Budapest airport shuttle may be cheaper with new and longer routes, but buses may be more crowded in 2025

The 100E airport shuttle bus is probably your best option to get from Budapest Airport to downtown in a time-saving and comfortable way. However, the service is expensive for locals. Therefore, former mayoral candidate Dávid Vitézy wants to make it cheaper for those with a Budapest pass. Following his proposal, other groups in the municipal assembly also submitted initiatives to change the operation of the airport shuttle. As a result, 2025 may see new stops, extended routes and more crowded buses.

Budapest airport shuttle may circulate differently and have new routes in 2025

Mr Vitézy’s proposal was simple: those with at least a monthly Budapest pass should travel with 100E airport shuttle for HUF 450 (EUR 1.2), the price of a public transport ticket valid for trams, metros, and buses. The current price is HUF 2,200 (EUR 5.3), which is extremely high even for individual local travellers. For families or groups of friends, hiring a cab is cheaper even if they have a Budapest pass.

Therefore, Dávid Vitézy submitted the relevant proposal to the 18 December Municipal Assembly meeting, where it received several modifications. Mayor Gergely Karácsony and Fidesz Budapest leader (and former mayoral candidate) Alexandra Szentkirályi suggested changes in the network of the bus line, for example, an extension to the Nyugati railway station or a new line between the Budapest Airport and Buda. Moreover, they also suggested the addition of more stops, for example, at the Corvin District metro station.

Since Vitézy accepted all modifications, there was a unanimous vote. As a result, they will continue the preparatory work in the transport and urban development committee in the first months of 2025, where they will also make the final decision about the new pricing system. If the price of the airport shuttle is reduced, we should expect more travellers, which means that buses will be more crowded. Thus, Alexandra Szentkirályi proposed an increase in frequency, but seemingly, the parties could not agree.

Traffic order will be modified in the downtown

The Municipal Assembly accepted another initiative of Vitézy: they will modify the traffic order in Budapest’s 6th and 7th districts, because trolleybuses regularly get stuck due to the bigger cars, vans, and SUVs parking in the narrow streets and blocking the way. As a result, an increasing number of traffic jams paralyse both the public transport system and car traffic.

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