Getting to the Budapest Airport from the city center, is quite easy and affordable.
Bus 100E will take you to directly to the main terminal. The cost is 900 Forints, which converts to roughly $3.50 USD. The ride takes approximately 30 minutes. A note of advice, get on the bus at Deak Ference Ter. If you get on the Kovam Ter stop, chances are you won’t or you will have to stand. Luggage space is limited. There is also a minivan option that will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport for approximately $14 USD.
Navigating Budapest Airport can be exhausting. I would say arrive extra early but that may not help. It will cause you to have to stand and wait to find out what numbered counter to check in for your flight. There is no seating in the main terminals. At least none that I’m aware of.
Budapest Airport has no airline specific check in counters. Passengers stand around looking pitiful and exhausted, staring at the digital board hoping and praying their flight information will come up on the cue.
Once you check in, you are herded to the security check in point. If you are in terminal 2B, you are directed to security check in at terminal 2A. At this point you would think that you would know your departure gate. Nah, you are forced to once again stare at a digital board and hope that your flight gate appears on the cue. Just imagine dozens of people looking at two small boards, like zombies.
Finally, to add insult to injury, once you arrive at your gate, you are herded into a large non air-conditioned hangar to wait with anticipation for the doors to swing open so that you can escape this whole process, that truly makes you feel like cattle being led off to be slaughtered.
Considering that Budapest has a great public transportation system, I’ll cut them some slack on the airport fiasco.
