New payment system to be introduced on Budapest’s airport shuttle bus

Budapest’s transport company, BKK, is to test a new payment system on the shuttle bus connecting the downtown of the Hungarian capital with the Liszt Ferenc International Airport, shortly known as Budapest Airport.

New payment system

Mastercard and K&H Bank are joining BKK in testing a brand new digital payment and ticket validation system, already successfully operating in several Western cities. The testing will only concern the Budapest Airport express shuttle bus nr 100E. The digital solution is contactless, and the testing period will start on 20 June, next Tuesday.

The change means you will not have to buy a shuttle bus offline or online ticket from 20 June. Instead, you can buy and validate your digital voucher with your bank or credit card, smartphone or smartwatch via a terminal. The voucher price will be deducted from your account immediately, 24.hu wrote.

London’s public transport uses a very similar system. You do not need to buy a ticket offline or online. Instead, you can acquire your digital voucher with your bank card. Furthermore, the British system monitors your daily travels and deducts only the fee of a daily ticket, regardless of how many times and how long you use the vehicles.

New buses, improved passenger experience

PCWorld, a Hungarian technology-focused media outlet, said nobody knows when the digital system will be introduced on the Budapest Airport shuttle bus line. The express bus began to operate in 2017 and was modernised several times. For example, from yesterday on, 150 brand new MAN Lion’s type buses serve the passengers getting to the airport or coming to Budapest from Hungary’s main airgate. BKK said those buses provide “premium” service for the users.

The 100E express bus commutes 24/7. Furthermore, in June, BKK raised its frequency. For example, on workdays, BKK reduced the follow-up time to only 7-8 minutes.

Prior to the testing period, you had two options to purchase a ticket. The offline solution was to buy it in a vending machine or customer service centre. HERE is a map of them. Moreover, you could use the BudapestGO app to buy an online ticket.