Survival Kit #2: How to Travel in Budapest – Public Transport Network

Public transport in Budapest is coordinated by the BKK Centre for Budapest Transport. Now the centre has Customer Information Points here: Rumbach Center (Central Customer Information Point), Liszt Ferenc International Airport Terminal 2A, Liszt Ferenc International Airport Terminal 2B, Deák Ferenc tér, Metro Line 4: Kelenföld vasútállomás, Metro Line 4: Keleti pályaudvar.

The timetables are available online or you can download them in pdf format in English: http://www.bkk.hu/en/timetables/
The centre has a collection of maps related to public transport: http://www.bkk.hu/en/maps/

For beginners it is easier to get an idea of the whole network by imaging the city as a “creature”. The “backbone” of Budapest, in my view, is the metro. By now it has four lines which enable you to move fast and easily both north to south (Line 3) and east to west (Line 2).

Metro line 1 is the oldest of all the lines in Budapest and the second oldest underground railway in the world. It links Vörösmarty tér and Mexikói út and has been functioning since 1896. There is also an underground museum that tells you the story of the very first metro line on the continent. Now, Line 1 is more like a curiosity of the city and used by a lot of tourists to get from site to the next in the centre.

The newest line was opened in 2014 and serves as a “bridge” between Kelenföld vasútállomás and Keleti pályaudvar. Two of the stops also won an international architectural award. You can find more information about it HERE.
The “heart” of this network is Deák Ferenc tér where Line 1, Line 2 and Line 3 meet.

You can follow these links for essential information on types of tickets and the new ticket vending machines: http://www.bkk.hu/en/prices/ http://www.bkk.hu/automata/
Curiosities: http://www.bkv.hu/en/special_services/

Budapest has a lot to offer in terms of special means of transport. This includes the Danube cruiser, the Cogwheel railway (Városmajor – Széchenyi Hill), the Chairlift (Erzsébet look-out tower, János Hill) and the Funicular (Clark Ádám tér – Buda Castle).

written by Magdolna Magonyi

Photo: Daily News Hungary, metro4.hu

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