Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport to Lake Balaton (Siófok)
Siófok on Lake Balaton is about 125 km from Budapest Airport. Bus 200E and metro to Kelenföld, then an hourly MÁV train, cost about 3,050 HUF and take 2.5 hours. A private transfer takes 85 minutes for 48,000–78,000 HUF.
Siófok is the largest resort on Lake Balaton's south shore, with a long beach on Petőfi sétány and the summer crowds that go with it. It is about 125 km from Budapest Airport. There is no direct airport coach, so you either cross Budapest to a Balaton train or book a car for the motorway. Here is how both work, including what changes outside the summer season.
How far is Lake Balaton (Siófok) from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport?
Lake Balaton (Siófok) is 125 km (78 miles) from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport by road, about 1h 25m by car outside rush hour. In a straight line it is 109 km. By public transport, BKK 200E + M3 + M4 to Kelenföld, then MÁV train takes about 2h 30m including a change and costs Ft 3050.
Every way to get there
Our verdict: BKK 200E + M3 + M4 to Kelenföld, then MÁV train is the cheapest way at Ft 3050 (2h 30m, with a change on the way). A private transfer from Ft 48000 saves roughly 1h 5m and takes you to the door. Timetable: Last train from Budapest-Déli 22:05 (arr. Siófok 23:34).
What it costs for your group
The train is charged per person, while a private transfer is one price for the whole car — so the more of you there are, the better door-to-door value looks.
| Group | Train (per person) | Private transfer (per car) | Best value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo · 1 traveller | Ft 3,050 | Ft 48,000 | Train |
| Couple · 2 travellers | Ft 6,100 | Ft 48,000 | Train |
| Family of 4 · 4 travellers | Ft 12,200 | Ft 48,000 | Train |
Which option should you choose?
| If your priority is… | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | BKK 200E + M3 + M4 to Kelenföld, then MÁV train | From Ft 3050, about 2h 30m, with a change on the way. |
| Speed | Private transfer | 1h 25m and door-to-door, from Ft 48000. |
| A group of 4 | BKK 200E + M3 + M4 to Kelenföld, then MÁV train | Four tickets still come to about Ft 12200 — less than a car. |
| A late-night arrival | Taxi or pre-booked transfer | BKK 200E + M3 + M4 to Kelenföld, then MÁV train stops overnight — timetable: Last train from Budapest-Déli 22:05 (arr. Siófok 23:34). |
By transport mode
Train
90-minute BKK ticket 850 HUF to Kelenföld + MÁV ticket 2,200 HUF (optional 650 HUF seat reservation on some trains). Train 1 h 13 min.
Where to catch it: 200E stop, Terminal 2 arrivals
Times: Last train from Budapest-Déli 22:05 (arr. Siófok 23:34)
Best for budget travellers near a stationTrain
2,500 HUF airport ticket + 500 HUF M4 single + 2,200 HUF train; fewer changes than the 200E route.
Where to catch it: 100E stop between Terminal 2A and 2B
Times: Last train from Déli 22:05
Best for budget travellers near a stationPrivate transfer
Price per vehicle (sedan from about €129–143; 8-seat minivan from about €184), with included waiting time if your flight is late.
Where to catch it: Arrivals hall, Terminal 2
Times: 24 hours
Best for families, groups & late arrivalsTaxi
Estimate based on the Budapest tariff; get the booth's pre-calculated fare. Usually dearer than a pre-booked car for this distance.
Where to catch it: Főtaxi booths at the exits of Terminal 2A and 2B
Times: 24 hours
Best for small groups in a hurryLake Balaton (Siófok) & Budapest in photos
Buying tickets in Budapest
100E Airport Express: ordinary BKK single tickets and travelcards are not valid. You need the airport shuttle single ticket (2,500 HUF). The simplest way to buy it is to tap a contactless bank card on the Budapest Pay&GO reader as you board. It is also sold in the BudapestGO app, at the purple BKK ticket machines by the bus stops and at the BKK customer service counters on the arrivals level of Terminals 2A and 2B. Holders of a monthly Budapest, Pest county or national pass can buy a 1,000 HUF supplementary airport ticket in the BudapestGO app and must show the pass when boarding.
