Overview
The public transportation system in Budapest is a favorite internal travel option for a number of Budapest visitors. The system is efficient, inexpensive and runs throughout all of the major tourist areas of Budapest. The system consists of a combination of the bus, trolley-bus, tram, metro, and train lines and is streamlined so that tickets for all of them can generally be purchased at the same locations.
This article is long, but comprehensive because many visitors are left a bit bewildered by Budapest's somewhat idiosyncratic system. Your diligence will be rewarded with a good experience utlizing probably one of the best city public transports in the world.
Visitors should note that crowded public transportation is the place where tourists are most likely to be victims of pickpocketing and other petty theft. This is not a major cause of concern but should be noted so that visitors stay alert during their travels.
The BKV website contains more information on schedules and routes. (see the bottom of this page for links to helpful route-planners)
Types of Transport
Metro Budapest currently has three metro lines - M1 (Yellow), M2 (Red) and M3 (Blue). The Yellow line is the oldest underground transportation line in continental Europe and retains much of its old-fashioned charm. All lines meet at Deák Tér in central Pest. First metros start running everyday just before 0500 and end around 2330.
Tram (yellow colored) Budapest has an extensive system of above-ground trams. The most useful lines for tourists are the 4 or 6, which follows the large ring road that encircle Budapest city center and cross Margit híd bridge before ending at Moskva Tér on the Buda side and Petőfi híd bridge before it terminates at Móricz Zsigmond Körtér, also on the Buda side; the 47-49, which runs trough central Pest and across the river to Hotel Gellert; the 2, which follows the Danube River on the Pest side; and the 19, which follows the Danube River on the Buda Side.
Bus (blue colored) In addition to the trams, Budapest is served by numerous bus lines. Bus lines of use to most tourists are the 7 and 73 which will connect you between the busy Keleti train station and the lesser used Kelefold train stations on the Buda side. Some other notable places that it stops along is Blaha Lujza ter (connects to the red metro line, and 4 and 6 trams), Ferenciek tere (very near Vaci utca), and in front of the Rudas baths and the Gellert Hotel both on the Buda side. Bus 86 is also very helpful as it has a stop near the Gellert Hotel and runs along the big Buda street parallel to the Danube.
Trolley-Bus (red colored) They look much like buses except they're powered by electrical lines. One line that can be of use to visitors is the 70 which originates from the South side of Kossuth square across from the Parlament and cuts through the city center using Nagymező utca (Budapest's "Broadway") before crossing Andrássy boulevard and cutting up Király utca on its way to the Varosliget. (City Park).
Night Bus (blue colored) All regular transportation services stop around midnight (varies by route). Night busses replace the metro lines, major tram and major bus routes and run through the night until normal service resumes in the morning. Separate schedules for night and day buses are posted at every stop. Starting in 2009, night bus tickets will use regular single ride tickets, just like the daytime, for 290 Forints and are sold by the bus driver for 400 Forints.
HÉV Trains (green colored) These old trains still serve the outer and suburban areas of Budapest. Regular public transport tickets are not valid when the trains leave the city limits. Thus if you are going to the popular tourist destinations of Szentendre or Gödöllö, you must go to a Pénztár window at the stations where the HÉV trains are (Batthyány tér or Árpád híd for Szentendre, Örs vezér tere for Gödöllö) and make a round-trip purchase.
Buying Tickets
One purchases tickets and passes at "Pénztár" windows near the entrances of most metro stations. Many of these cashiers do not speak any language except their own native tongue, so it would be wise to be prepared with written requests in Hungarian for what you need. One can also find single tickets on sale at most newsstands, including ones at the airport. Except for the airport bus 200 and night buses, bus and tram drivers do not usually sell tickets. (Tickets sold by drivers are 400 Forints)
Tickets (jegyek) can be purchased as single ride tickets (290 Forints) but most visitors find that multi-ride tickets at a discounted rate make more sense in terms of both the cost and the convenience of not having to stop and buy tickets each time visitors wish to ride one of the modes of public transportation. One can purhcase a book of ten single ride tickets (tiz darabos gyűjtőjegy) for 2600 Forints. In addition to a daily (napijegy) for 1500 Forints, three (három napijegy or turistajegy) for 3700 Forints, or seven day passes (hetijegy) for 4400 Forints. Visitors have the option of purchasing the Budapest Card which includes the choice of a two (6300 Forints) or three day (7500 Forints) unlimited ride pass for public transportation within the city limits along with other discounts for tourist attractions. The Budapest Card can be purchased at the TourInform, which are tourist information centers at the Ferihegy airport, train stations and a few city offices.
If you choose to buy single ride tickets, there are a few things you should know. A single ride ticket (jegy) costs 290 Forints and is good for one ride on the entire length of any one bus, trolley-bus, or tram. But starting in 2009, single tickets are now good for metro transfers for up to 60 minutes from your initial validation. Although there are other types of single ride tickets, for the sake of simplicity, you will find it easy to just purchase single ride tickets, or the discounted book of ten tickets.
In all cases make sure you validate the ticket as you enter the the vehicle (for surface transport) or in the station (for the metro). Look for a small orange "box" on a pole that serves as a validator in metros and newer surface transport vehicles in which you slot in your ticket and a quick musical tone will affirm that it is validated with a time and date stamp. In older trams, buses, and trains it is a small red "box" that you insert your ticket and move the black collar towards you mechnically that marks your ticket with a "punch pattern." If you are transferring, make sure you validate the ticket for your originating line or vehicle as well as your transfer line or vehicle. Keep in mind that once validated, each ticket is time limited so make sure your journey takes place within the allotted time. The Budapest Public Transport employs "ticket checkers" who wear blue arm bands and usually work in pairs. They will often ask to see your ticket on a tram or as you are entering or exiting a metro station to make sure it is validated properly. For this reason, it is important to keep your validated ticket until the end of your journey. An incorrect ticket type or an improperly validated ticket can result in a fine or police being called.
To determine the best route for you using public transport, use the BKV's website, http://utvonal.bkv.hu/ (only in Hungarian) or this Hungarian route-planning site, http://www.utvonalterv.hu/ (English and Slovakian language options are available) These both work best when you have the exact addresses for your proposed journey's beginning and end.
