Financial struggle: Are Budapest’s best spas becoming tourist traps?
For decades, Budapest’s world-famous thermal baths have been among the city’s greatest attractions — but recently, they’ve come to symbolise something else entirely: mismanagement, closures, and entry fees that rival those in Western Europe.
Gellért bath in Budapest is out, and this causes changes elsewhere
The latest casualty is the iconic Szent Gellért Bath, which closed its doors in late 2024 and is expected to remain shut for at least three years. In its final year of operation, the bath welcomed 420,000 visitors and generated HUF 4.1 billion in revenue for Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévizei Zrt. (BGYH), the city-owned company operating the capital’s 12 thermal complexes.
With Gellért gone, crowds are now being redirected to the already busy Rudas and Széchenyi baths, while two other historic venues, the Rác and Király, have stood closed for years.
The reshuffling has led to chaos — even forcing changes in opening hours at Rudas, where female regulars protested the drastic reduction of single-gender bathing times. The dispute has reached the city council’s committees, though no final decision has yet been made.
Funding shortfalls and political roadblocks
Although the BGYH is one of Budapest’s few profitable municipal companies, most of its earnings are siphoned off to keep the city running, leaving little for renovations. As a result, even a financially stable firm cannot afford to refurbish landmark sites like Gellért or Rác.
The Gellért project would be one of the largest bath restorations in Hungary — a HUF 20-billion investment aimed at fully renovating the century-old building and adding new wellness facilities.
Yet, at present, only the design phase has been approved; there is no funding, and no guarantee when or if construction will begin, writes Telex.
City leaders now hope to finance the Gellért and Rác renovations through loans, but these require government approval — a process fraught with politics. The Orbán administration has repeatedly blocked Budapest’s loan requests in recent years.
However, the city is banking on a potential overlap of interests: the neighbouring Gellért Hotel, currently being restored by Tiborcz István, the prime minister’s son-in-law, would benefit from a direct link to a reopened thermal bath.
Two forgotten jewels: Rác and Király
The closure of Gellért has also renewed attention on the Rác and Király baths — though neither is ready to reopen. The Rác’s troubles stretch back nearly three decades.
Despite a full renovation completed in 2010, the bath never welcomed guests due to legal disputes, bankruptcies, and failed sales attempts. The BGYH purchased the site in 2021, but another costly loan will likely be needed before work can resume.
The Király Bath, located in the 2nd District, faces an even bleaker fate. Renovation plans exist, yet costs have doubled or tripled since the pandemic, and the property’s state ownership limits the city’s control. Negotiations between the municipality and the National Asset Management Agency continue, but tangible progress remains elusive.
Crowds, high prices, and slipping reputation
According to the BGYH, Rudas and Széchenyi will absorb about 30–40% of Gellért’s visitors. To ease congestion, the company has introduced an online booking system and a “fast track” ticket costing HUF 17,000.
Still, overcrowding seems inevitable — especially given that weekday entry now costs HUF 11,000–12,500, well beyond what most locals can afford.
Critics warn that the city’s baths are turning into tourist traps. Dávid Vitézy, head of the city’s Climate and Urban Development Committee, has called for stricter behavioural rules, limits on mobile phone use, and clearer multilingual signage to restore a sense of decorum and authenticity.