Transfers vs. Other Ways to Get from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport
Budapest Airport named after Ferenc Liszt (previously known as Ferihegy) is the biggest of five international airports in Hungary. There are two terminals: 2А (flights only within Schengen area) and 2B (flights worldwide). Tourists, arriving at Ferenc Liszt, as a rule, are heading to Budapest. Among popular routes are also Hévíz, Miskolc, Pécs, and Bratislava.
How to get from Budapest Airport to the city center or the other way round
The airport is located 16 km away from Budapest center. You can get there by:
- bus 200Е, which starts operating at 03:30 am and finishes at 23:00 pm. The interval between buses is 10 minutes (it increases early in the morning and late in the evening). The public transport stop is right near the terminal 2В, and the bus will take you to the terminal station of the blue metro line - Köbánya-Kispest. Tickets can be bought in a ticket machine at the stop, and in newsstands;
- miniBUD shuttle bus with a capacity of 8–10 people. The shuttle service is organized so that all passengers travel in one direction. You should book tickets in advance, after which you will receive a confirmation email with all the details of the shuttle departure;
- train. The train station nearest to Terminal 2 is Ferihegy. From there, trains depart to the Nyugati train station (Western train station). They run from 04:00 to 23:00, 2–3 times an hour. Tickets are sold in the newsstand in Terminal 2А, in ticket machines on the platforms or from a conductor. During the day, it is possible to get from Terminal 2 Ferihegy station by bus 200Е, and at night— by bus N900;
- taxi, which can be booked online via the app or taken at the air hub;
- transfer from Budapest Airport to the city center booked online.
At night it is possible to get to the city center by bus. From 23:21 to 00:21 the bus 200Е goes from Terminal 2 to Határ út metro station. There you need to change to buses 914, 914А, 950 or 950А and get to Deák Ferenc tér station.
Bus 900 also runs from Terminal 2 from 00:22 to 03:29. Upon reaching Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út metro station, you need to change to buses 950 or 950 А (which run from с 01:17 to 03:47) and get to Deák Ferenc tér.
By transfer from Ferihegy or taxi, you can get to Budapest without stops at any time (even at night).
Transfer vs. Taxi from Budapest Airport to the city center
Advantages of a private transfer
The price doesn’t depend on the traffic. Official airport transport company Főtaxi adds idle time fee to the fixed trip rate. The same applies to taxi apps. Which is not that bad, but in Budapest, like in whole Europe, public transport workers strikes are a common thing. That’s when the city turns into one giant traffic jam. Try to predict, how much it will cost you, or take a transfer: its cost does not change.
No extra fees and problems with a car order. After Uber was forbidden in Hungary, many people switched to Főtaxi and Taxify apps. However, they immediately faced some problems: the app functions are limited, registration is to be paid, and car waiting time is unpredictable. Kiwitaxi transfer arrives at the right time, and the ordering is absolutely free.
Disadvantage of a private transfer
A bit more expensive. A trip from the airport to Budapest center with Főtaxi will cost approximately 6 500 forints (21 euro) if you do not get stuck in a traffic jam. Taxify app shows the price of 7 100–9 650 forints (23–31 euro). A transfer of an economy class for four people costs 32 euro, and a minibus from the airport to Budapest for 7 people - 49 euro.
Transfer from Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport vs. Shuttle
Advantages of a private transfer
You should not wait for other passengers. MiniBUD shuttle will depart from the airport as soon as all the passengers have gathered. In case of transfer, you set off as soon as the driver picks you up at the airport.
Travel directly to your destination. MiniBUD drops the passengers off in turns, and if your hotel is the farthest, you will have to stop by every hotel on your way.
Disadvantage of a private transfer
Cheaper, only when you are traveling in a group of 3. A single shuttle bus ticket costs 4 400 forints (14,2 euro), whereas an economy class transfer from Budapest Airport to your hotel will cost 32 euro for four people.
Transfer from Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport vs. Bus and Train
Advantages of a private transfer
No changes. It is possible to get to Budapest center by train, but this route consists of several parts: the way from the airport to Ferihegy train station, then to Nyugati train station, and then on the subway to Deák Ferenc ter square. By bus it is almost the same: first, you go from Terminal 2 to Köbánya-Kispest station, from which you travel on the subway to Deák Ferenc ter. Either way, you will have to get to your hotel after that. Our transfer takes you from the airport directly to your hotel.
Faster. The way to the city center with all the changes and waiting time will take from 50 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. The transfer will take you from Budapest Airport in 35 minutes.
Disadvantage of a private transfer
Much more expensive. A train trip with changes will cost you around 1070 forints (3,5 euro), a bus trip — 700 forints (2,3 euro).