Learn to Travel from Budapest Airport to City Center

Budapest is a growing tourist destination and many of its visitors wonder how to go from Budapest airport to city center.

Transportation prices can normally be expensive, or there may be an uncertain amount of line transfers that need to be done.

Thankfully, Budapest offers several and affordable options to get to its downtown center.

Here are the best options for going from Budapest airport to city center.

Bus 100E

The best and inexpensive option for going directly to Budapest’s center city from the airport is the Bus 100E.

The Bus 100E ticket will cost you 900 HUF, roughly USD 3.16. The great thing about taking this bus is that it is very large, with enough room for you to ride along with your bags.

Buses arrive and leave every 20 minutes and the shuttle from the airport to the city will take around 40 minutes. The first bus to leave the airport is at 5:00 AM and the final bus leaves at 1:20 AM.

There are two ways to buy a 100E ticket:

• Once leaving the baggage claim area, you can find a BKK kiosk information on the left-hand side. BKK (Budapesti Közlekedési Központ), is the public Budapest transport center system in the city. You can learn more information on bus and metro passes, and transportation routes at the information desk.
• The second option is using the BKK automatic machine – which four machines can be found next to the Bus 100E departure area. Using the machine is very easy and you will see them all around the city. The BKK machine accepts bank cards and cash, but only Hungarian cash. Be sure you are purchasing the airport shuttle ticket and not a single ticket.

Before boarding the bus, you must show your ticket to one of the bus operators who will be standing at the departure area. They wear a lime neon vest, and they can also assist you with the BKK machine.

There are only three bus stops on this bus line:

• Kalvin Ter M
• Astoria M
• Deak Ferenc Ter M

These buses are equipped with monitors that will display the names each of stop and an audio recording will play in both, Hungarian and English, to inform you of the upcoming stop.

Bus 200E on the first level

Bus 200E

The Bus 200E is the other public transit that leaves from the airport to the city center, however, depending on the time of day you may have to complete a transfer onto the metro.

Let us explain how 200E operates:

• On weekdays, 200E will shuttle you to the Nagyvárad tér metro station. From there you can transfer onto the M3 metro line to the city center. Make sure you purchase a transfer ticket from the BKK kiosk or BKK machine - which will cost 530 HUF.

• On weeknights, starting at 11:30 PM, and all day on weekends, the M3 metro line will be closed for reconstruction which began in April 2019. This means, after 200E drops you off at the Nagyvárad tér metro station, you will need to hop on another bus line to reach the city center. Buses 914, 914A, 950, 950A are offered as replacements to the city center. These replacement buses can take you as far as Deák Ferenc tér bus stop. Only a single ticket is required for this route. 

Taxi

The quickest and more comfortable option for getting to the city is by taxi.

Going by taxi is great for those who are in a rush to reach their destination or for those who are carrying extra luggage.

You can grab a taxi using the only authorized cab service at the airport called Főtaxi. They have an information desk at baggage claim and a kiosk outside of the arrivals level with employees who speak English.

The way Főtaxi operates is you first tell the person at the desk your address of the destination. Then, he or she will print out a voucher which includes an approximate price of your trip and your taxi plate number. Finally, you pay your driver the total fare, which can be done with cash or card.

For the most part, a ride to the city center will cost you around 8,000 HUF and will take about half an hour to get there. Taxi fares can be different depending on city traffic.

Please be aware you are getting into the correct taxi that is assigned to you on your voucher. Other unauthorized taxis hang around and will try to convince you that they are your driver. It is best to avoid these other taxis, even if they try to persuade you with a lower rate.

Generally, there is a line of taxis waiting by the kiosk, but should there be none when you arrive, then a Főtaxi representative will call one in, which normally takes 5 minutes to arrive.

There are no specific hours of operation for Főtaxi, however, they generally open at 5:00 AM and will remain open one hour after the final flight arrival at night.

Minibud

Minibud is a shuttle minibus that serves as another option for those traveling from Budapest airport to city centre.

The price of this ticket will vary on the number of passengers on the minibus. For example, if there are 6 passengers, the price will be €7 Euros, USD 7.88, per person.

The more passengers on the bus, the cheaper your ticket is, but the fewer people on the bus, the more expensive your ticket will be.

That is why this option is best recommended for large families visiting the city or a large group of friends traveling together.

You can acquire information about Mininbud from one of the many representatives in the baggage claim area.

A Minibud bus ride can take up to 30 to 60 minutes long because it will drop each passenger off at their place of stay. Again, this is not recommended for solo travelers.

The shuttle minibusses operate from 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM. The departure time could be a long wait as Minibud will wait to fill each seat.

Using an Airline

Airline companies, such as WizzAir or EasyJet offer airport to hotel transportation for their passengers.

These options can normally be purchased during the time you are booking your flight, and when you are doing the online check-in.

If you do decide to purchase the airline transportation service, then it is recommended to make your reservation with days in advance.

Here are some prices from the airlines, but you can always visit the airline’s website for more information:

Wizzair

• Wizzair Bus: €5 Euros
• Shared Wizzair Shuttle: €10.30 Euros
• Standard size taxi: €25 Euros

With Wizzair, your driver will track your flight, and they will meet you at the arrivals gate. Wizzair drivers will also wait for you even if your flight is late.

EasyJet

• City Shuttle Bus: USD 15.20. This bus will leave you in the city center.
• Shuttle Transfer: USD 18.06. This shuttle will drop you off at your hotel and you pick you up from your hotel.
• Private Luxury Car: USD 18.06, maximum of 2 passengers

Private Transportation Companies

Aside from public transportation and airline transportation, there are private companies that offer their shuttle services from the airport to the center city.

HotelShuttle

HotelShuttle is a door to door airport shuttle service for private transportation. Their bus seats 8 passengers at once with room to carry your luggage.

The price of using HotelShuttle will depend on where your hotel is located. You can calculate the cost of your trip by using their shuttle calculator.

Budtransfer

Budtransfer is available for private transfers only. They offer a door to door service for all their clients and you may reserve a private taxi, minibus or a tailor-made bus for large groups.

Budtransfer recommends booking your reservation with 24 hours in advance, which can be done on their website.

They will give you a fixed price which includes a driver meet and greet with a personal sign, road tolls, tax fee, and a parking fee at the airport.

Airport Transfer Budapest 

The final private option is Airport Transfer Budapest (ATB). They only offer private transfers for you or your group.

Much like the other companies, your private transport will include a driver meet and greet at the arrival gate.

Airport Transfer Budapest also offers their services for any special events or conferences.

An airport transfer for 1 – 3 passengers will cost you €26 Euros, or about USD 30.00. However, if you are traveling with a large group, then you can reserve the 5 – 8 passenger transport, which costs €37 Euros, or USD 40.97.

Please visit Airport Transfer Budapest to learn more about their airport to city transportations.

Budapest airport transportation

As you can see, going from the airport to the city center is very easy and affordable. Please let us know what you think of airport transportation. 

General FAQ

Hungry? Check out our vegan Budapest article, where we highlight some of the best places to eat in the city.