Getting around Budapest
Budapest's airport has no metro link to the centre, but it does have a direct express bus; the rest of the city runs on one shared BKK ticket for metro, tram and bus.
- From the airport
- Bus 100E, 40 min, €6.90 (2,500 HUF)
- One BKK ride
- €1.38 (500 HUF)
- 24h / 72h ticket
- €7.59 (2,750 HUF) / €15.87 (5,750 HUF
Liszt Ferenc Airport has no metro station of its own — bus 100E runs direct to the centre, 40 min to the main stops in Pest. Four metro lines, trams and buses cover the rest of the city, all on the same BKK ticket; Castle Hill in Buda is the exception, with its own separate funicular fare.
From the airport to the centre
Liszt Ferenc Airport (BUD) has no metro station — the direct link is bus 100E, which runs to Kálvin tér, Astoria and Deák Ferenc tér in the centre in 40 min. The ticket (€6.90 (2,500 HUF)) is bought at a machine at the airport or in the app before boarding, covers 80 minutes and doesn't include changing to another line.
The metro, trams and buses — one ticket
Four metro lines (M1–M4) and a network of trams and buses run on the same ticket: €1.38 (500 HUF) for one ride, €7.59 (2,750 HUF) for 24 hours, €15.87 (5,750 HUF, 72 h) for 72 hours. The ticket is validated on boarding and covers one continuous ride within the time limit; checks are frequent, especially on M2 and M3.
Up to Castle Hill
Metro line M2 reaches Batthyány tér or Széll Kálmán tér, at the foot of Castle Hill. From there the funicular (Sikló) runs up from Clark Ádám tér — a short ride on its own, separate fare outside the BKK system — or bus 16 from Széll Kálmán tér, on an ordinary ticket. In season the funicular queue is long enough that bus 16 stays the faster option.
By train out of town: Eger, Pécs, Balaton
Trains to Eger and to the northern shore of Lake Balaton leave from Keleti station; trains to the southern shore of the lake and to Pécs run mostly from Déli station. All three lines are separate from the city's BKK system, and the ticket is bought separately, at the station or in the app.
What most often goes wrong here
- Buying a metro ticket from the bus driver. It doesn't exist — tickets are bought at a machine, a counter or in the app before boarding, never on board.
- Treating the funicular as part of the BKK system. It isn't — it needs its own ticket, while bus 16 covers the same route on an ordinary one.
- Changing lines without a new ticket. One ticket covers one continuous ride; changing to another metro or tram line needs a new ticket or a transfer ticket.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Does the metro run straight from the airport to the centre?
No — the airport has no metro station. The direct link is bus 100E, 40 min to the centre.
Does the same ticket cover the metro, trams and buses?
Yes, except for the funicular up Castle Hill, which has its own ticket outside the BKK system.
Which station do trains to Eger leave from?
Keleti station, direct.
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