The short answer by traveller
- First visit, want the famous outdoor pools: Széchenyi. Its pools page lists an outdoor thermal pool at 36–38 °C. See our Széchenyi ticket guide for the cheapest way in.
- Want the Ottoman-era domed bath or a view over the Danube: Rudas, ideally on a mixed day (see below).
- On a budget, or holding a Budapest Card: Lukács. It costs about half the price of the other two, and the card gives one free entry.
- Night owl: Rudas on a Friday or Saturday night.
- Travelling with children under 14: none of these.
Prices side by side
Adult entry in Hungarian forints from each bath's 2026 price list, checked 30 October 2026:
| Mon–Thu | Fri–Sun | Holidays and high season | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Széchenyi, daily ticket with locker | 13,200 Ft | 14,800 Ft | 15,800 Ft |
| Rudas, daily ticket to all zones | 12,000 Ft | 15,000 Ft | 16,000 Ft |
| Lukács, adult ticket | 7,000 Ft | 8,000 Ft | Fri–Sun price |
All three list a cabin as a 1,000 Ft service item and a safe at 1,100 Ft. All three say the pools must be cleared 20 minutes before closing, and Rudas and Lukács add that their cash desks close one hour before closing.
Cheaper or narrower tickets:
- Széchenyi sells Good Morning Budapest at 10,500 Ft (Monday–Thursday) for entry by 9:00.
- Rudas sells a Turkish-bath-only or wellness-only ticket at 8,000 Ft Monday to Thursday. A footnote restricts when they are valid (it names Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and a 10:45 cut-off), so read the shop's conditions before choosing one.
- Lukács sells a weekday afternoon ticket at 3,800 Ft for the last two hours, and a senior and student ticket at 3,800 Ft (4,900 Ft Friday to Sunday). The price list does not define the age limits, so ask at the desk.
Fast-track tickets exist at Széchenyi (online only, 2,000 Ft extra) and at Rudas (3,000 Ft extra).
With a Budapest Card
The Lukács Budapest Card page gives one free admission with a locker ticket, then 20% off later visits. Rudas gives 20% off adult day tickets for the cardholder only, and the Széchenyi FAQ gives 20% off its standard locker ticket on site. Twenty per cent off saves 2,400–3,200 Ft on a Rudas all-zones ticket. Whether the card pays for itself is worked out in our Budapest Card guide.
Mixed and single-sex days at Rudas
Rudas is the only bath of the three whose opening hours split the historic Turkish bath by sex. The Rudas opening-hours page gives:
| Day | Turkish bath | Wellness |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Men 6:00–10:45; mixed 11:00–22:00 | 6:00–22:00 |
| Tuesday | Women only, 6:00–20:00 | 6:00–20:00 |
| Wednesday | Men only, 6:00–20:00 | 6:00–20:00 |
| Thursday–Friday | Men 6:00–10:45; mixed 11:00–20:00 | 6:00–20:00 |
| Saturday–Sunday | Mixed, 6:00–20:00 | 6:00–20:00 |
The mixed sessions are in swimwear. The home page warns that men and women cannot always use the Turkish bath at the same time on weekdays.
What this means:
- Couples and mixed groups who want the Turkish bath together should go on a weekend, or after 11:00 on Monday, Thursday or Friday. Avoid Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Women wanting a women-only session have Tuesday.
- Men have Wednesday all day and the early mornings on Monday, Thursday and Friday.
The wellness area and the sauna world (from 8:00) run every day with no single-sex sessions listed.
The Rudas panorama pool
The Rudas pools page lists a 36 °C panorama pool with a view of the Danube and the city, which the bath calls one of its most popular pools. The page does not say which zone it belongs to or which ticket covers it. If the view is the reason you are going, buy the all-zones ticket rather than a Turkish-bath-only ticket.
The other Rudas pools: six Turkish bath pools from 16 °C to 42 °C, a 29 °C swimming pool where a cap is required, and wellness pools from 11 °C to 42 °C.
Late visits
| Bath | Latest regular closing | Late option |
|---|---|---|
| Rudas | 22:00 on Monday | Night bathing Friday and Saturday 22:00–3:00, 15,000 Ft |
| Lukács | 22:00 on Tuesday | Afternoon ticket 3,800 Ft for the last two hours (weekdays) |
| Széchenyi | 22:00 on Friday | None; Friday is the late day |
Lukács otherwise closes at 19:00 every day, according to its opening-hours page. Széchenyi's other days end at 20:00, per its opening-hours page.
All three published a 16:00 closing for 8 December 2026. Széchenyi lists 18 December 2026 to 6 January 2027 as peak season. Rudas says holidays follow weekend hours, and Lukács charges its Friday–Sunday price on holidays; neither lists other holiday dates, so check before Christmas or New Year.
What else to know about Lukács
Lukács is the quieter, local-feeling choice, but some facilities are limited. The Lukács pools page lists three covered medical pools at 32, 36 and 40 °C, an outdoor leisure pool at 33–35 °C, cold plunge and Kneipp pools at 20 °C, and two swimming pools at 22 °C and 26 °C. Its price list says the Finnish sauna and the private bath are closed for renovation, with no reopening date. The sauna world opens only from 14:00 on weekdays, for a 1,300 Ft supplement.
Before you go
All three baths are run by Budapest Spas and work the same way: you bring or buy a towel, swimwear and slippers. Széchenyi and Lukács both say they currently offer no rental service. Our guide to how a Budapest thermal bath works covers changing, lockers and sauna etiquette. For getting across the river between Széchenyi in City Park and the Buda-side baths, see our public transport tickets guide.
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