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Catching the Train to Budapest Airport Way More Difficult Than it Should Be
For about as long as the whole Metro 4 fiasco has been ongoing, there have been plans to create a rail link with Budapest's Airport. Instead of extending the Metro 3 line and running it above ground, the folks entrusted with running this city into the ground finally decided to add a station to a rail line running by Ferihegy Terminal 1, after first promising in 2006 to do so. (Please note, Terminals 2A and 2B do not have a rail link.) Of course, this sounds a lot better than it is in practice, which, well, isn't nearly as easy as you would expect it to be, even if you're fluent in Hungarian.
On my last trip overseas, or rather, across the English Channel (let's indulge the Brits who still insist that they're not a part of Europe, the EU and chunnel be damned) I caught the train to and from Budapest's Ferihegy Airport, the airport which presumably derives its name from an invisible mountain dedicated to some guy called Frank.
Leaving the airport is the much easier option. There are helpful signs pointing toward the exit which also show that there is rail link. Unfortunately, if this is your first time in Budapest, you might be under the mistaken impression that the stop contains ticket dispensing machines. They do not, nor does it state where you can purchase said tickets.
Wishing to save some money and not wanting to go through the Kőbánya-Kispest metro station (despite it being a fine example of when socialist architectural design briefly flirted with the wonders of polymer technology) I turned to the tourist information desk in the hopes of, well, information. Fortunately, the bored woman sitting behind the desk told me she sold the tickets, and so I was able to get a ticket for Ft 300 (€1.14 or about 90p) and headed back toward the city.
As all of the trains that stop at the Ferihegy station head toward Budapest's Nyugati Station, the only thing you have to keep an eye out for is what kind of train arrives. Avoid an Inter-City, as that will require a seat reservation, more than doubling your fare, and in addition to the Inter-City, you probably also want to skip the really dodgy old cars.
Hopefully you'll catch one of the newer commuter trains, although the somewhat-helpful timetable at the bottom of the airport's page isn't exactly clear. Also, I strongly recommend getting a ticket, since kontroll asked for mine both ways, and jumping out a window is not advisable. If the trip from the airport to the city center seemed a bit not-as-easy-as-it-should-be, then the trip from the city center to the airport is even more fun and a must for adventure seekers of all stripes!
Getting a ticket isn't too difficult, for while I've not tried the ticket machines, even if you can't speak a lick of Hungarian, you can always mosey on over to the ticket counter holding a piece of paper with the word "airport" on it, although if this is your preferred method, I'd recommend you smile as you do so.
From there, you have to figure out which train goes to Ferihegy. Unless you know you have to catch a train going to Cegléd or Ullő, well, you're shit out of luck, as there are no signs saying "Ferihegy" or "airport" anywhere.
Once you figure out which train it is, there's no sign there either, nor are the stops announced, and while the train will stop there, it only does so for a moment. If I hadn't asked the woman sitting across from me, who told me "Grab your things and get off at the next stop," there's a chance I would have only realized my mistake too late.
Once you disembark the train you arrive at the stop, which looks like the picture at the top of the article, and from there you have to go up the stairs and then back down some more. They do have elevators, but neither of these were operational the two times I passed through, although hopefully this is just a temporary thing and not out of commission because people would expect functioning elevators elsewhere.
While this only caused me a minor inconvenience since my bag was not that heavy and I was able to lug it upstairs (where I saw that they hadn't properly sealed the tunnel from the elements), it would be a major inconvenience for the disabled, or those traveling with small children.
Now, I know that Terminal 1 is serviced by discount airlines, but I wasn't expecting the city to offer such a "discount" service when it came to transporting people to and from the airport, especially when all that it would really require is to fix those elevators and add a few helpful signs.
UPDATE: Since this article was originally published, the timetables at the Nyugati Train Station were updated so that they now indicate which trains stop at the airport.
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COMMENT!Why are you so surprised? This is typical of the half-thought-out tourist "provision" Hungary has to offer.
A decent idea spoilt by the inclusion of Hungarians into the equation.
I'd say it's much more a case of the government doing this on the cheap and only concerned with satisfying the demands of the locals.
I will be as polite as possible as I can in reaction to this article; "FUCK YOU BKV/MAV! There is a circle of hell waiting for all of you."
Well imho the worst thing BKV did recently was change the software in the Metro ticket machines. Instead of a simple 1-2 step process to buy a ticket its now like 5 steps. A couple seemingly redundent. The fucktards went against all UI standards of keeping things simple and intuitive. Even if the backend software needed to be rewritten the UI could have stayed the same. Another obvious case of a public sectorHungarian lining the pockets of a semi-retarded relative or friend from grade school.
Don't you know Budapest is old hat anyway? Those old-skool sages at the Hungarian Tourism Board reckon everyone wants wellness and spa holidays instead. Hence, everyone is flying to the Balaton, so no need for a decent rail service from Ferihegy! Of course, if you do you'll miss a bit of social realism courtesy of MAV's graffiti clad trains. What a joy.
