Getting around in Budapest

How do I travel the simplest and cheapest way in Budapest?

If you wish to use the Budapest public transport system, you need to have a valid transportation pass or ticket.

Tickets and passes can be purchased at Metro stations and from any ticket vending machines around the city.
If you regularly travel by public transport, the best arrangement for you is to buy a weekly, a bi-weekly or monthly travel pass (see the available pass types further down).

One single ticket is valid for one uninterrupted journey of up to 60 minutes, whereas a pass is good for unlimited travel in Budapest. It is cheaper to buy a 10-piece discount coupon booklet ("gyűjtőjegy": 3.000,- HUF), rather than buying the single tickets separately.

A travel pass is personalised and non-transferable. Before use, the number of a photo ID (e.g. number of your passport) of the holder must be indicated on it. Upon request of a ticket inspector, please show your pass along with your photo ID (e.g. identity card, passport, driving license).

Important:

If you use single tickets, they must be validated by ticket punchers in buses and trams or before entering any metro stations. The validated tickets must be kept until the end of the trip and handed over to a controller upon request. Unlike single tickets, travel passes do not need to be validated for each trip: these are valid for the indicated period on the pass. Transport officials are authorized to check the validity of your ticket or pass any time during and after your trip. Passengers without a valid ticket or pass are to pay a heavy fine - 8.000,- HUF (approx. 27 euros) on the spot.

Where can I have a transportation pass made?

You can purchase your transportation ticket at a vending machine, or at a customer office of the BKK (Budapest Transportation Limited) at metro stations where you can ask for the assistance of the cashier.
Ticket vending machines have been installed at the busiest transport hubs of Budapest. All types of tickets and passes are purchasable at these TVMs. They accept and return Hungarian coins and bank notes and also accept credit cards. User-friendly instructions in English and other languages are available.

You can check out how vending machines work in a short film and an interactive demo and more information on the exact location of TVMs.

If you arrive by airplane

Those who arrive by airplane can purchase their Budapest transportation passes or tickets right at 2A and 2B terminals of Liszt Ferenc Airport. Look for the BKK Customer Service point, where you can also get information about Budapest transportation-related questions.

Apart from the Customer Service Point of BKK at the Airport, there are several options to have your transportation pass made, depending on which hotel you are accommodated in.

If you are in the CEU Residence Center

There is a ticket vending machine in front of the Residence Center. When you come out of the building at the main entrance, cross the road at the traffic lights (you need to cross the rails of the local train as well), and find the machine on the left hand side.

How to buy a transportation pass?

To obtain a transportation pass at the airport or in the city, please find a ticket vending machine nearest to your hotel or at the BKK Customer Service Point at the Airport (see description above).

You can check out how to purchase a ticket via this demo platform.

What type of passes are available?

You will need most probably one of these:

Budapest 7-day travel card – 4.950 HUF
15-day Budapest Pass – 6.300 HUF
Monthly Budapest Pass (Natural Persons) – 9.500 HUF
Monthly Budapest Pass for Students – 3.450 HUF

There are additional pass types as well, but those are relevant only to those residing in Budapest.

Am I eligible for a student pass?

Those who hold a student card of a higher education institution in an EU member state or in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or in Switzerland, are eligible to buy a student pass at a reduced price of 3,450 HUF. When ticket inspectors check passes, student cards or Intrenational Student Identification Cards (ISIC) should be presented. Remember to enter your student card number when you purchase the pass coupon from the vending machine.

See the 1-month student pass in the bulleted list above.

Read more about the International Student Identification Card.

Transportation in Budapest

If you have a transportation pass, you can use on most means of transportation such as metro, bus, tram, trolley bus, etc.

Click on the picture below to see a zoomable map of the public transportation lines of Budapest.

Route planner

If you are not familiar with Budapest, you can download and install different apps to your phone, which have a route planner and infomation on the BKK vehicles’ schedule.
Most recommended apps: