Getting around Lake Balaton
Getting around Balaton takes more than one mode: the train brings you in from Budapest to the north shore, the boat links towns across the water, and a car opens up the hills behind the shore.
- BAHART boat
- €6.60 (one-way), one-way
- Sailing season
- Busiest May–September
- For hills and castles
- A car
Balaton has no commercial airport of its own — the hub is Budapest (Budapest (Déli station)), from where train to Balatonfüred (from Budapest-Kelenföld/Déli). Along the shore itself, the scheduled BAHART boat links towns on both sides of the lake, and reaching the hills and castles further from the railway, such as Badacsony and Herend, needs a car.
The train from Budapest
From Budapest, train to Balatonfüred (from Budapest-Kelenföld/Déli). The line exists and runs regularly to the north shore, but check the exact departure time and fare on the timetable before you travel — they change with the season and the day of the week.
The BAHART boat across the lake
The scheduled BAHART boat connects towns on both shores — Siófok with Tihany and Balatonfüred, for example — for €6.60 (one-way) one-way. The timetable runs more often from May to September; outside that window there are fewer sailings, so check ahead.
A car for the hills and castles
The Badacsony wine hill and the porcelain works at Herend sit further from the railway and the boat, so a car is the easiest way to reach them. Rental prices depend on the company and the season; comparing a few offers before the trip can change the total more than the choice of car model.
The shore is flat — cycling as an option
Part of the shore is followed by a marked cycling route. For the actual distances between towns, shoreline ~197 km · Balatonfüred–Tihany 12 km · Balatonfüred–Keszthely 55 km — short enough that some stretches of the lake connect by bike too, not only by car or boat.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Does the train run direct from Budapest to Balaton?
Yes, train to Balatonfüred (from Budapest-Kelenföld/Déli) — check the exact time and fare on the timetable before you travel.
Does the BAHART boat run all year?
Not on the same schedule — it is busiest from May to September, with fewer sailings outside that window.
Do you need a car at Lake Balaton?
Not for the north shore alone — the train, boat and bicycle cover Balatonfüred and Tihany. For Badacsony and Herend, further from the railway, a car is the easiest way in.
Ready for Lake Balaton?
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