Buda Castle is one of the main symbols of Budapest. It’s a must-see for anyone who visits Budapest and who wants to give an insight into the country’s former greatness, its beautiful architecture and its historical identity.
The Buda Castle and a complex of historic buildings make up the Castle District.
It is located on the hill above the Danube in the heart of Budapest. Its total length is 2 km. The history of the Buda Castle began back in 1255. After the Tatar-Mongol invasion, it was decided to build a fortress on the top of today’s Castle Hill. The fortress was always a stumbling block for the armies of the conquerors. During its history it was destroyed many times, but each time it rose from the ashes. The kings of Hungary built their palaces and the noblest citizens of Budapest their houses here. One of the most significant church of the country stands on the mountain. The entire of the Buda Castle district consists of several sights, in addition, the breathtaking views of Buda and Pest open from the mountain.
The main dominants of the Castle District are the Royal Palace, the Fisherman’s Bastion and the Matthias Church.
This iconic tourist sight attracts millions of tourists to Budapest every year.
Address: 1014 Budapest, Szent György tér 2
Official site: http://budacastlebudapest.com/
Various exhibitions are held in the building of the Royal Palace, and there is an opportunity to visit the Hungarian National Gallery (Magyar Nemzeti Galéria) (opening hours and ticket prices for mng.hu), the Budapest History Museum (btm.hu) and the National Library of Hungary. There is an entrance fee for these tourist sites, but just visiting the entire territory of the Buda Castle is free.
Liszt Ferenc International Airport
Liszt Ferenc International Airport (Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér) is located 21 km from the center of Budapest and 40 km from the Aquaworld Resort.
Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport (Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér), formerly known as Ferihegy Airport accepts flights from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America. The airport is one of the five international airports of Hungary.
Full name: Liszt Ferenc International Airport (Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér).
IATA code: BUD
Official website: bud.hu/ (Hungarian and English version).
The terminals 2A and 2B are considered as separate terminals, but in fact they are located in the same building.
Wi-Fi at Budapest Airport: Both arriving and departing passengers at Budapest Airport can use the wireless Internet access service. Wi-Fi is free, available for two hours. To connect to the network, you need to select bud: free wifi network. Enter your email address on the login page and accept the Terms of Service.
There are Duty Free, shops, restaurants, bars, cafes at the Budapest airport. There is a luggage storage – this service is very useful for those who stay late at the airport waiting for their transit. There is also opportunity to spend the night at a hotel located near the airport.
If you need to get from Budapest Airport to Buda Castle, you have several options. You can choose between a car transfer, Airport Shuttle Services miniBUD, and public transport.
Car Transfer
Car Transfer – it is the most convenient way to get from Budapest Airport to Buda Castle.
The road will take about 40 minutes.
Your Welcome driver will be at the pickup location of your choise at the time, what you have indicated. Complimentary waiting time from the airport: 60 minutes. Your complimentary waiting time starts from your selected pickup time. Please make sure that you have taken into account the time you need to reach the meeting point, after arriving at the airport (going through customs, collecting checked-in luggage, etc.)
Private Transfer
Private transfer from Budapest Airport to Buda Castle:
| Car | Skoda Octavia | 1-3 pax: 35 EUR |
| Minivan | Opel Zafira, Dacia Lodgy | 1-4 pax: 45 EUR |
| Van | Opel Vivaro, Ford Transit | 1-8 pax: 50 EUR |
| Business Car | Mercedes E class | 1-2 pax: 90 EUR |
| Eco Car | Tesla | 1-3 pax: 85 EUR |
| Business Van | Mercedes V class | 1-6 pax: 100 EUR |
| Premium car | Mercedes S class | 1-2 pax: 150 EUR |
| Premium car | Mercedes Maybach S 680 | 1-2 pax: 200 EUR |
| Business Bus | Mercedes Benz Sprinter Jet Lux | 1-8 pax: 200 EUR |
| Bus | Mercedes Benz Sprinter | 1-21 pax: 160 EUR |
| Bus | Volvo, Setra, Bova, Man | 1-49 pax: 200 EUR |
| Bus | Mercedes Tourismo, Irizar | 1-55 pax: 220 EUR |
MiniBUD
MiniBUD shuttle service is a group transportation service at Budapest Airport that offers shuttles for arriving/departing passengers from and to the airport.
For further information, please visit minibud.hu page, or use the mobile app, supported by both iOS and Android.
The shuttles are comfortable buses with air conditioning and free Wi-Fi.
There are Airport Shuttle-Minibus counters at both terminals.
Minibuses leave from the main entrance of the terminals.
We recommend you to book tickets online in advance. You will receive a confirmation email advising you the exact departure location of the shuttle. Upon arrival, please proceed to the miniBUD counter at the airport and you will be directed to your minibus. You may need to wait for other passengers to gather.
As miniBUD is a group transfer, please note that the bus may run at 100% capacity and passengers will be taken to their destination in turns.
By Public Transport
Public transport of Budapest is fast and convenient, equipped with regular lines (as well as night lines), and accurate timetables. Public transport includes metro, tram, bus, and trolleybus. All transport operates from 4:30 am to 11:00 pm. At each entrance of the metro stations, boards with a diagram of the city transport network are installed. The rules of travel are also indicated in English and German. At all bus and tram stops you will find route timetables, and a traffic map at the major stops. You can check bkk.hu for more information about travel fares. Also, you can use the trip planner function to get an idea about timing and route options.
If you are planning to get from Budapest airport to Buda Castle by public transport, we can recommend you the 2 easiest ways.
Bus E200 + Metro + Bus 16
The interval of movement is 10 minutes.
Working hours: 4.00-23.00.
The price of a bus ticket: 350 forints (about 1 euro).
Tickets can be purchased at the vending machines located right next to the bus stop or from the driver. A ticket purchased on the bus will cost 10 forints more.
Bus 200E goes to the stop “M3 Köbánya-Kispest metro station”.
From this metro station, you can go to the metro station Deák Ferenc tér.
From Deák Ferenc tér, you can take Bus 16 until the castle , which is running every 5 minutes or so during peak hours. In good weather though, it is very pleasant to walk across the Chain Bridge to Clark Ádám tér. From there, you can take the Buda Castle Funicular to the Castle, which is a marvelous ride.
Bus E100 + Bus 16
The interval of movement is 10 minutes.
Bus schedule 100E
From the airport to the center: from 05:00 to 01:20
From city to airport: 03:40 to 00:40
The price of a bus ticket: 900 forints (3 €).
The road takes 45-60 min
Deák Ferenc tér (the terminus of the 100E bus) is the very center of Budapest. If you have a hotel in the center, within a 10-minute radius from Deák Ferenc tér, or close to any metro station, then bus 100E is the best way to get from the airport to the city center, to the junction station of Budapest metro (Deák Ferenc tér).
From Deák Ferenc tér take bus 16 which goes directly to Buda Castle and has a stop at Szentháromság tér. Szentháromság tér (the Holy Trinity square) is the main square of the Castle District. Numerous historical buildings and memorials can be found here: the City Hall of Buda, the Fishermen’s Bastion and the Matthias Church.
To clarify: the 16 goes from Széll Káman Tér in Buda via the Buda Castle to Deák Ferenc tér on the Pest side – and back.