200E bus, metro, trams, bus 16, HÉV within Budapest: standard BKK fares apply. Since 1 June 2025 they are 500 HUF for a single ticket (one line; you can change between metro lines), 600 HUF for 30 minutes and 850 HUF for 90 minutes with unlimited changes. A 24-hour Budapest travelcard costs 2,750 HUF. The airport shuttle ticket is not valid on the 200E. Validate paper tickets in the machine on board or at the metro entrance; app tickets are activated in BudapestGO.
Trains from Ferihegy station: train tickets are not sold in Terminal 2. Buy them in the MÁV app or from the machines on the platform at Ferihegy station, which take cash and cards and work 24 hours a day. A ticket to Budapest-Nyugati costs 500 HUF. BKK passes, county and national passes, and the 24/48/72-hour Budapest Card (sold at the BKK counters in arrivals) are valid on local and InterRegio trains between Ferihegy and Nyugati.
Taxi scams & safety in Budapest
Use the Főtaxi booth. Főtaxi is Budapest Airport's contracted taxi company and the only one allowed to queue at the terminal kerb. Book at the booth by the exit of Terminal 2A or 2B, give your destination address, and the staff will work out the fare before you leave. Every Főtaxi car takes bank cards.
Know the tariff. Budapest taxi fares are set by the city. Since 1 August 2026 they are a 1,300 HUF base fare plus an 800 HUF airport fee (2,100 HUF to start), then 521 HUF per km and 130 HUF per minute of waiting. A typical ride to central Pest comes to about 14,000–17,000 HUF. Uber operates at the airport under the same regulated tariff, so check the pickup point shown in the app.
Ignore offers inside the hall. The airport warns that non-contracted drivers who approach passengers in the terminal may not follow the regulated tariff. Do not accept a ride from anyone who walks up to you, and check that the meter is running once you are in the car.
Step-free access in Budapest
Budapest Airport runs a free assistance service for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility (PRM) under EU Regulation 1107/2006, whichever airline you fly with. Ask for it through your airline when you book. For an arriving passenger, staff help from the aircraft seat through disembarkation (by ambulift or wheelchair if needed), passport control and baggage reclaim, and out to the arrivals hall or car park.
- Call points with a camera and microphone are in both terminal halls and in the City Break and Terminal Parking car parks. Press the button there to tell the assistance team you have arrived or to ask for help.
- PRM assistance phone: +36 1 296 8998. Call only if you need these services.
- The airport also supports blind and partially sighted passengers and passengers with hidden disabilities.
Getting from BUD to Lake Balaton (Siófok)
Getting from the terminal to the lake
From the airport the drive goes round the M0 ring road and down the M7 motorway, with the lake appearing on the right just before Siófok. By car that is about 85 minutes in clear traffic. By train you have to cross Budapest first, to Kelenföld or Déli station on the Buda side, where the Balaton trains start. The train itself takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, but with the city crossing the whole trip from the arrivals hall takes around two and a half hours.
The cheap way: bus, metro, train
Our pick for the public-transport route goes via Kelenföld, because it avoids the walk to Déli.
- Take bus 200E from Terminal 2 to Kőbánya-Kispest (about 22 minutes).
- Take metro M3 to Kálvin tér, then metro M4 to Kelenföld vasútállomás at the end of the line. One 90-minute BKK ticket (850 HUF) covers the bus and both metros.
- Take the MÁV train from Kelenföld to Siófok. On a weekday in October it leaves at 42 minutes past most hours, takes 1 hour 13 minutes and costs 2,200 HUF.
That comes to about 3,050 HUF per person. Some departures also offer an optional 650 HUF seat reservation in the MÁV app, worth having on summer Fridays when the Balaton trains fill up. Buy the train ticket in the MÁV app; it is not sold in the airport terminal.
