Budapest Airport to City Centre: Bus, Taxi & Transfer Prices 2026

The easiest public transport option from Budapest Airport to the city centre is the 100E Airport Express bus: it runs around the clock, reaches Deák Ferenc tér in about 40 minutes and costs HUF 2,500 (≈ €7). The cheapest route is bus 200E plus metro line M3 on a HUF 850 (≈ €2.30) 90-minute ticket, while a taxi costs around HUF 14,000–17,000 (≈ €38–47) under the tariff in force since 1 August 2026. For door-to-door travel with a fixed price, compare the Budapest Airport transfer companies listed on intransfers.com.

Budapest Airport to city centre: quick comparison

Option	Price	Journey time	Runs	Best for
100E Airport Express bus	HUF 2,500 (≈ €7)	About 40 min to Deák Ferenc tér	24/7; every 6–10 min by day, every 30–40 min at night	Most travellers, solo trips, night arrivals on a budget
Bus 200E + metro M3	HUF 850 (≈ €2.30) 90-minute ticket	Around 45–50 min to Deák Ferenc tér	Bus 24/7; metro until about midnight Sun–Thu	Lowest fare, hotels along M3, Budapest pass holders
Bus 200E + train from Ferihegy station	MÁV train ticket + 200E extension ticket	Around 30–40 min to Nyugati	Train timetable dependent	Hotels near Nyugati, onward rail travel
Taxi (Főtaxi at the terminal)	Around HUF 14,000–17,000 (≈ €38–47), metered	Usually 25–40 min	24/7	Groups of 3–4, late arrivals, door-to-door
Uber	Price shown in the app	Similar to a taxi	24/7	App users wanting a price up front
Pre-booked private transfer	Fixed price agreed when booking	Similar to a taxi	Any time, matched to your flight	Families, groups, wheelchair users, trips beyond Budapest

100E Airport Express: Budapest Airport to Deák Ferenc tér

Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport (BUD, still widely called Ferihegy) handles all passenger flights at Terminal 2, split into 2A and 2B. The 100E stop is outside the arrivals level; follow the public transport signs. BKK, Budapest’s transport authority, runs the line non-stop between the airport and the city centre via Kálvin tér, ending at Deák Ferenc tér, the interchange of metro lines M1, M2 and M3. The journey takes about 40 minutes.

The 100E runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In the daytime buses leave every 6–10 minutes on Mondays and Fridays and every 7–10 minutes on other days, every 10–15 minutes in the early morning and evening, and roughly every 30–40 minutes at night. From 1 April 2026 BKK added extra departures at the busiest times, with buses as often as every 5–6 minutes.

100E ticket price and where to buy

• Airport shuttle bus single ticket: HUF 2,500 (≈ €7), the only standard ticket valid on the 100E. Regular single tickets, 24-hour and 72-hour travelcards are not accepted on this line.
• Add-on airport ticket: HUF 1,000, sold only in the BudapestGO app to holders of a valid Budapest monthly pass (not the 15-day pass), Pest County Pass or Hungary Pass.
• Free travel: passengers over 65 (any nationality) travel free, as do some other groups, such as Hungarian students under 14, under BKK’s conditions.

Buy the ticket from the Pay&GO bank-card terminal on board, in the BudapestGO app, or at BKK ticket machines and customer service points in the terminal. Board through the front door only and validate the ticket straight away; with a mobile ticket, scan the code on the outside of the bus. The buses are low-floor, air-conditioned articulated vehicles with plenty of room for suitcases.

Cheapest route: bus 200E and metro M3

Bus 200E runs from Terminal 2 to Kőbánya-Kispest, the southern end of metro line M3, in about 22 minutes. It operates at all times; at night it continues to Határ út metro station instead. From Kőbánya-Kispest, the M3 runs north to Nagyvárad tér, Kálvin tér and Deák Ferenc tér.

The 200E is part of the normal BKK network, so airport shuttle tickets are not valid on it. Use a standard ticket instead:

• 90-minute ticket: HUF 850 (≈ €2.30), valid for unlimited changes within 90 minutes – the simplest choice for bus plus metro.
• 30-minute ticket: HUF 600 – usually too short for the whole trip.
• Single ticket: HUF 500, valid for one uninterrupted journey on one line, so you would need a second one for the metro.
• 24-hour or 72-hour Budapest travelcard: HUF 2,750 / HUF 5,750, valid on the 200E and the metro, and useful if you plan to use public transport during your stay.

This route involves stairs or lifts and a walk at Kőbánya-Kispest, so it is less comfortable with heavy luggage. The metro closes at about midnight from Sunday to Thursday; from 1 February 2026 the last three evening 200E departures from the airport (23:28, 23:38, 23:48) on those nights stop at the Kőbánya-Kispest bus station to make transfers to night buses easier.

Is there a train from Budapest Airport?

