Direct bus to Deák Ferenc tér in about 35–45 minutes
100E is BUD’s dedicated airport–center bus, running from Terminal 2 straight to Deák Ferenc tér in roughly 35–45 minutes depending on traffic. It’s aimed at people who just want to land, get on one vehicle, and step off at the core transport hub serving metro lines M1, M2, and M3.
A 100E ticket costs the equivalent of about $6–7 and you must buy this special “100E Airport Shuttle Bus” ticket; regular Budapest passes and single BKK tickets are not accepted. You can buy it from purple BKK machines in the arrivals hall at Terminal 2 or in the BudapestGo app before you land.
Buses run roughly every 10–20 minutes through most of the day, then less frequently in the very early morning and late night slots. The line usually stops at Kálvin tér and Deák Ferenc tér, with Astoria appearing in some timetables, so it’s great if you’re staying around Districts V, VI, VII, or VIII but not very helpful if your hotel is deep in Buda.
Stops at the airport are right outside Terminal 2, signposted as “100E Airport Express,” and boarding is front-door only so the driver can check your ticket. Locals say it’s still cheaper than a taxi into central Pest, and several residents admit they take 100E themselves when they land late and don’t want to deal with transfers.
Inside, there is a luggage rack area plus open standing space, but Reddit threads complain that around 8–10 a.m. and late afternoon, especially in summer, the bus gets jam-packed. Large suitcases fit, but once the racks fill you’ll see bags in the aisle, slower boarding, and people trying to squeeze past trolleys at each stop.
Regulars often pre-buy the 100E ticket in BudapestGo so they can walk straight from baggage claim to the stop and skip the machines, which can have queues when several flights land at once. The same crowd also points out a backup plan: if the 100E line is huge, step over to bus 200E and ride to Kőbánya-Kispest for metro M3, trading the 35–45 minute direct ride for a slightly longer but usually less crowded combo.
Step-by-step from BUD Terminal 2
- 1. After customs in Terminal 2, find the purple BKK machines or open the BudapestGo app and buy a “100E Airport Shuttle Bus” ticket (around $6–7).
- 2. Follow the “Bus/100E” signs outside Terminal 2 and join the marked 100E queue at the curbside stop.
- 3. Have your ticket or app ready; boarding is at the front door and the driver checks every passenger.
- 4. Load big bags onto the luggage racks near the doors or keep them tight to you to avoid blocking the aisle.
- 5. Ride 35–45 minutes to Kálvin tér or Deák Ferenc tér, watching the stop display above the driver.
- 6. At Deák Ferenc tér, transfer directly to metro lines M1, M2, or M3, or walk to central hotels within a 5–10 minute radius.
Tip: landing late or on a tight schedule, buy your 100E ticket in the BudapestGo app while taxiing so you can walk straight onto the next bus.