To cut the number of changes, take the 100E Airport Express to Kálvin tér (2,500 HUF, about 30 minutes) and then M4 to Kelenföld on a 500 HUF single. With the train that comes to 5,200 HUF and saves about 20 minutes. The trains start at Budapest-Déli, 1 hour 20 minutes from Siófok. Kelenföld is the first stop out of Déli, so either station works if you are already in the city.
Timing the last train
On MÁV's current timetable, Balaton trains leave Déli at 35 minutes past most hours through the day, with a later train at 22:05 that reaches Siófok at 23:34. That is effectively the last one. Work back from it: if your flight lands after about 20:00, the passport queue, the 200E and two metro rides may not get you to Kelenföld in time. In that case a pre-booked car is the realistic option. Summer timetables usually add trains and the autumn ones have fewer, so check the MÁV app for your date.
Booking a car to the door
For a group arriving with luggage for a week at the lake, a private transfer is much easier. Transfer sites currently quote from about €129 for a sedan to Siófok on one aggregator and €143–211 on others, roughly 48,000–78,000 HUF, with eight-seat minivans from about €184. The price is per vehicle, so four people pay the same as one. A booked car also includes waiting time if your flight is late, which matters on a 125 km trip. Some operators include up to 90 minutes after the scheduled landing.
Főtaxi, the airport's contracted taxi company, will also take you. The booths at the exits of Terminals 2A and 2B calculate the fare from the address before you leave. At Budapest meter rates of 521 HUF a kilometre on top of the 2,100 HUF start, 125 km comes to roughly 67,000–72,000 HUF, so a pre-booked car is usually cheaper for this distance. Ask for the booth's quote and compare.
Siófok outside the summer
In late October the beach clubs on Petőfi sétány are mostly closed, the lake is too cold for most swimmers, and the town is much quieter than in July. Fewer trains run than in summer, but the hourly service from Déli and Kelenföld still runs every day. If you are staying in a lakeside hotel, check its own transfer offer against the prices above before you book.
Practical notes
- Siófok station is in the town centre, a few minutes' walk from the lakeshore and the water tower.
- The 90-minute BKK ticket ends at Kelenföld; the MÁV ticket covers the train only.
- Going back to the airport, a train from Siófok reaches Kelenföld in about 1 hour 15 minutes. From there, take M4 to Kálvin tér and the 100E to the terminal.
BUD to Lake Balaton (Siófok) — FAQ
How far is Siófok from Budapest Airport?
What is the cheapest way to Lake Balaton from the airport?
What is the fastest way?
How much is a taxi from Budapest Airport to Siófok?
Is there a direct bus from the airport to Lake Balaton?
When is the last train to Siófok?
My flight lands at 21:00. Can I still get there tonight?
Sources
Fares and times on this page were last held against their official sources on 21 October 2026. Operators change prices without notice — if you spot a difference, the operator’s own page is the authority. How we check fares.
- MÁV-START timetable and fares, Budapest-Déli/Kelenföld – Siófok (2,200 HUF, 1 h 13–20 min), 22 Oct 2026 · checked 2026-10-21
- Budapest Airport – 200E bus to Kőbánya-Kispest · checked 2026-10-21
- Budapest Airport – 100E Airport Express · checked 2026-10-21
- BKK journey planner (timetables for 100E, 200E, M1–M4, bus 16, H5), 22 Oct 2026 service day · checked 2026-10-21
- BKK – single-ticket fare changes from 1 June 2025 (500 / 600 / 850 / 2,750 HUF) · checked 2026-10-21
- Budapest Airport – Főtaxi, official taxi partner and tariff · checked 2026-10-21
- Xpatloop – Budapest taxi tariff from 1 August 2026 (1,300 base, 521/km, 130/min, 800 airport fee) · checked 2026-10-21
- Suntransfers – Budapest Airport to Siófok (car from €211.55, minivan from €264.42) · checked 2026-10-21
- Kiwitaxi – Budapest to Siófok transfers · checked 2026-10-21
- City Airport Taxis – Budapest Airport to Siófok (sedan EUR 129.15, MPV 159.90, minivan 190.65) · checked 2026-10-21
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