Budapest Airport- Ferenc Liszt

Ferenc Liszt Airport has two adjacent terminals, 2A and 2B. Note that throughout the airport, there are two flight information display systems, so if you do not see your flight on one of the displays, don’t worry because it will be on the other screens.

Getting to the city centre from Budapest Airport

There are several ways to get from the Airport to the city centre:

Airport transfer service

An Airport transfer service in Budapest is inexpensive, trouble-free and the fastest and most direct way of getting to the city centre. If you book a private airport transfer service, a chauffeur will be waiting for you at the arrival terminal with a sign with your name on it and will take you to your hotel as quickly as possible. Another advantage is that you won’t have to worry about the payment since it will already be paid for.

Bus 200E

The bus number 200E is the cheapest way to get to the city centre. It connects the Airport and the metro terminal Köbánya-Kispest (metro line 3 – blue line).

The bus takes 25 minutes and costs just 350 Ft (US$ 1) if you buy the ticket from a ticket machine. If you buy it directly from the driver, it costs 450 Ft (US$ 1.20). If you are planning on using Budapest’s transport system, we recommend getting a one-day, three-day or seven-day travel pass at the Airport. It is valid for the bus 200E.

Train

If you prefer to take the train, you can also take the bus 200E to the closest railway station, Ferihegy train station, and from there take one of the numerous trains to the city centre (Western Railway Station). The journey takes less than half an hour and costs just 300 Ft (US$ 0.80), but remember that you will also have to pay the bus route to get to the train station.

The trains operate every day from 9 am to 10 pm.

Taxi

The taxi fare depends on the area you wish to go to in Budapest. Currently, the city is divided into 4 zones and the tariffs depend on which zone your hotel is in. The average price of a taxi is between 3,800 Ft and 6,500 Ft.

Before getting into a cab, you should head to one of the taxi stands in front of both terminals. You should tell them where you are going and they will give you the final price of your journey, so even if the taximeter reads that the ride is more expensive, you will pay the price given to you by the taxi stand.

Nonetheless, if you take a taxi from your hotel to the Airport, you must pay what the taximeter reads, since there are no fixed rates from the city centre to the Airport.

Minibus

The minibus service in Budapest costs 3,200 Ft (US$ 8.70) per person or 4,790 Ft (US$ 13) for two passengers. If you pay for a return ticket, you will enjoy a small discount.

The minibus service will drop you off at your hotel and will also pick you up at your hotel to take you to the Airport (if you buy a return ticket). One of the drawbacks of the minibus service is that it only leaves the Airport if it is full and then it drops each passenger at his or her hotel, so the journey becomes long and tiresome.  

If you are travelling with someone, we recommend you take a taxi, as the price is practically the same.

In conclusion

• If you want a hassle-free and comfortable drive to your hotel: taxi or transfer service.
• If you are travelling on a budget: bus 200E or bus 200E/train.