There is no rail station at the terminal. Bus 200E stops at Ferihegy railway station, about 8 minutes from the airport, where MÁV suburban trains run to Budapest-Nyugati station. Buy a “200E airport bus extension ticket” together with your MÁV train ticket at the station’s machines or ticket office; it covers the bus ride immediately before or after the train. This is mainly useful if you are staying near Nyugati or continuing by rail elsewhere in Hungary.

Budapest Airport taxi fare to the city centre

Budapest taxis are yellow, metered and charge a single tariff set by the city. From 1 August 2026 the tariff is:

• Base fee: HUF 1,300, plus a HUF 800 airport supplement on trips to or from the airport (HUF 2,100 in total)
• Distance: HUF 521 per km
• Time: HUF 130 per minute

For the roughly 25 km trip to central Pest that typically works out at around HUF 14,000–17,000 (≈ €38–47), depending on the exact address and traffic. Fares are per car, not per passenger.

Főtaxi is Budapest Airport’s contracted taxi partner (under a contract running to 2030) and has its rank directly in front of Terminals 2A and 2B. Join the queue and the dispatcher will assign a car. Since 3 August 2026 the airport has charged other Budapest-registered taxis a fee each time they enter the terminal forecourt, and drivers have reported congestion and changing pick-up arrangements. If you book a different taxi company, confirm exactly where the driver will meet you.

Uber at Budapest Airport

Since 2025 Budapest Airport has had a second authorised ground transport provider, F Mobilitás Kft., Uber’s Hungarian partner, so you can request a ride in the Uber app on arrival. The app shows a price estimate before you book and payment is cashless. Check the pick-up point shown in the app rather than assuming it is the kerb outside arrivals.

Pre-booked private transfers from Budapest Airport

A pre-booked transfer is worth considering when the bus or a taxi queue is not the right fit:

• Groups and families: one fixed price for a minivan, often cheaper per person than two taxis.
• Late-night arrivals: a driver tracks your flight and waits, so delays don’t matter.
• Luggage: extra suitcases, pushchairs or sports equipment can be arranged in advance.
• Child seats: request the right seat when booking.
• Meet and greet: a driver with your name in the arrivals hall, avoiding confusion about pick-up points.
• Wheelchair users: adapted vehicles must be booked ahead.
• Trips beyond Budapest: a fixed price to Lake Balaton, Vienna or Bratislava.

Compare companies, vehicles and contact details on our Budapest Airport transfers page and book directly with the operator. Companies listed in Budapest include Főtaxi, City Taxi Budapest, Pickup Hungary, Limousine Budapest, Budapest Minibusz and, for wheelchair-accessible transport, Paratrans. For transfers starting in the city, see Budapest transfers.

When booking, confirm whether the price includes waiting time for delayed flights, child seats and extra luggage, and agree exactly where the driver will meet you at Terminal 2A or 2B.

Getting from Budapest Airport to Lake Balaton, Hévíz, Vienna and Bratislava

Times below are approximate road times in normal traffic; summer weekends around Lake Balaton and border traffic can add more.

• Siófok (Lake Balaton): around 1.5 hours by road via the M0 and M7. By public transport, travel into Budapest and take a train from Déli or Kelenföld. See Siófok transfers.
• Hévíz: around 2.5 hours by road. Hévíz has no railway station, so a transfer or a train and bus combination via Keszthely is needed. See Hévíz transfers.
• Vienna: around 2.5–3 hours by road. Trains leave from Budapest-Keleti, so you first need to get into the city. See Vienna transfers.
• Bratislava: around 2–2.5 hours by road via the M1. See Bratislava transfers.

For these longer journeys a door-to-door transfer avoids the extra trip into central Budapest and a change of station with luggage.

Tips for arriving at Budapest Airport

• Night arrivals: the 100E runs all night but only every 30–40 minutes, and the metro closes around midnight on most nights. A taxi from the Főtaxi rank or a pre-booked transfer is simpler with children or heavy bags.
• Avoid unofficial drivers: ignore anyone offering rides inside the terminal. Use the Főtaxi rank, the Uber app or a company you have booked with directly. Licensed Budapest taxis are yellow.
• Buy the right bus ticket: the 100E needs its own HUF 2,500 ticket; travelcards and normal tickets are not accepted, and inspectors fine passengers without a valid ticket.
• Currency: Hungary uses the forint (HUF), not the euro; conversions in this guide use about HUF 365 to €1. Pay by bank card where possible rather than changing money at the airport.
• Tipping: rounding up or adding around 10% for good service is common in Budapest taxis but not compulsory.
• Peak traffic: the route into the city via Üllői út can be slow on weekday mornings and late afternoons; allow extra time when returning to the airport.

Official sources: BKK 100E Airport Express, BKK ticket prices and Budapest Airport taxi information.