BUDAPEST - Transportation

How to get there

By Air
The Airport minibus service is popular and relatively cheap: for HUF 2100 it will drop passengers anywhere within the city limits. A return ticket ( 3600 HUF ) is valid for six months
Ferihegy 1 - terminal for budget airlines
Ferihegy 2A - terminal for all MALÉV Hungarian Airlines flights
Ferihegy 2B - arrival and departure terminal for foreign airlines
Since 2004 several low cost airlines have been running their flights between Budapest and the large European cities. (Wizzair, Germanwings, EasyJet, SkyEurope, Air-Berlin, Snowflake)
Airport information:
Central number (+36-1) 296-9696
Flight information (+36-1) 296-7000
Ferihegy 2A: (+36-1) 296-8108
(+36-1) 296-7217
Ferihegy 2B (+36-1) 295-3480
(+36-1) 296-7948
Airport minibus service: (+36-1) 296-8555

By Train
Budapest has direct rail links to 25 capitals. There are more than 50 international connections each day. Trains depart every three hours between Budapest-Vienna, with a travel time of less than two and a half hours. Intercity links running between the capital and the major towns around Hungary are extremely popular and comfortable.
There are three major international railway stations in Budapest:

• Eastern Railway Station Budapest ( Keleti pályaudvar) ( VII. Baross tér )
• Western Railway Station Budapest ( Nyugati pályaudvar) ( VI. Nyugati tér )
• Southern Railway Station Budapest ( Déli Pályaudvar) ( I. Krisztina krt. 37/a )

Information on international rail links: (36+1) 461-5500, www.elvira.hu
Both rail stations can be accessed by the metro ( 'Keleti pu.' , Déli pu.' stop on Metro line 2, 'Nyugati pu.' stop on Metro line 3 ) but MÁV Hungarian Railways also operates a Railbus ( Information: (36+1) 353-2722)

By Coach
Domestic coach services arrive at and depart from Népliget (tel: (+36-1) 219-8080), Népstadion (tel: (+36-1) 252-2995) Árpád Bridge (tel: (+36-1) 329-1450) and Etele Square in Buda (tel: (+36-1) 382-4900). The international coach station is at Népliget.

Volánbusz Rt. has scheduled passanger coach services to and from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Yugoslavia.

Information on domestic and international routes: (+36-1) 219-8080.

Transportation in Budapest
Budapest has an efficient public transport network made up more than 180 bus, 14 trolleybus, 29 tram, and three metro lines. In general the buses, trams and trolleybuses operate between 4.30am and 11 p.m. The three metro lines intersect at Deák Square in the centre of town. Metros run at 2-15 minutes intervals from 4.30am to 11.10pm.

The local suburban train (HÉV) can be used to travel out to Csepel island in the south of the city, and to nearby Szentendre, Gödöllő and Ráckeve.

Maps sited at the entrances to metro stations give a comprehensive overview of the entire public transport network in Budapest. Conditions of travel are also included in German and English.
further details

Taxis
Budapest taxis have yellow number plates and a taxi sign in yellow. (Any vehicle without these features is operating illegally.) The total charge that has to be paid by the passenger is made up of three separate parts: the basic charge wich is irrespective of how far the journey is (maximum HUF 300 during the day, maximum HUF 420 at night), a per kilometre charge which depends on how many kilometres are covered during the journey (maximum HUF 240 per kilometre during the day, maximum HUF 336 at night), and the waiting charge. The larger taxi companies work with rate far lower than the maximum charges listed above. It is well worth noting down their telephone numbers, and then calling them because a taxi ordered by phone is cheaper than one called on the street.

Főtaxi: 222-2222
Budataxi: 233-3333
Citytaxi: 211-1111
Taxi 2000: 200-0000
Tele 5: 355-5555
Rádiótaxi: 377-7777
6x6 taxi: 266-6666

All cars must have a taximeter installed, and these also print out a receipt. Taxi drivers are required to give an invoice on request.

Tipping: in general 10% of the fare is acceptable, but this naturally depends on how satisfied the passenger is with the service.