Let me get this right, you're having a gripe at how things work here, when from most airports in the UK there isn't a train and if there is it costs at least 10 pounds one way. The trains are frequent here too. I know plenty of people who have navigated this without a word of Hungarian. The lack of a ticket machine is the single most annoying problem. Besides that I say it beats the provision at UK airports hands down. And don't forget you have the option of the bus, airport taxi, taxi and various airport service companies, all at decent rates. Well, apart from the standard taxis.
Vándorló, the point is that with only a minimum of more effort they could have made it so much better. How difficult would it be to add some signs? And I'm guessing you've gave some sort of heads-up to your friends who don't speak Hungarian. Even if you're Hungarian you have to do some "research" on how to get out there from the city center.
London Heathrow is the single most miserable airport I have ever been to... I was there for 4 hours and it seemed like an eternity. I will take the Kőbánya-Kispest metro station any day of the week!
'...not wanting to go through the Kőbánya-Kispest metro station' > why, bus 200 takes you there is two shakes of a lamb's tail.
'Avoid an Inter-City, as that will require a seat reservation, more than doubling your fare, and in addition to the Inter-City, you probably also want to skip the really dodgy old cars'> I'd say take any train that stops there. If you are afraid of the Inter-City extra fee, take three stops, and get off at Kőki, then metro. Dogy old cars might be a pain on a longer journey, but for a 25 minute ride, you gotta bite the bullet. Or again switch at Kőki. You gotta realize this: you can't expect to save the cab doe, and get a hussle-free ride. Something for something. FYI, 'Barát Taxi' will take you to downtown for 2900 Ft, which is a helluva good deal. Ciao. Mike
Taking the train to the 200 bus, and taking that to either airport terminal isn't exactly brain surgery. Sure, more signage would help, but who goes to a foreign country where they don't speak the language without buying, say, one of the many travel guides that would explain how to get from the airport to the city center? If you want to save the cab fare (which is actually pretty reasonable), a little research is the least you can do.
Honestly, aside from this weird M4 line stuff, Budapest has a pretty great public transit system.
I do think you are being too negative about what is actually a pretty cheery development: you can arrive by cheap flight to Budapest, to a very nice little airport in fact, and get to the city for next to nothing without having to get on a crammed bus and without the misery of Koki. The stories about the tickets and the lifts are dismal: when it was new you could just buy a ticket on the train, which was friendly and easy, now they have this convoluted system of picking up a slip to show the info point was closed. Disappointing, but maybe one day they will install a machine. The lift story is more sad: pay lip service to helping those with bags (quite a few at an airport!) or the disabled, then don't bother to maintain what was no doubt an expensive investment. But overall this is a really good development, and I think it is much better to arrive to Ferihegy 1 than Ferihegy 2! Not many cities give cheap flights the better deal.
First.. this is by no means a complaint, just observations. Coming from stateside, I know that I have no right to complain about the accessability of ANYONE's airports. Even worse.. new york area... train connections to all 3 airports are aweful. And being the land of "eh, who needs pictures, we'll just use english, everyone speaks that, right?" ... yea ohk. anywho.. I digress. Last april I flew into ferihegy.. don't recall which terminal, but not the discount terminal with the rail connection... ryanair doesn't come to the US yet... keepin my fingers crossed though. I took the 200 bus to Kobayna-Kispest (sorry, I don't feel like looking for the accents right now)... and I agree, the lack of ticket machines or an obvious place to get tickets at the airport was the single biggest obstacle. If I hadn't googled it before I left home and known that you can just get them in the newstands in the airport, I woulda been SCREWED. After that though, it wasn't bad.. just followed the crowd of people at kobayna-kispest. I had a very early flight home though, and did pay for the shuttle service (1800Ft or something I think I paid?)... and if I hadn't, I was definately thinking at kobayna-kispest it could have been much more difficult going the other direction. But as I said... originally from NY where you can take 2 subways and a train to JFK or LaGuardia... 2 trains to Newark Liberty... now I live in DC where 1 of 3 airports is on the subway - but not many useful flights actually go out of there post-2001. You can take 1 bus and 2 subways to Dulles. Or a shuttle bus, train and subway from BWI... so yea... I've got no major complaints :-)
Yesterday, we suffered a lot and had to pay a lot due to all you tell here about trains and Budapest airport. Why the fuck don't they put a sign at the train station saying "Airport"? Is it so difficult? So expensive?
If you don't get off at Ferigery, you end up arriving in Cegled -50 kms away- and if we hadn't found a Hungarian guy - unbealievably nice and helpful- we would have missed our flight. (taxi like a F-1 car back in the airport).
My advice: if you go to Budapest aiport, take a cab. Forget about the train!
I've done this journey without any assistance and I don't speak hungarian.
The info is on timetables in the station - you dont need to speak hungarian to understand these - all clearly marked saying platform and its even possible to count the stops so you'd kind of know where to get off.
