Arrival in Budapest is a cinch, no matter which form of transportation you use. The airport is little way out of town, but the other arrival points are slap bang in the centre of the city. For more information on what you can and cannot bring into Hungary check the customs section of our Basics chapter.
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Arriving by bus
Hungary’s domestic bus network is operated by the Volán Association. For timetables and fares see their website at www.volan.eu
International bus routes are operated by Eurolines (+36-1) 219 8086, www.eurolines.hu/en/ and Orangeways (+36-30) 830 9696, www.orangeways.com/en/. They offer reasonably priced tickets to and from Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Netherlands,
Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Buses from abroad usually arrive at Népliget Bus Station, which is located in district X. (eastern Pest), near Népliget metro station.
Arriving by ferry
International hydrofoils run during mostly between June and October linking Budapest with Vienna.
Arriving by plane
There have been a lot of changes in the last few years in Hungarian aviation. The reopening and then closure of the old Terminal 1, the renaming of the airport from Ferihegy to Budapest Liszt Ferenc, as well as the demise of Malév, the long beleaguered national airline and the emergence and rise of Wizzair. This facility has stayed the course and is a compact and convenient airport to fly in and out of. Wifi is free to all in departures. Their website is strikingly useful too, with up-to-date flight information. Food in their snack bars is as ridiculously over-priced as in any other world destination, a true sign of progress.
Arriving by train
The condition of the capital's three major train stations is a cause for national embarrassment, or it should be. These huge depots are the first thing many travellers see of Hungary, and what they see are magnificent but unkempt and dirty old buildings, teeming with hustlers. Step off the train and onto the platform, and you'll likely be accosted by illegal taxi operators, money changers and panhandlers. You're not in any danger especially if you give these types a wide berth, it's just not much of a first impression. In any case, each station is handily located in west and eastern Pest, and over in Buda. Each of them have connections to the metro system as well as to other public transport. For international information call tel. 461 55 00; for domestic information call tel. 461 54 00 (English spoken).
