Thousands of refugees leave Hungary after Austria opens border to them

Around 2,000 refugees have arrived at Austria’s border from Hungary, and the numbers could more than double through the day, Austrian police said on Saturday. Exhausted families, among them refugees from Syria, began crossing the border on foot and arriving on buses after Austria and Germany agreed to open their doors in the face of the developing crisis. In a message posted on Facebook, Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said: “Because of today’s emergency situation on the Hungarian border, Austria and Germany agree in this case to a continuation of the refugees’ journey into their countries.”

The pace is relentless. Hundreds of people making this journey - only stopping occasionally to catch their breath. They say they won’t stop until they get to Germany.

Sky reporter Alex Rossi

Last night, refugees and migrants at Budapest railway station began boarding around 100 buses bound for Austrian 84 miles (135km) away while around 1,000 people that left earlier continued to make the journey on foot. One man, a 51-year-old Pakistani, collapsed about 800 metres from the station and died despite efforts to save him. Sky’s Alex Rossi, who joined a group making their own way along Hungary’s M1 motorway, saw children in pushchairs and disabled people in wheelchairs. Some carried pictures of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who some referred to as “mother”.

World march to Austria