Besides if you look out the window (on the left side) you can see the airport tower in plenty of time to get your ass out of the chair. I usually stand as its only about 15 minutes (5th stop).
Getting to airports in the UK is a nightmare compared to this - busses every 45 minutes if you are lucky and taxi fares that cost £30 one way.
When the trains were on strike I managed to work out how to get the connecting bus (200) to Kőbánya-Kispest and metro on in from there.
You don't appreciate the superb transport you have - try the UK for lousy transport.
Well said, Fynt.
The public transport is pretty decent here and anyone who has visited Köbanya Kispest, not nothered to look at the timetables and then complained for the lack of signs, might still have notived that the surrounding area is undergoing massive changes and so a little understanding would go amiss. Unless you didn't notice the 5 cranes, the huge building site and that half of the Köbanya Kispest metro / station has recently been demolished...
As a Brit, the grass is definitely greener on this side when considering the trams, trains, buses and trolley buses.
Why try and make comparisons with transport in the UK?
The Hungarian transport system could be so much
better but for one/two reasons: the completely fucking useless MSZP government and old fart commie administrators who spend most of the day drinking lighter fuel i.e. home-made palinka.
This combination will ensure nothing changes for the next hundred years. The complaints unlike the transport service will continue on a "regular" basis.
1984? 1989! Both years have a commie tag for different reasons. Non-sequitur time. Balatonfured, Siofok, Veszprem, Enying, anybody? Try getting to these places from Ferihegy with screaming kids and a ton of baggage
(not the wife, by the way). Succeed and the world is your oyster. Maybe.
FrancicFerihegyjnr.,
Have another look at my comment. See the bit where I mention I am a Brit and live in Hungary. The comparison is because the UK public transport is a point of reference.
As for the rest of your comment, are you really saying that any party other than MSZP was able to make trains, buses and the rest run much 'better' when they were in power? Cut the crap. Perhaps you could specify exactly how you think it could be improved rather than spew anti-commie drivel. Change the record.
If you have any kids, you'd know (as I do) that getting kids and a 'ton of luggage' from one place to another by train is not easy regardless of the country. But again, I'm looking forward to any practical recommendations you have...I won't hold my breath.
Yes, Hungarian public transport is cheap, yes. Good, no! (what follows is a typical rant about MÁV, or for that matter BKV).
When you ask the train conducter who is stood on the platform, in well spoken and clear Hungarian, "Is this the fast train to Budapest, and if it is, can I buy a ticket?" and he says "Yes it is the fast train, and don't worry about the ticket, we'll fix it onboard"...and then the f***ing train turns out to be the post train and it takes 5 f***ing hours to get from Balaton to Délipu, Budapest... And the scumbag cunducter then tries to claim you jumped the train and haven't bought a ticket, even though you personally asked him face to face at the station if you buy one and he said "no, it's not a problem, we'll fix in onboard" but then he tries to get some f***ing baksish from you...
And Hungarians never wonder why most tourists only come here once, yes ONCE, and never return.
Pathetic, shoot yourself in the foot for dumbfuck national pride or personal gain, arrogant fuckwits...
No wonder the world doesn't give a fuck about anything we do or say!
Fast train from Siofok!!!?:-I went to Keleti,looked at the timetable and the next train was a 4 hour trip,but 10 minutes later there was a train that went to my destination in 2.5 hours.I bought my ticket and got the quicker train and had a super journey.Now, read your comment and my comment and tell me who is the fuckwit.Mav, me or you?
paulb45, you claim that "even worse.. new york area... train connections to all 3 airports are aweful."
Whereas I am not sure how "aweful" it is, it definitely is not awful. The subway trains run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and $2.25 will take you on an air conditioned subway carriage from the northern tip of Manhattan island to either JFK or LaGuardia airports, and you can take the PATH train from the city to Newark directly for the same money.
No, it is definitely NOT awful. Awful really starts in Eastern Europe.
I've just got back from Budapest and thought i needed to state the current position with regards this rail journey, as it is now certainly not the same as described above.
Tickets for the train are easily available from the info desk in arrivals and then the station is clealry signposted and only a five minute stroll. The station has large signs on the platform saying "Ferihegy" and a big plane symbol. The lifs were working, the only extra info you do need is for the signs at the first platform. This is the platform you need for the centre, the signs indicate the direction of the trains arriving at that platform, so you will want trains going to the right. All trains are for Budapest Western Station, so you cant go wrong here.
The return journey i think has been far improved. We bought our tickets from the ticket machines, which have english option. Each train destination is on the main departure board and if it also stops at the aiport it also says "AIRPORT" in capital letters, it coldn't be clearer. We travelled on one of the old commuter trains and they weren't any worse than the trains you would get here to the suburbs in such cities as Manchester or Cardiff. And for about £1.50 for the journey it was cheap, safe and fast.
Just thought i needed to clarifying things, as these postings made me initially wary of using the train, however i think things have improved immensely.
