Bike-sharing in Budapest: a cheap and easy way to discover the city’s beauties with MOL Bubi
Budapest’s bike-sharing system, MOL Bubi, is one of the best of its kind, enabling tourists and locals to travel across the city at an affordable price while helping users stay healthy and keep fit. Here’s what you should know about it.
Discover Budapest by bike at a low price
MOL Bubi bikes are one of the best options to avoid traffic jams and crowded public transport while enjoying the beauties of Budapest alone, with loved ones, or with friends. The system is easy to use and user-friendly. Moreover, cycling helps you stay in shape and maintain your health.
To get your first bike, simply download the MOL Bubi app to your phone and register with your email address. If you have a Hungarian address, you can purchase a monthly pass for HUF 1,500 (approx. EUR 3.73) or a six-month pass for HUF 6,500 (approx. EUR 16). If you do not have a Hungarian address or are an occasional user, you can opt for the “Pay as you go” option, which charges HUF 50 per minute. This means a 30-minute ride—for example, from the northern tip of Margaret Island to southern Budapest—will cost less than EUR 4.
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Having a pass has some advantages. For instance, the first 30 minutes of each ride are free. From the 31st minute onwards, each additional minute costs HUF 50, just like in the Pay as you go option. However, if you return your current bike and take a new one, the timer resets.
Useful tips for using MOL Bubi bikes
MOL Bubi bikes must be dropped off and picked up at official MOL Bubi stations. There are already 222 such stations, marked in green. If you drop off your bike at a non-designated location, you must pay an additional fee of HUF 5,000 (approx. EUR 12.40). However, picking up a bike from such a location is free of charge. You can check out the map of stations (available, unavailable, and off-station bikes) HERE.
The minimum age for registration is 16. Smart locks may occasionally malfunction. If a bike does not unlock even though the app shows it as available, try rolling it back and forth slightly—the lock may be caught in a spoke. If you cannot lock your bike, contact BKK at +36 1 3 255 255 (Monday to Sunday, 6 AM to midnight). If you encounter issues outside of those hours, use the app’s “Error notification” function and specify the time you locked the bike. If your bike has a technical problem, flip the saddle to signal the issue.
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MOL Bubi bike share scheme marks four years since upgrade
Budapest’s MOL Bubi bicycle-sharing scheme is celebrating four years since its last upgrade, according to the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK), which operates the system with support from Hungarian oil and gas company MOL.
The MOL Bubi fleet currently includes 2,460 bicycles and 222 stations. MOL Bubi 3.0 is set to launch in 2026 with a doubled fleet size and the addition of at least 1,000 e-bikes. Furthermore, after the introduction of Bubi 3.0, users with a monthly, six-month or annual pass purchased via the BudapestGO app will receive 10 free rides of up to 30 minutes each.
More information on MOL Bubi HERE.
Orbán government seeks to boost conference tourism development in the capital and beyond
Hungary’s government aims to expand conference tourism not only in Budapest, but also in other key destinations such as Debrecen, Pécs, and Szeged, said Csaba Latorcai, a state secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration and Regional Development, during a conference on Tuesday.
Latorcai highlighted Hungary’s reputation for safety and good value for money, adding that the country should aim to be among the top three conference tourism destinations in the region.
Hungary’s conference tourism sector, with a turnover of around HUF 1,000 billion, came to a near halt during the pandemic, but has since rebounded with government support.