Funicular or bus 16?
The funicular is a ride as much as a transfer. It climbs 50 metres over a 95-metre track in about 95 seconds, says the BKK funicular page, from Clark Ádám tér at the Buda end of the Chain Bridge to Szent György tér, between the Buda Castle Palace and the Sándor Palace. The same BKK page lists bus 16 at both ends, and buses 16A and 116 at the top.
| Option | Adult cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Funicular one way | 4,500 Ft | The view on the way up, then walk or bus down |
| Funicular return | 5,500 Ft | Riding both ways for the experience |
| Bus 16, single ticket | 500 Ft | Budgets, luggage, maintenance Mondays |
| Bus 16 on a 24-hour or 72-hour pass | No extra cost | Anyone already holding a pass |
Fares from the BKV fare page and the BKK price list, both checked 30 October 2026. A Budapest 24-hour ticket costs 2,750 Ft and a 72-hour ticket 5,750 Ft.
Worked example: two adults, up and down. Two funicular returns cost 11,000 Ft. Two bus singles each way cost 2,000 Ft, and nothing extra if you already hold passes. Riding up and walking down costs 9,000 Ft for two (10,000 Ft with bus singles down), so a return ticket adds only 1,000 Ft per person for the second ride.
Fares and tickets
BKV's fare table (checked 30 October 2026):
| Ticket | Adult | Child 3–14 |
|---|---|---|
| One way | 4,500 Ft | 2,000 Ft |
| Return | 5,500 Ft | 3,000 Ft |
| Funicular + boat, one way | 6,000 Ft | 2,500 Ft |
| Funicular + boat, return | 7,000 Ft | 3,000 Ft |
Children count as 3–14 until the day before their 15th birthday, and children under 3 ride free. Pensioner and other travel discounts do not apply. A lower local-resident fare exists, but it needs a Hungarian residence card and is sold only at the funicular cashier.
Ticket rules worth knowing:
- A one-way ticket is valid in either direction. A return covers one ride up and one ride down.
- Funicular tickets are valid for one year from purchase; funicular + boat tickets for 30 days.
- You validate the ticket at the platform gate. According to the conditions of travel, you must get off at each station and queue again, even with a return.
BKV's pages do not list the payment methods at the cashier, but its refund rule asks for the card-terminal slip, so bank cards are taken there. BKV also links to an online shop, siklojegy.hu, which emails PDF e-tickets you can show on your phone and adds a convenience fee of 175 Ft per ticket. Buying ahead saves the cashier queue, not money.
BKV's fare page does not describe the boat part of the combined ticket, so ask at the cashier what it covers before you buy it.
Hours and closures
The funicular runs daily from 8:00 to 22:00, every 5–10 minutes depending on demand; the cashier sells tickets until 21:50.
It closes for maintenance on Mondays in odd-numbered weeks. BKV's list of 2026 dates still to come:
- 2, 16 and 30 November 2026
- 14 and 28 December 2026
When such a Monday is a public holiday, the work moves to the next working day. BKV had not published 2027 dates when we checked. The BKK page also announces a closure from 7:00 to 12:00 on 3 November 2026 for filming, so on that day the first ride is at noon.
Budapest Card and other passes
Normal BKK tickets, travel passes and pensioner passes are not valid, the BKK page states. The BKV Budapest Card Plus page and the BKK funicular page say the Plus card gives a free ride in both directions; you collect the free return ticket at the funicular. BKK's own Plus product page, however, lists "one free ride", so count on one and ask at the cashier about the second. Holders of the 24- to 120-hour Budapest Cards without Plus must buy a funicular ticket, the BKV page says. Whether the Plus card is worth its price is covered in our Budapest Card guide.
Travelling with children, dogs or bags
The conditions of travel set these rules:
- Children under 6 must travel with an adult, and one adult can take up to two children under 3.
- Small pets ride free in a carrier no bigger than hand luggage. Large dogs need a full-price ticket, a muzzle and a lead.
- Only hand luggage is carried, and staff can refuse anyone who cannot manage their bags. Ice cream, open drinks and cups are not allowed.
Going on to Fisherman's Bastion
Many visitors walk on from the upper station to Fisherman's Bastion. This guide does not cover the Bastion's terrace fee or free hours, which we could not read on an official page; check them at the terrace ticket point. The Bastion terraces are not on BKK's Budapest Card partner list for 2026/2027, which includes only the Halászbástya restaurant (15% off).
For tickets on bus 16 and the rest of the network, see our Budapest public transport tickets guide. For another BKV heritage ride with views, the Zugliget Chairlift guide covers fares and winter hours.
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