At any time of the day it is recommended that you take public transportation instead of driving in Budapest. Budapest has very useful networks of metros, buses, trams, HEVs and trains. In general, always try to take the metro or trams. Straightforward but true that these two vehicles never get into traficc jams.

The Budapest Transport Limited (BKV) is checking your tickets or season tickets on every metro carriage and tram line. Be sure to pre-purchase your ticket before you get on any vehicle. You have to validate your ticket on the metro or bus or tram manually. Tickets are quite cheap and well-worth to buy to avoid having to pay a nice fine. Ticket inspectors wear red armbands and can show up anywhere anytime.

You can use the same type of ticket on any vehicle but remember when you change lines you must validate another ticket (a new one).

The Budapest metro system consists of 3 lines. Quite easy to learn the rules. All 3 lines meet at Deák tér (Deak square), so you can go from any part of the city in 15 minutes from the center.

If you want to have a little bit of sightseeing, you can jump on the tram number 4 or 6 at Margit hid (Margaret bridge) and you will have a great view over the River Danube and the Parliament as well as the Castle District and the Fishermen's Bastion in the Buda Hills.

For the latest ticket prices and info about the Budapest public transports, visit the BKV site in English: Tickets & Passes from January 1st, 2004 http://www.bkv.hu/angol/jegyek/index.html

Most public transport in Budapest finishes after 11pm with the exception of night buses and trams.

Budapest's suburban rail network (HÉV) is made up of four lines, although the only useful one is the line from Batthyány tér to Szentendre. You can use metro tickets on HÉV trains within the city limits, although you'll need to buy a special ticket if you want to travel further afield.

Buses, trolleybuses and trams cover all the bits missed out by the metro and HÉV trains. A red route number indicates an express, while a black number is a local service. Night buses and trams are indicated by an É after the route number. Tram 2 is the most scenic route, running along the banks of the Danube, passing most of the major attractions.

Transport from the airport
Ferihegy airport is 20km (15 miles) to the southeast of Budapest on the E60 road. Centrum-Airport Shuttle runs from outside Ferihegy to the city centre stopping at Erzsebet ter bus station. Tickets are bought on the bus, which leaves every half hour from the airport 6am-10pm. Theres also an airport minibus shuttle, which will take you to any address within the city. Buy a ticket from the desk in the arrivals hall and wait for a driver to call your destination. To go to the airport from the city phone a day in advance. Open 5am-10pm.

Ferihegy International Airport Budapest has two parts. Ferihegy 2 is used for international flights, Ferihegy 2/a is for MALEV flights, Ferihegy 2/b is for all other flights. Ferihegy 1 is used for cargo, charter and other flights.

You can also travel by public transport. Take the 93 bus to Kobanya-Kispest metro station and the blue M3 metro from there for the cost of one ticket for each. Tickets are available from the airport newsagent. Last buses from the airport are at 11.30pm. Last metro leaves at 11.10pm but the 182 night bus departs from the station.