Budapest Travel—Boat Ride on Danube

Video 1.  Budapest Danube Cruise , Candlelit Dinner 4K (YouTube link)

Admire the city from the Danube

While riverboats play an integral part in Budapest’s public transport system, they are also a means of seeing the city from a fresh perspective and make for a breezy getaway from the city streets.^[5] 

Crossing the historical city center, boats pass under seven of the city’s bridges and offer spectacular views of a host of significant sights. These include Margaret Island; the Hungarian Parliament; Gellért Hill; and the cultural complex comprising Müpa Budapest (Palace of the Arts), the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall and the Ludwig Museum.

Figure 1.  Public transport boat service (bbk.hu)

Pubic Transport

Budapest’s public transport offering extends to boats on the River Danube. There are four boat lines in total:^[3] 

Lines D11 and D12 depart from Kopaszi gat pier in the south and head to Rómaifürdő pier in the north of the city, passing underneath seven bridges and offering breathtaking views in the process. Passengers can depart from major landmarks on this route, including the Hungarian Parliament building, the foot of Gellért Hill and Margaret Island. Alternatively, the river-crossing boat service D2 connects passengers to the central spot Batthyány tér in Buda to Kossuth Lajos tér in Pest. Ferry service D14 travels to the south of the city centre. Tickets costs 750 HUF ($2.50).

To view boat timetables, you can view this page and click on D (for boat):

To view the exact departure times, we recommend using the BudapestGO trip planner, with which you can find out real-time traffic information.

On 04/17/2022, only D14 was shown at this moment (see Figure 1).

If you buy a 24-hour Budapest-travelcard^[2](1,650 HUF)...

• Valid on lines D2, D11 and D12 on workdays only
• Show and hand over your ticket if requested by the inspector
• Advance purchase is possible
• No validation required before travel

References

1. Tickets and Prices (bkk.hu)
• 24-hour Budapest-travelcard (1,650 HUF)
• 72-hour Budapest-travelcard (4,150 HUF)
2. The Budapest Travelcard
• Use www.bkk.hu/salespoints to help find a location near you.
3. How To Get Around Using Public Transport in Budapest, Hungary
   
4. 10 Recommended Tours in Budapest
5. The 10 Best Things To Do in Budapest in Summer