No doubt,Budapest taxis are the most expensive way to get around.However,if you follow few precautions, taking a taxi in Budapest can be a great way to explore Budapest.
Traveling to Budapest, there will be many questions in your mind about the taxis availability.
- What is the taxi price from Budapest airport to city?
- Are Taxis readily available at Budapest Airport?
- Is there a taxi app in Budapest?
- How to get a taxi in Budapest?
- Do Hungarian taxis accept card?
On holiday as well as weekday you’ll find cabs from the Budapest taxi system in designated places, in city center,Budapest Airport, Budapest Keleti train station as well as near Nepliget Bus Station.
However, for first time Budapest travelers, we recommend booking you taxi in advance and get a hop on hop off bus tour,when in the city,as it is one of the many ways to explore Budapest.
The best taxi fare calculators for Budapest are from KiwiTaxi and SunTransfers.
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Taxi companies in Budapest
As mentioned earlier, despite having licensed taxis, some tourist do get scammed in Budapest.
Hence, it is always advised to book a taxi in advance through a call or an app.
Somehow if you are unable to get a taxi through call,app or online booking, the last option is to get it from the taxi stands or streets.
According to BKK website following taxi companies have been licensed as per government regulations. Hence, hiring taxis from the following companies will reduce risk of scams on your Budapest trip.
City Taxi
City Taxi is one of bigger taxi companies in Budapest and a trusted name.
You will find City taxi every now and then while wandering in the city.
The City taxi website is available in English.
The website does not offer any Budapest online fare calculator .
City taxi booking can be made with their online phone number as well as their app available in App store.
They have following phone numbers to book a taxi in Budapest. +36 (1) 2-111-111,+36 (20) 2-111-111, +36 (30) 2-111-111 , +36 (70) 2-111-111.
Want to book taxi in advance? Check out the Budapest Taxi Fare Calculator.
Fo Taxi Budapest
Fo Taxi is the official partner of Budapest airport as it has a booth next to the arrival section of Budapest airport.
Fo Taxi was previously called Budapest Taxi.Fo Taxi website is https://fotaxi.hu/en/.
It seems to have targeted the foreigners and tourist as their website is designed for better ease of use. Fo Taxi website is available in English.
You can also find Fo Taxi Budapest online fare calculator on their website..The reservation for Fo Taxi can be made by phone,online app and their website.
Telephone numbers to book Fo Taxi in Budapest are +36 1 222 2 222, +36 20 222 2 222 , +36 30 222 2 222, +36 70 222 2 222.Fo Taxi Email address in Budapest is rendel@fotaxi.hu.
Book your taxi in advance to avoid Taxi scams,which are common in Budapest.
6×6 taxi Budapest
Another taxi company with good name in Budapest is 6×6 taxi.The taxis are quite frequently seen around the city and can be trusted.
Website for 6×6 Taxi in Budapest is only in Hungarian,you can access it through http://www.6x6taxi.hu/.It seems they do not want to serve expats and tourists with online booking.
You will also not find any online fare calculator for Budapest. Majority of 6×6 taxi are bigger in size and as the online booking option is a bit hectic, you can book airport shuttle when moving from airport to city center.
You can call to their numbers to book a taxi at +36 1 666 6666.
The best taxi fare calculators for Budapest are from KiwiTaxi and SunTransfers.
Bolt Taxi Budapest
Bolt is normally called the Uber of Budapest after Uber left its operations in Hungary.
It was the first company to offer taxi booking with apps that was user friendly and others followed.
Bolt taxis are also frequently found in Budapest and can be booked through app, phone.
Bolt website is a universal one and hence not much info can be extracted in terms of fare calculations.
Bolt taxi is a good way to explore Budapest inside the city,however, if you want a guided taxi tour that takes you through the Budapest monument, best option is to compare the fares in Budapest using KiwiTaxi and SunTransfers.
Taxi4 Budapest Taxi
Taxi4 is another Budapest taxi that is registered with BKK.
However, checking their website, Hungarian is the primary language.
Switching to English version does not come with any details about any tab you click.Although there is an online fare calculator but its all in Hungarian.
Additionally it asks too many details before someone gets a fare estimation. Here is their website .Overall Taxi4 website does not offer any ease to expats to book it due to limited support of English.
Their app on Google play store also seems to be quite old version as of 2024.
You can calculate the taxi fare from Budapest airport to your hotel using the online taxi fare calculator.
Taxify Budapest
Taxify was one of the taxi companies which started offering app for booking online taxi trips in Budapest some years ago.
Taxify was rebranded as Bolt, perhaps it was bought by Bolt, which was a bigger startup at that time.
As of 2024, you will not find any taxi with Taxify sticker on it as these are now having stickers for Bolt.
Even the website of Taxify is now pointing to BOLT.EU website.
Uber Budapest
As of 2024, Uber is not operational in any city of Hungary.
Uber Budapest used to be the cheapest taxi company during its limited operations for sometime.
However, it was not able to comply with strict laws introduced to regulate taxis in Budapest.
Hence, it ramped down its operations in Budapest and not operational anymore.
Despite Uber not being there in Budapest, you can get good rates by booking your taxi in advance.
How to Get a Taxi in Budapest
Either you are staying closer to City center around Deak Ferenc ter,Ferenciek tere,Oktogon, you will find taxis going around quite frequently.
If you’ve picked an area near parliament or in the Jewish District, that is famous for ruin bars and historical restaurants you will not have difficulty in finding a taxi from the street.
However, it is never a recommended way to get a taxi from street. You should download Bolt app for taxi pickups in Budapest city.
There is no identification sign on Budapest taxis to know whether it is already booked or free to pick up by a passenger.Therefore, you have to wave your hand out on the road to signal them for picking you up.
Taxi companies in Budapest are privately held and have their own contact numbers.There is no centralized application or number that can be contacted to book a taxi in Budapest.
The best taxi fare calculators for Budapest are from KiwiTaxi and SunTransfers.
Budapest Taxi Prices
Taxi prices in Budapest are definitely higher but are regulated by BKK.
As of 2024,the base taxi price in Budapest is 1000 huf.i.e. around 2.5 USD.It means when you book a taxi and even before your journey starts, your taxi fare will be added on top of 2.5 USD.
If your journey in Budapest is less than 15 mins,you are charged a minutes based price, which is 100 huf/min.i.e. 25 cents per min.For a Budapest taxi journey greater than 15 mins, Kilometer based charging is applied.
The taxi fare in Budapest is charged at 440 Huf/KM which is around $1 per kilometer. For exploring Budapest city with a 4 hour trip with visit to top monuments, you can book a guided tour car.
Budapest Taxi Hacks
As there have been regular reports of overcharging by Budapest taxis to foreigner. We try to compile some facts you must be familiar before booking a taxi in Budapest.
- Never take a taxi from the street,always book from the phone number of respective taxi company.
- There is single single tariff in Budapest either you take taxi in morning or mid night.
- When traveling with kids in Budapest Taxi,make sure the taxi stays clean,otherwise you may have to pay additional charges if they make a mess.
- Coming to Budapest for the first time, always select the taxis based upon your needs. A wide range of taxis are available with fare calculator. To add to that, you can book a shuttle,luxury taxi and vintage cars for airport to city travel.
- If by any means you have to take the taxi in urgency from the street or designated places, always get into the one with a famous company logo on front door.
- Don’t tip the drivers in Budapest.
- As of 2024 , the starting taxi meter reading will be 1100 HUF (around $2.5).
- If the booked Budapest taxi had to wait for you, the starting meter reading will be more than 1000 HUF.
- Taxi drivers in Budapest are mostly locals that speak either Hungarian/German or Russian, many are not speaking English.Its a good idea to learn some Hungarian phrases for tourists.
- If your hotel is near the airport check first to see if your hotel offers pick up service.
- Some places like Vaci Street,Fashion street and many areas in Jewish District are pedestrian-only,make sure you identify in advance which place you would like to drop off to avoid additional run-around.
- It is always good to ensure with your mobile phone and GPS that you are heading in the right direction. Like many cities in Europe, the streets in the residential areas are one way.
- For exploring Budapest, you can also take a 3 hour Budapest tour in a car from 80s,that will give you unique memories.
When to Take a Taxi in Budapest
Taking taxis can be impractical in Budapest as it has excellent transport system with cheaper fares.
However,getting a taxi can be a good option instead of using a public transport if
- You had a long flight with more than 12 to 14 hours and would like to go to your hotel in peaceful environment. You can book the taxi in advance here.
- Your flight arrived late at night when 100E Bus Budapest and 200E bus Budapest is less frequent during that period.
- You are on a corporate trip and company will pay for your expanses.
- Your departing flight/train/bus is leaving earlier than you anticipated and going with public transport involves many connections,causing further delays.
- You got drunk in Budapest,and want to return to your hotel/hostel which is more than 10 mins walk, it is better to take a taxi.
- It is raining in Budapest and you have important stuff that may get damaged if wet,better to take a taxi.
- You are going to attend a party or a conference and your dressing needs to be maintained in good shape.
- You have a lot of luggage and dragging it to bus station is not feasible option. You can book a shuttle with support of bigger luggage.
- Budapest Metro is not operational between 23 45 till 4 00, although there are Budapest night buses, but they take a longer time to reach the destination. In such case the best option is to book the taxi in advance.
How to recognize Budapest taxi
Budapest taxis are totally yellow in color and are easy to recognize.
Some Budapest taxis come with a Taxi board on the top or name of the taxi company.
There are taxis having the stickers of the company they are associated with on the front doors,as well as on the top board.
Additionally, taxis associated with companies have phone number which you can call to book them.
The backdoor of every taxi in Budapest has the fare rates displayed.
All Budapest taxis have a taximeter in a position where it is visible to the passengers, generally in the middle of the dashboard. There will also be a large sticker on one of the rear side windows with the current tariffs.
You can use KiwiTaxi and SunTransfers to compare the taxi fare in Budapest before booking your taxi.
The taximeter is showing the estimated fare in Hungarian forints,so if you are used to using Dollars,Euros or Pounds, you need your mathematics abilities to divide that value with 400.
As nowadays HUF is having a free fall against other currencies, 1 USD/GBP/EUR = 420 HUF.
You can also check the label for taxi license number and the maximum number of passengers which may be carried. It always advised to get an estimated fare of your journey within Budapest.Our recommendation is to check KiwiTaxi and SunTransfers to be reliable and trustworthy companies in Hungary.
Taxis to avoid in Budapest
You should always avoid taxis without any company sticker on them.These taxi have written freelancer written on them as well as Fuggetlen Szolgaltato.
Freelancer taxis in Budapest are the ones which are not associated with any company in Budapest.
They are also yellow in color but display Fuggetlen Szolgaltato Freelancer on front door.
It is believed that some of these taxis are not registered ones and just because of yellow color and taxi like appearance they may trick the tourists with higher fares.
The best taxi fare calculators for Budapest are from KiwiTaxi and SunTransfers.
Budapest taxi prices 2024
All taxis in Budapest are metered, and the drivers are required to use the meter whenever they are carrying a passenger.
When pre-booking a taxi with an app in Budapest, the app will tell the estimated fare, and the taxi meter reading has to be in between that range.Hence,its not a fixed value.
Even if you are taking an estimated fare from FoTaxi booth at the airport, the real taxi price may vary by $5 to $8.For a better estimate,check the online fare calculator.Boarding the taxi starts with an initial base cost and keeps on adding further tariff as your journey progresses.
Although the price stated is only an estimate and doesn’t consider current traffic conditions.But it can give a good and accurate estimation.
There are cheaper shuttle services starting from $10 for airport transfers. Then, there Budapest luxury private transfers from airport costing around $50 which are higher than normal taxi price. While the normal taxi would cost between $20 to $40 for airport transfers. You can book a taxi for 4 people starting at $30.
Budapest taxi online booking
Not all the Budapest taxi websites offer and online tool for fare calculation.
Even the most famous taxi companies in Budapest have some deficiencies in their websites when offering services to customers for online fare calculation.
Some Budapest taxi websites are in only Hungarian,while others despite in English do not offer fare calculators on the website.The recommended websites to check the online taxi fare are Suntransfers and KiwiTaxi which offers a comfortable transfer.
Unlike the other taxi companies which offer an estimated fare, KiwiTaxi offers exact amount.
