Transportation in Budapest
For travelling within Budapest it is convenient to use the city’s public transport (BKV), because in Budapest not everything is at a stone’s cast. The Budapest public transport includes the subway, buses, tramways and trolleybuses.
A single ticket costs 270 Ft., a transfer ticket 420 Ft.. It is better to buy a one-day ticket for 1550 Ft., a three-day or a week ticket for 3400 Ft. For a book of 10 tickets you will pay 2350 Ft., for 20 tickets 3900 Ft.
A train approaching the Deák Ferenc tér station
The platform of the Blaha Lujza tér subway station
The tickets can be bought in every subway station, at a dispenser or a newspaper stand. Do not underestimate the importance of buying the tickets. The ticket-controlling inspectors stand in almost every subway station at the escalator and will not let you in without a valid ticket.
Budapest Subway
A sign of a subway line in the Blaha Lujza tér station
There are three lines in the Budapest subway: M1, M2 and M3. M1 is the oldest line; it was built at the end of 19th century. It is the oldest subway line in Continental Europe. The M1 line is operated by trains with three wagons, funny key signatures resound in the stations while at the same time a speaker announces the names of the stations in a very inarticulate way. Most of the stations are covered with tiles and well kept. Therefore, do not miss the trip by the M1 line, the yellow subway line.
Have a look at what does a trip by the M1 line from the Bajcsy Zsilinsky Út. station to the Oktogon station look like.
The M2 line is marked in red and one of the stations is the Keleti Pályaudvar. The third line M3 is marked in blue. A transfer station of all three lines is in the Deák Ferenc tér station.
Tramways in Budapest
Yellow tramways run through Budapest and they will take you to almost any place. They usually are clean and comfortable. Moreover, they run along the river banks and thus can offer a very nice view.
Tramways ending at the Batthyány tér station
From the Batthyány tér station one can take a suburban rail train.
The suburban rails
In addition to the means of transport mentioned you can use the suburban rails little trains, going to the surrounding towns and agglomerations. Those lines are called HEV. They start at the Örs vezér tere and Batthyány tér stations.