Public transports in Budapest work very well and at affordable rates. Its metro system is the oldest in Europe after London, and its four lines cover all the main touristic attractions of the city.
Trams, buses, and taxis work very well; they are always on time, allowing you to reach any corner of the city.
In addiction, you can use Mol Bubi, a public bike-sharing system that allows you to move around Budapest in an ecological and fun way.
Budapest card is a tourist city pass that allows you to move freely; you can choose between the 24, 48 or 72 hours pass and have unlimited access to all public transport rides, as well as some discounted rates for selected services and free entrance to selected museums.
By purchasing this card, you will be able to use free public transport rides. The card can be purchased at one of the many Budapest Infopoint or online before arriving to Budapest, so you won’t have to worry about it and you will also get a further discount. After purchasing the card, you will have to pick it up at the airport or at one of the many Infopoints.
The Budapest metro is made of 4 lines, numbered from 1 to 4 and identified by four colors. Line 4, the green line, is pretty new as it was completed in 2014. On the other hand, line 1 dates back to 1986 and it was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The Budapest metro system interchanges at Deák Ferenc tér, Keleti pályaudvar and Kálvin tér stations, which are all located in the city center.
Metro tickets can be purchased before boarding at vending machines or tobacconists; they must be validated before entering the rail area.
Tickets must be kept until the end of the ride; ticket inspectors can check their validity at any point of the station. There are four types of available tickets:
Budapest underground runs from 4.30 am to 23.10. During peak hours trains pass every 2 minutes.
Find more information about Budapest Metro.
In Budapest there are 200 buses lines running from early in the morning to late evening. At night they are replaced by late night lines. Buses are frequent and punctual; valid tickets are the same as underground tickets.
Tourists can easily get around Budapest by metro, without even having to use buses. However, bus 200E connects Ferenc Liszt Airport to the Kobanya Kispest stop, reaching the end of line 3. This is a cheap and easy way to get to the city center after landing to Budapest!
In addiction to buses, public transport in Budapest includes also trams, which are recognizable by their yellow color. Trams in Budapest cover about 40 lines, some of which passing through the city center. You can use the same bus or metro ticket.
One of the most interesting things to do on your trip to Budapest is experiencing a ride aboard tram 2, which runs along the Danube and allows you to admire one of the main attractions of the city such as the Parliament, the Castle with the Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, the Chain Bridge, and the Elizabeth Bridge.
Taking a taxi in Budapest is cheap and very easy. A taxi ride will be more expensive than a metro or a bus ride, but being driven to your final destination may be worth the expense.
Unfortunately, taxi drivers in Budapest are famous for cheating on tourists. There are even some abusive taxi drivers that will take you to some remote area of the city just to rob you. In order to avoid being involved in such an unpleasant situation, you should always use official taxis.
Sometimes taxi drivers “forget” to turn on the taxi meter with the purpose of charging a way higher rate once you have reached your final destination. Ask them to turn it on straight away with a smile on your face and a calm attitude and you will have no problems.
Taxi fares are calculated by adding three entries:
Another way to move around Budapest is to use the public bike system called Mol Bubi. Just like many other European capital cities, in Budapest there are many pick up and drop off points scattered all over the city. You do not need to be a resident citizen to use the service, and it is possible to pay by credit or debit card.
Bikes are recognizable by their light green color. Renting rates are very convenient. After paying a daily rate, or a 3 or 7 days rate, you need to pay per use.
The first thirty minutes are free, which means that you will only have to pay your daily fair if you are using the bike for short distances. Fairs increase as time passes.
In order to start using the service a 100 euro deposit will be charged on your credit card; it will be unlocked once it has been verified that the bike has been returned in good conditions.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
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