Getting around Budapest by public transport (2017)

Description

What do you need to know about public transport in Budapest?

You're arriving in Budapest by train or bus and wondering how to get around the city's complex transportation system. I'll try to help you a little. The distance from the airport to the center of Budapest is roughly 20 km. During the day, you can reach the city by express bus 200E with a transfer to metro line 3, and at night by bus 900 with a transfer to bus 950. The airport stop is located in the middle of the walkway between Terminals 2A and 2 B. During daylight hours, you won't have to wait long for a bus. Buses run every 7.5 minutes, and the metro runs every few minutes. But at night, it's a different story because you might wait up to an hour at the airport. The trip to the center will take about 40 to 50 minutes.

Arriving in Budapest by train puts you almost in the city center. Each of the major stations acts as a transfer hub, including the metro station. Budapest has three main stations: the Eastern Railway Station, the Western Railway Station, and the Southern Railway Station. If you're coming from Poland, you'll arrive at Keleti Station, approximately 2 km from the city center. Coach companies from Poland usually stop at metro stations that are a bit further from the center, but this still offers the fastest and most frequent connection to Budapest. There used to be a Lu Express, but now Polski Bus operates, stopping at the KEN station. Remember, you'll need a ticket to use public transportation.

Ideally, your stay should be based on a network ticket. Daily tickets, available for three or seven days, are valid across the city. You can also purchase a Budapest Card, which, in addition to offering free public transportation, provides complimentary access to select museums and thermal pools, as well as discounts at other locations. Tickets are easiest to purchase at station vending machines, which accept both cash and cards. These machines offer menus in several languages, but Polish is not one of them. Another option is the BKK passenger service points. When purchasing a short-term ticket, you are required to provide a document that verifies your identity. In the metro, ticket inspectors check the validity of your ticket at the machines. On some bus lines, passengers must enter through the front door and show their ticket to the driver if needed. This rule is in force on those lines.

Information about this can be found in the timetable. A relevant message will also be displayed on the vehicle's front panel. Mobile inspectors can also board the cars, and they can be recognized by the purple armbands they wear during inspections. The city's transportation organizer is Budapesti Közlekedési Központ, commonly referred to as BKK. As a public transportation rider, you have access to a vast transit network, which includes: metro lines (C), 5 HIV suburban railway lines, 34 tram lines, 15 trolleybus lines, ferry routes, and over 200 bus lines. At the passenger service point, it’s worth downloading a mini-map that covers the main connections in the central part of the city. Please note that tickets are valid within Budapest's administrative boundaries. For example, if you plan to travel on the HI railway section that extends outside the city, you'll need to buy an additional ticket in advance to continue your journey.

Most modes of transport have specific colors. For example, we ride blue or steel-navy buses. Watch out for yellow yokes representing our PKS (Public Transport Authority) lines, red trolleybuses, yellow trams, and white and green HIV railway cars. In the metro, trains on two lines are color-coded, while the other two have white vehicles; however, this distinction isn't always crucial in the metro. New cars are labeled with the word "Budapest" and the BKK logo for easy recognition. The timetable often shows departure intervals, such as every 5 minutes. In Hungarian, this is "perc" (derived from "Perc"), which forms the basis of Budapest's Public Transportation System. What does this mean for you? At any given time, public transportation runs frequently, so the maximum wait time for a vehicle is roughly the same. Of course, unforeseen events can occur, but you can rely on the most regular departures from the HIA metro or trams, and the least from buses or trolleybuses, especially those sharing lanes with cars in the city center. Usually, you'll find intervals where lines run at least every 10 minutes. Public transport is organized into corridors with high-frequency lines; these lines cross Budapest Srednicowa or transfer hubs. For longer trips, you may need to transfer, which is a common occurrence. City residents are used to making two or three transfers during their journeys.

Stops

Jászai Mari tér → Közvágóhíd H → Március 15. tér → Kossuth Lajos tér M → Haller útca/Soroksári útca → Móricz Zsigmond körtér → Hűvösvölgy.

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