Many large cities in Europe have a “subway” that is very useful for unloading trams and buses. After all, this method of transportation is very convenient - you do not stand in traffic jams and do not swallow exhaust fumes from cars. The main city of Hungary is no exception.
As in any European capital, there is a metro in Budapest. True, it is not so branched, and the stations here are simple and functional - without marble columns and other architectural excesses.
But the Budapest metro is very easy to use. But with a habit, a novice tourist, and even not knowing Hungarian, can get confused here. Therefore, the article provides a small instruction with useful tips.
Metro opening hours in Budapest
Local trains begin to depart early, but later tourists will have to choose another mode of transport. Budapest is the capital of business people, it lives for itself, and not for travelers. Therefore, you have to reckon with this.
The metro opens at half past four in the morning, and the last cars leave at around 23:00. Moreover, the early and evening go quite rarely, every quarter of an hour. Keep this in mind if you want to catch a morning flight to the airport. To do this, you need to catch the first train.
If you are traveling, for example, from the center, then from the “Ploshchad Ferenc Diak” station you will reach the final point closest to the hub in about 20 minutes. The 200E bus that goes to the airport is usually already waiting for the first passengers.
History
The metro in Budapest in itself is one of the attractions of the city, despite its modest appearance. The first historical branch of the "subway" was built in 1896.
It was opened for the millennium justification of the Hungarians on the lands of the modern country, on the Danube. It is one of the oldest European "subways". Previously, only the London Underground was built.
But they began to build it since 1894, when it was necessary to unload the transport lines connecting the two parts of the city - Buda and Pest, separated by the Danube. The bridge over the river could not stand it.
The construction was undertaken by the Siemens company, which also supplied the first electrified trains in the world for Budapest. They laid it at a shallow depth, along the Andrassy Avenue. A total of 11 stations were built, ten of which still exist.
How to navigate
At the moment, the metro in Budapest consists of only four lines. They are indicated in the diagram by yellow, blue, red and green. Almost all metro stations are located in the part of the city that lies on the plain - in Pest.
The blue branch is the longest, the train along it goes a little more than half an hour. And the “youngest” line is green. It was laid in 2014 and leads to sleeping areas.
Ferenc Diak Square is the only station that connects three branches of the subway except the green one. But if you orient yourself “by eye” it seems difficult for you, you can purchase a metro map. Usually they are sold in newspaper stalls or kiosks with capital letters VKK. Often they can be taken free of charge at the counter in many hotels in the city.
Even right at the entrance to any station there is a scoreboard with a map. And in the new cars, in addition, there are electronic circuits of the line along which you are driving, with names. They are announced, of course, in Hungarian. But in a couple of days you will get used to it, and you will already associate the inscriptions with the words on the radio.
Prices and how to purchase a ticket
Travel documents are sold almost everywhere. They are needed to use the metro in Budapest. Their cost is not so high. Metro prices are the same as any other public transport in the Hungarian capital.
The cost of one ticket is 350 forints (about 70 rubles). Travel documents can be bought at the box office at many stations. But it’s best to learn how to use machines.
The fact is that at some stations cash desks have been liquidated. But machines are almost everywhere, and not only in the subway. They can be found at the station, at the airport, and at bus and tram stops at major interchanges.
New machines already have an interface in Russian. But most of them have inscriptions in Hungarian and English. You can pay by card or in cash.
What are the tickets
But above we called the price of a one-time travel document. It can only be used on one line. If you want to make transfers in the Budapest metro from one line to another, you need to buy a special ticket that provides such an opportunity.
It is called “Transfer Ticket” and costs 530 forints (about 110 rubles). With it you can get to the airport and transfer not only to another metro line, but also to a trolley bus and bus.
If you are in Budapest for a couple of days, immediately buy a block of 10 tickets. They cost 3 thousand forints (approximately 600 rubles). It will be cheaper than constantly buying one-time tickets.
You can also purchase a one-day pass. It costs 1,650 forints, or 330 rubles. This ticket is interesting in that it operates not only in the metro and ground transportation system, but also on river buses along the Danube (but only on weekdays).
And if you have a large company or family - up to 5 people inclusive - you can purchase a group ticket. It is valid 24 hours from the moment the composter is first marked. All five can ride any vehicle as many times as they like during this time. Such a ticket costs 3300 forints, or 660 rubles.
How to ride the subway
So, you have purchased tickets. But how to use them in the Budapest metro? First of all, they need to be stamped. This is done in the validator. You put tickets into the hole, and they break through there automatically.
But travel documents are not composted, but "fed" to the machine, which returns them back with a printed date and time. Typically, these validators stand in the lobby of the metro stations in a conspicuous place or directly on the escalator. If you do not have a one-time ticket, but a ticket, then you show it to the controller.
Is it possible to drive a hare? Often there is no one near the validator, and the turnstiles we are used to here also began to appear here only in 2015, and even then at some stations of two lines. But during peak hours, controllers are on duty at the entrance and exit of the metro. Therefore, the travel document does not need to be thrown away. It may be required by exit controllers.
The fine for stowaways is quite large - almost 50 euros, or 3,600 rubles, but if you pay on the spot, the amount is halved. Metro cars themselves are often stylized as an old tram. The compositions are short. These are just three wagons interconnected. They can carry no more than 250 people. Platforms are located on both sides of the trains.
How to get to the train station by metro
The Budapest subway is also convenient for the location of the stations. Its different lines lead to three stations of the capital. Budapest has a lot of different attractions. Some of them can also be reached by metro.
People get to railway stations along the red (Delhi or Yuzhnaya station, as well as the Keleti or Vostochnaya stations) and the yellow (Zapadnaya) lines. During the day, metro trains run very often, literally every two minutes.
Metro and sights of the Hungarian capital
But the subway can be used during excursions. The yellow line is called the M1. This is the oldest, historic subway line. It is very small in length - only 5 kilometers. And all the stations are located at a distance of 500 m from each other.
To get to the Heroes' Square, you need to get off at the Hosok Tere stop. There is also an art gallery. Spa lovers are advised to go to the Secheni Furdo station. Vajdahunyad Castle and Varoshliget Park are within walking distance. From there you can quickly get to Secheni baths.
If you exit at the Oktogon station, you will be taken to the area of Liszt Ferenc Academy. And you will pass a little further - you will get to the Opera House. But unfortunately, you will not get to the Buda palace complex by metro - unless you cross the Danube on a green branch. And on the hill itself, where the old city is located, you need to climb the bus already.
By the way, residents of the capital almost do not use the yellow branch - mainly tourists do it. The red line takes you to the Hungarian Parliament, the one that looks like English. You need to leave at the station "Lajos Koshut Square".
Metro in Budapest: traveler reviews
Those who have used the underground of the Hungarian capital claim that although the stations are pretty similar and “without frills”, using this transport is very convenient. The subway has great navigation.
The signs are clear, there are many diagrams, maps and displays where everything is painted in detail not only in Hungarian, but also in English and German.
But for people with disabilities, unfortunately, the metro is not too adapted - there are a lot of steps. Two elevators are only on the newest, fourth line.
But in general, tourists greatly praise the Budapest metro and believe that it makes it easier to travel around the city.