It may come as a surprise that Budapest taxis do not give you an exact fare,but give a range,with a difference of 5 to 8 USD in the final price.The taxi price will be shown upon booking in HUF,which is the Hungary currency.
In this way you can avoid any surprises with the price once you’re on the taxi.Hence, you won’t have to pay any tip to the taxi driver.However,there is a challenge, that for most of Hungarian local taxi companies.
Most of Budapest taxi companies have their mobile apps developed which give a good estimate of fare in Budapest.Perhaps one reason is that nowadays,everyone has mobile phone and rarely use website on mobiles for travel fare calculations.
Budapest Taxis phone numbers
You can also book a Budapest taxi by the phone.
However it is not guaranteed that the operator will most probably speak Hungarian.
She/He may divert to an English speaking operator but not any other language.
If you are staying at a hotel, your hotel concierge will be able to book a taxi for you.
When you pre-book a taxi by telephone, the taxi will already have the meter running on arrival.
Here are the phone numbers of a few popular Budapest taxi companies.
Taxi 4 Budapest Number
Budapest Taxi 4 can be contacted at their numbers mentioned below
- (06-1) 4-444-444
- (06-20) 4-444-444
- (06-30) 2-444-444
- (06-70) 4-444-444
City Taxi Budapest phone number
City Taxi in Budapest can be contacted with any of the following numbers
- +36 (1) 2-111-111
- +36 (20) 2-111-111
- +36 (30) 2-111-111
- +36 (70) 2-111-111
Fo Taxi Budapest
Fo Taxi has following numbers which can b used for booking the taxi
- +36 1 222 2 222
- +36 20 222 2 222
- +36 30 222 2 222
- +36 70 222 2 222
6×6 Taxi Budapest number
6×6 Taxi in Budapest has only one contact number which is +36 1 666 6666.
Bolt Taxi Budapest Number
Dispatcher number for clients
+3614445154
In Budapest taxi companies, most telephone operators do speak English, some may not,they will transfer the call to English speaker.
Make sure to pronounce the name of your hotel or the address of your apartment correctly.
You can also ask the receptionist at your hotel to call a taxi for you.
Estimated prices of taxi routes in Budapest
The estimated prices for the most common taxi routes are the following:
Budapest airport from/to Budapest City (Deak Ferenc ter):
$23.00 – $35.00 depending on the pick up time.
Duration: 35 minutes approximately.
There are multiple options from transfer from Budapest airport to city center.
For first time Budapest visitors, you can reach the city center from Airport for 12 USD, Book your Airport shuttle here.
Budapest airport from/to Budapest Nepliget:
$20.00 – $25.00 depending on the pick up time.
Duration: 23 minutes approximately.
Taxi ride within the city of Budapest
Estimated rate: $8.00 to $12.00
English-speaking taxi driver in Budapest
The Taxi drivers in Budapest are mostly locals and are well dressed.
Despite being a tourist city you will rarely find foreign taxi drivers at Airport or in the city.
Majority of taxi drivers in Budapest will not be speaking English. You must be wondering does Budapest has Uber or Lyft?
Hungarian Taxi drivers are not required to speak English to obtain their taxi driver license in Budapest.
However as Budapest is a tourist city it is possible that some taxi drivers know the basics in English.It is better to call a taxi and book in advance,do check How do I call a cab in Budapest.
Hence, if you are booking a taxi on the go, it is always advised to show the exact address in written format, or through you mobile phone to the driver,before your journey starts.
Budapest taxi with Baby Seat
It is not mandatory to have child seats when hiring a Budapest taxi.
Baby seats, child seats and booster seats are hardly found in normal taxis running in Budapest.
You can definitely travel with your kids from Budapest Airport to the city center without a baby seat.
However,for safety reasons, we recommend booking a taxi in advance and order a child seat to ensure a safe journey in Budapest.
If you want to get a transfer from Budapest airport to city center,you can book your taxi here.You can use the taxi fare comparator from KiwiTaxi and SunTransfers to select the best one.
For babies aged 0-6months or up to 13 kg, and infant seat should be ordered when ordering a Budapest taxi.
If you baby is between 1-6 years, or 25 kg, a booster seat is good to be ordered.
Make sure you order the Budapest taxi well 12 to 24 hours before your planned journey.
