layover is also due to the "smooth and convenient" experience. There are only two routes from Budapest to China, and the direct flight to Ningbo is the most cost-effective. I believe many people will be moved by this reason like me, "he said with a smile. In the near future, he plans to embark on a trip in China. Chengdu and Shanghai are both cities that I want to go to, but of course, I would still choose to start from Ningbo
According to the border inspection statistics of Ningbo Airport, the number of inbound and outbound passengers at Ningbo Airport will exceed 1.13 million in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 21.6%, setting a new high in nearly 6 years. Among them, there are advantages of the "only two" flights between Hungary and China, as well as more attractive ticket prices.
During the interview, the reporter encountered many foreign business people who chose Ningbo as their first destination for coming to China, and then transferred to the triangle trade highlands such as Yiwu and Suzhou. The reporter noticed that at the scene, there were multiple signs introducing China's visa free policy and self-service machines that could fill in the entry card by scanning the code, providing transit passengers with a smoother customs clearance experience and receiving unanimous praise from passengers.
Zhang Jiaqi, a staff member at the Ningbo Airport border inspection station, told reporters that in recent years, in order to improve the passenger clearance experience, the Ningbo Airport border inspection station has been fully committed to achieving "immediate inspection upon arrival" for passengers by monitoring passenger flow dynamics in real-time and implementing visa free convenience measures in detail. According to statistics, the clearance efficiency of domestic and foreign passengers at Ningbo Airport has increased by more than 10% compared to the past.
Perhaps there is my future here
As the first demonstration zone for economic and trade cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, as well as a linking platform for trade between China and Europe, Ningbo has continuously attracted numerous European companies to set up trading companies in Ningbo in recent years. From hosting the first Central and Eastern European specialty product exhibition in 2014 to building the country's first China Central and Eastern European countries economic and trade cooperation demonstration zone, the average annual growth rate of trade volume between Ningbo and Central and Eastern European countries has reached 18.3%.
Maryam Rad, who is studying Business Economics at a German university, took this flight to Ningbo that day to reunite with her father, who is doing business here. This girl, who rushed to Ningbo at the first moment of the holiday, studied at Huamao Middle School in Ningbo and grew up in Yinzhou District. She also regards Ningbo as her "second hometown" and is full of emotions towards this city.
My father chose Ningbo because it has a huge port and unlimited business opportunities. It is also the region with the closest trade relations between China and Central and Eastern Europe, "she told reporters. With a good business environment and mature foreign trade industry, her father's company is developing better and better in Ningbo. Although the company is located in Ningbo, my father has accumulated customers from all over the world, and the complete upstream and downstream supporting facilities and international port and shipping logistics have greatly helped the development of the company. This time in Ningbo, in addition to reuniting with my father, I hope to learn some business experience and also visit the surrounding areas to learn more about China. Because in the future, I may also inherit his career in Ningbo
According to statistics from Ningbo Customs, in the first three quarters of 2025, Ningbo's imports and exports to Central and Eastern European countries amounted to 45.45 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7%, which is 3.3 percentage points faster than the city's imports and exports. In the first 11 months of 2025, Ningbo and Hungary achieved an import and export of 3.61 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%. Among them, the export performance was particularly strong, reaching 3.35 billion yuan, an increase of 11.9%. Mechanical and electrical products are the absolute mainstay of trade, accounting for 76.6%, especially the export of household appliances, which has grown significantly by 27.3%.
In the first month of the new year, the direct flight route from Ningbo to Budapest continues to attract a "wave" of foreign tourists, and behind it is not only a vivid reflection of the effectiveness of visa free policies and the warming of bilateral economic and trade, but also reflects the sustained attractiveness of Ningbo.