Budapest Airport to the High Tatras: how to get there from the plane

Comparison at a glance

Times are rough ranges. Check a live journey planner for the day you travel.

Arriving at Budapest Terminal 2

Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport lies about 16 km south-east of the city centre and all flights now use Terminal 2, split into 2A and 2B. That helps if you booked a transfer, because the driver waits in one arrivals area. Look for your name board, or follow the meeting instructions in your booking.

Bus 100E is the direct airport bus to the centre. Bus 200E runs to Ferihegy railway station and to Kőbánya-Kispest, the terminus of the M3 metro line. If you only need to get to the mountains, the 200E and a train is the budget path. If you also want a night in Budapest first, the 100E is simpler. The city-to-city version of this trip is covered in Budapest to the High Tatras.

Step by step: the rail route

1. Take bus 200E from the airport to Kőbánya-Kispest or Ferihegy station.
2. Continue to a Budapest main station with intercity services towards Košice.
3. Take the EuroCity or intercity train to Košice, which crosses the border at Hidasnémeti.
4. Change to a train on the Košice to Žilina line and get off at Poprad-Tatry.
5. Continue by the Tatra Electric Railway or a bus to your resort.

Allow generous time between legs. A delayed flight and a tight connection are the most common reasons this route fails. Buying tickets is explained in how to buy train tickets in Slovakia.

Driving from the airport

The road route runs east from Budapest towards Miskolc and on to Košice, then to Poprad and the mountain resorts. Motorways cover much of it, but the last section is regular road. Hungary and Slovakia both charge for motorway use, and you need the Slovak e-vignette, see the Slovakia vignette guide and driving in Slovakia. In winter, check snow tyre rules and road conditions before you leave.

If you plan to drop the car in Poprad, read one-way car rental in Slovakia first, as cross-border one-way fees can be high.

Break the trip in Košice

Many travellers are tired after a flight, and arriving in the mountains late in the evening is rarely pleasant. Stopping a night in Košice splits the journey into two shorter parts and gives you an evening in a handsome old town. See Košice and Budapest Airport to Košice for the first leg, then Košice to the High Tatras the next morning.

What to expect at the other end

Read the High Tatras guide and pick your base with where to stay in the High Tatras before you travel. If you prefer to fly closer, Poprad Airport to the High Tatras explains the nearest airport. Without a car, see the High Tatras without a car.

Mountain weather is cooler than Budapest in every season, so keep a warm layer in hand luggage. In winter, expect snow on the final approach. Hungary uses the forint and Slovakia the euro, so carry a little euro cash, see money in Slovakia.

Who should skip which option

• Skip the train if you carry skis, boots or a large pack and dislike changes.
• Skip the hire car if you land late or are tired after a long-haul flight.
• Skip the budget bus if you arrive on a Friday evening in ski season, when connections fill up.

Booking a transfer after a flight

Book the transfer before you fly and give the provider your flight number, the exact resort and hotel address, the number of passengers and the number of bags, including skis or boards. A driver who tracks the flight can adjust to a delay, but a long delay in the evening may mean a very late arrival in the mountains, so ask what happens if you land after midnight. Confirm the price includes tolls, waiting time and child seats if you need them. Save the driver contact details offline, as mobile data may be patchy on the border roads.

For a group of four or more, a van usually costs little more per person than the train once you add the bus to the rail station and a hotel night. For one traveller, the train or a shared ride is more economical.

Common mistakes

• Booking a tight rail connection in Košice after a delayed flight. Leave a buffer of at least an hour.
• Assuming a direct train exists from the airport. It does not, so you always change or take a road option.
• Arriving in the mountains late in winter without checking whether the last mountain railway or bus has gone.
• Forgetting the vignette when driving a hire car in Slovakia.
• Carrying only forints into Slovakia, where euros are used.

Luggage, kids and accessibility

Long journeys with children are easier in a private car, where you control the stops and can bring a child seat if the provider offers one. On trains, check whether your coach has step-free access and space for prams, and plan extra time at stations with stairs. Skis, hiking poles and large rucksacks fit more easily in a van than in a standard sedan, so say what you carry when you book. If anyone in your party has limited mobility, a transfer avoids several platform changes and is usually the more comfortable choice.