Budapest Taxi Payment Options
If you have booked a taxi in Budapest by calling on their phone number,make sure to check with them about what payment methods you can use.
Wondering whether to use cash or card in Budapest? Normally, all famous taxi companies in Budapest accept cards and cash (only in HUF).
For Budapest taxi booked through apps,you can pay in advance with the app.
If you want to pay at the end of the journey, you can still decide in advance how you will pay for your journey.
In Budapest taxis, you can pay the fare with MasterCard, Maestro, Visa, UnionPay, AmericanExpress and OTPBank.
When hiring a taxi on the streets for short trips, check with the driver,what mode of fare can be accepted.Although they will prefer cash,and don’t mind foreign currency, but as the taxi meters are in HUF, it is better to pay in HUF or using your card.
Budapest taxi scams
Hiring a taxi in while on the street may lead to Budapest scams, that they overcharge you,somehow. Getting into a Budapest taxi without pre-booking, check if the taxi has a company sticker on it.
Also if you have internet connection, check the estimated journey towards your destination and ensure that driver is not taking the longer route.
Taxi capacity in Budapest
When booking a taxi in Budapest, there are many options in mobile apps, which you can select whether you are a group or coming solo.The taxis sizes vary from a 3 passenger taxi to 7 seater.
Additionally, if you have a larger luggage, you may order a XL taxi. It has a bigger capacity for luggage.
If you are traveling with family, or coming as a solo traveler, and yet to buy luggage for Budapest trip, do check out Budapest travel bags and executive luggage for Budapest.
Best Taxi in Budapest
It is a pretty hard questions to answer that what is the best taxi in Budapest as it depends upon lot of factors.
However, the best taxis in Budapest to be used as a traveler for airport transfer is KiwiTaxi.
All the mentioned Budapest taxi companies, if pre-booked, send their taxis on time.Additionally, the Budapest taxi drivers are quite supportive in putting your luggage into the taxi.Though it is still a catch 22 to get an English speaking taxi driver through these companies.
As these companies have registered fares, there is not much difference of taxi fare in Budapest. These companies are good for usage by residents.
Cheapest Taxi in Budapest
As taxi fares in Budapest are quite standardized, you will hardly get a big difference of taxi prices, no matter which taxi company you book.You just need to ensure that you are not picking a taxi from the street which may trick you to a higher fare.
The best way to find the cheapest taxi in Budapest is to check the journey rates on the respective taxi apps and book the one which offers less price.
Budapest Taxi complaints
If you have any kind of complaint against a solo taxi or a company offer taxi services.
You have the following options to register a complaint.
1. BKK’s Customer Service Center:
You can visit the BKK customer service center located at Budapest, Hungary – 1075 Budapest, Rumbach Sebestyén utca 19–21.
Although you can email to BKK about any Budapest taxi complaints at e-mail: bkk@bkk.hu
In addition, for quick support you may try to call BKK taxi complaint number +36 1 3 255 255.
2. Budapest Complaints and Consumer Protection Office
In addition to the BKK office, if you need to register a complaint against a taxi in Budapest, you can visit the complaints Office for Consumer Protection.
It is located at 1051 Budapest, Sas utca 19.
Taxi complaints in Budapest for consumer protection office can be also registered at email fogyved_kmf_budapest@bfkh.gov.hu
Consumer protection office in Budapest can also receive complaints about Budapest Taxis on their number +36 1 450 2598.
3. The third option to register a Budapest Taxi complaint is with Conciliation Board.You can visit their office at Address: 1016 Budapest, Krisztina krt. 99.
mail id for register taxi complaints in Budapest for Conciliation Board is bekelteto.testulet@bkik.hu
You can also call at their Phone number +36-1-488-2131.
Taxis at Budapest Airport
There is a taxi booth in front of Budapest Airport which can be easily found,when you are coming out of the airport.
The taxi booth is setup by FoTaxi which is the officially designated taxi company to offer airport transfer services.
Aside from the taxi booth at airport, there are taxis standing at the taxi stand,which is pretty visible.
The typical cost of a taxi from Budapest airport to the center is between 35 USD to 45 USD.
You will be arrival at Budapest airport Terminal B,and the taxi can come directly in front of it if ordered through an app.
