Biking in Budapest, tours and bike rental

Budapest is a very interesting city for bike lovers; the Hungarian capital offers real adventures across nature, culture, and tradition with its 300 km of  biking paths dotted all over the city and its surroundings.

The city itself, just like the rest of Hungary, is pretty flat featuring some gently rolling hills. In order to bike in Budapest you must be at least 12 years old and you must respect the road signs.

The best times of the year to bike around Budapest are late spring and the months between June and October, considering that the weather is very enjoyable. There are different bike itineraries in Hungary, and each one of them offers different emotions on two wheels.

Bike rental services are available on Margaret Island, at the City Park as well as at many other points of interest around the city. Don’t forget to bring an identity document. There is also the possibility to join group bicycle tours.

Bike tours in Budapest

Public bike sharing

It is also possible to use public bikes by using the MOL Bubi bike sharing system: just like many other European cities, Budapest offers available bikes for shared use.

Users can access the service by registering to the system; renting time goes from 30 minutes up to 24 hours. Payment can be issued by credit card. Bikes can be returned to one of the many pick up – drop off sites around the city, which are strategically scattered all over: train station, city parks as well as the most popular monuments.

Bike rental

If you are not traveling to Budapest with your own bike you should not worry: in Budapest there are many bike rental companies; biking around is the best way to get to discover Budapest off the beaten track.

• KomjadiUszoda
  II district, Arpad fejedelem utja 8.
  www.sulisi.hu
• Budapest Bike
  VII district, Wesselenyi utca 18.
  www.budapestbike.hu
• Bike Base
  VI district, Podmaniczky utca 19.
  www.bikebase.hu
• Bringohinto
  XIII district, Hajds Alfred setany 1.
  www.bringohinto.hu
• Yellow Zebra
  V district, Suto utca 2.
  www.yellowzebrabikes.com
• WestEnd City Bike
  VI district, Vaci ut 1-3.
  www.westend.hu

Bike tours nearby

From Budapest you can bike to Csepel Island: on your way you can make a stop at Kalocsa, a small town famous for growing paprika, and at Hajós wine region. There are numerous biking tours outside Budapest for those who wish to explore the whole country:

• Vienna – Budapest – Mohács The Danube bike trail (Donauradweg) is one of the most popular biking tours; it goes through Germany, Austria, and Slovakia stretching all the way to the border with Former Yugoslavia. The international cycle route is named Eurovelo6, taking you alongside authentic hidden gems like Kisalföld, Bàbolna or Vertesszolo.
• Balaton Lake This route, which is very suitable for families, takes you around the Danube shores and the Balaton Nation Park. The lake is great for groups and families as it offers various activities such as swimming, boat tours, windsurf, tennis, and horse riding.
• The Great Plains: The path is pretty flat and doable, and it passes by a few Hungarian towns such as Debrecen, Balmazújvéros, Tiszacsege and Egyek. If you go to Debrecen in August you will be able to celebrate the Flower Carnival and maybe you could stop at the Hajdúszoboszló baths along the way.