DHAKA: Austria and Germany have taken in thousands of migrants who crossed the border after days stuck in Hungary.

After being welcomed at the Austrian frontier by volunteers, many went directly to Vienna and on to Munich in southern Germany, reports BBC.

Earlier this week there were chaotic scenes in Budapest as Hungary blocked them from travelling onwards.

Many migrants refused to be taken to camps in Hungary to register for asylum, insisting they wanted to travel on to Germany and Austria.

Crowds broke through security lines and began walking 175km (108 miles) to the border, many with small children.

Under mounting pressure, Hungary opened its border with Austria, which expected to have received up to 10,000 people by the end of Saturday.

Austria has said it will not limit the number of migrants crossing its borders, with an interior ministry spokesperson on Saturday said that that the nation was dealing with an influx of people from "crisis regions" who were "desperate".

Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Germany can cope with an influx of newcomers, without raising taxes or jeopardising its budget.

But Germany and Hungary say the decision to open borders for the asylum seekers was an exceptional case - for humanitarian reasons - and the "Dublin rules" that require people to apply for asylum in the first EU country they reach will continue to operate.

Meanwhile, Hungary laid on trains bound for Austria for hundreds more migrants who set off on foot towards there from Budapest's main railway station on Saturday.

The last train from the Austrian border town of Nickelsdorf going to Vienna has departed, but more will be put on Sunday.

BDST: 0813 HRS, SEP 05, 2015
RS