They have also appealed to the authorities to take action against the drivers.

Private taxis circling the petrol station next to the National Athletics Centre are picking up visitors and taking them to their hotels for astronomical sums, Budapest 2023 NZRT said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that punters should only use official taxis.

Also, the venue is easily accessible by public transport, the statement added.

The government office of Budapest said they had doubled the number of inspectors checking on taxi drivers during the world championships at the request of organisers.

The inspectors, in cooperation with public transport BKK staff and police, focus on the area of the championship venue as well as nearby filling stations, the office said in a statement.

The office has advised passengers “to take due care when selecting their taxi service providers”.

MTI Photo: Tibor Illyés