Attention! Budapest airport express bus will always be late – here is why

Budapest has a perfect option for those travelling between the Liszt Ferenc International Airport and the downtown. BKK, the city’s public transport company, introduced the 100E express bus years ago, and it is popular among tourists despite the significant price increases the leadership of Budapest introduced this year. However, the buses will always run late compared to their schedule because of the mayor’s decision.

Budapest airport express bus will run late – always

According to index.hu, the 100E airport express no longer has a protected bus lane between the downtown and Határ Street. During the renovation of the M3 metro line between 2017 and 2023, the 100E and metro replacement buses used the protected bus lane jointly. Therefore, the 100E could reach the airport quickly from the downtown.

In the early morning hours, the buses can take the route in only 33-35 minutes. However, in the morning and the evening that is impossible without the protected lanes. According to the BudapestGO app, 100E needed 45-50 minutes this week in that period. Furthermore, it did not commute on its regular route in peak hours. Instead of the Üllői Street, the buses used the Elnök Street-Diószegi Sámuel Street-Baross Street modification. That is because on that route, there are segments where bus lanes make travelling swifter.

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• Budapest’s popular 100E airport shuttle bus will cease operation?

Bikers vs tourists

Therefore, the travelling time on 100E airport express buses increased by 8-10 minutes because of the missing bus lanes. Furthermore, on Baross Street, traffic jams are regular, which adds extra minutes to the travelling time. According to index.hu, Budapest’s leadership acknowledged with this decision that tourists and local commuters should pay for the safety of the cyclists. Creating the protected bike lanes on Üllői Street was the idea of Budapest’s opposition leadership. But it seems even ambulance cars are unable to use the protected lanes, making life-saving harder for them.

BKK said Baross Street adds only 2 minutes to the average travelling time. What they did not say is how they would like to solve the longer travel times during the peak hours. BKK increased the ticket price for the 100E airport shuttle twice this year. Now, it costs HUF 2,200 (EUR 5.75). BKK says on their website that the bus’s journey time is still 40 minutes, but you should add at least 10 minutes during peak hours.

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• Good news for tourists: Important change in the Budapest airport shuttle bus timetable!