Refugee Crisis: Hundreds willing to walk 180km to ‘better place’

Hundreds of refugees stranded in Budapest’s Keleti station left for Austria on foot as trains to northern European countries remained suspended.

Despite the high temperatures, Syrians, Afghans and Somalis packed up their meagre belongings and gathered in front of the station to a backdrop of whistling and calls for “freedom”.

Some have been here a few days, some longer. The situation in Keleti seems hopeless after a train supposedly destined for Austria stopped kilometres from the city — causing a standoff between refugees and Hungarian police.