Budapest Keleti: See location map
Station overview: See station plan
The historic Keleti Pályaudvar is Budapest's busiest railway station, built between 1881 & 1884. Keleti Pályaudvar simply means east station. It's a fascinating place to people watch and generally safe at all times of day, using the same common sense you'd use in any busy place. For a short history of the station see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Keleti_railway_station.
The Man in Seat 61 says, "Budapest Keleti is one of Europe's great stations, with graceful architecture and trains arriving & departing to or from Munich, Vienna, Zurich & Bucharest. The first class lounge on platform 9 is a haven of peace, where friendly staff offer a great cappuccino. The station has a British connection too, the facade sports statues of James Watt & George Stephenson. Arriving or departing at Keleti station is an experience in itself..."
Budapest Keleti, showing steps down to the metro in front of the station. Courtesy of Garry Keenor, taken from the Intercity Hotel.
Station facade with statues of George Stephenson (left) & James Watt (right).
Platforms 6, 7, 8 & 9 are the main platforms inside the arched trainshed. When you walk in through the main doors, you find yourself here.
Platform 9, looking back towards the buffers. The entrance to the business lounge is just out of shot to my left. This shot was taken in late 2022, work on modernising the lower level was still ongoing and you can just see the hoarding around this area behind the buffer stops.
Down these escalators or steps for tickets, toilets, luggage lockers & metro. The work to modernise the lower level was completed in May 2023. Behind platforms 6-9 there are now escalators, steps and a lift down to a modern lower level where you'll find toilets, luggage lockers and the MAV customer centre selling domestic & international tickets & reservations (the glass floor in the photo is the customer centre ceiling). You can access the metro this way. Courtesy of @AndyBTravels.
Which platform for your train?
The station is a terminus with easy level access to all 13 platforms, numbered 1 to 13 from left to right as you look towards the trains. There are no ticket gates or barriers, so there's easy open access from the street to all platforms & trains. See station plan.
Platforms 1-5 are outside the main trainshed on the north side, accessed by walking 100m or so down platform 6 and turning left.
Platforms 6, 7, 8 & 9 are the most important and longest platforms, in the centre inside the arched trainshed - see the photos above.
Platforms 10-13 are outside the main trainshed on the south side, accessed by walking 100m or so down platform 9 and turning right.
Railjet trains to & from Vienna, Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Zurich usually use platform 9. The EuroNight sleeper train to Zurich & Munich usually leaves from platform 6 or 7. But always check the departure screens!
The large departure board will tell you which platform your train goes from, but you can check in advance which platform your train is due to leave from using the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu. Run an enquiry and when the list of trains appears, click on the orange arrow against your train. The platform is often given, but not always. Remember that the actual platform may change on the day, so always check the departure board.
Platforms 10-13 are outside the main trainshed on the south side, walk 100m down platform 9 & turn right.
Looking back west, showing platforms 9, 8, 7, 6 entering the main trainshed through the two archways. Platforms 10-13 are on the left. Platforms 1-5 are out of shot on the right.
Ticket office
Domestic & international tickets & reservations are now sold in the modern customer centre, located on the lower level down the escalators, steps or lift behind platforms 6-9. It's open every day from before 04:00 until well after midnight. This new customer centre replaced the old international ticket office and temporary domestic ticket office in May 2023.
A numbered queuing system operates, so take a numbered ticket from the machine at the entrance and await your turn. You'll usually find staff who speak English, and credit cards and euros are accepted. Off-season it doesn't usually take long to get served, perhaps a couple of minutes, but in July & August it gets busy and there can be quite a wait, perhaps even 30-40 minutes, so it can save time to book online.
Seniors over 65: Anyone who is an EU citizen over 65 years old can travel for free within Hungary, anywhere on the Hungarian Railways domestic network. You still need to go to the ticket office and get a free ticket to your chosen destination, and you must still pay any fast train supplement. Or you can book online at www.mavcsoport.hu looking for the 'Reduction' drop-down menu and selecting Person over 65 under Free. If you want 1st class you must pay the difference between 1st and 2nd class fares before boarding. Trams and buses are also free if you're over 65. Only applies to EU citizens, no longer to UK seniors (another Brexit bonus).
Down the escalator behind platform 6 and circle to your left for the MAV ticket office. Photo below courtesy of @alexflh
Luggage lockers & ATMs
There are luggage lockers downstairs on the lower level, head down the steps, escalators or lift behind the buffer stops to platforms 6-9. There are small, standard and large lockers, some with payment by bank card, others coin-operated with Hungarian forints, see the left luggage page for prices. There is no longer any staffed left luggage office. There are a couple of ATM cash points inside the station, notably one inside the station facade and another in the hall off platform 9, as shown on the station plan.
First class business lounge
Open 06:00-20:30 every day, the first class lounge is near the buffer stops on platform 9, a set of double doors on the right before you reach the exit hall.
You can use the lounge before or after your train if you have a 1st class international ticket to or from Budapest, or a ticket for a sleeping-car berth, or a first class Interrail or Eurail pass with a reservation for that day. If you have a 2nd class ticket or pass, you can pay 2990 HUF (€7.50) to use the lounge for up to 2 hours.
The lounge offers complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks & snacks, there a power outlets for charging laptops & mobiles, and there's free WiFi. You can order beer, red & white wine & Hungarian sparkling wine at extra charge. It's particularly convenient for the railjet trains to Vienna, Salzburg, Munich or Zurich as these usually leave from platform 9, right outside the lounge. Show your ticket at the reception desk when you enter. Highly recommended, the friendly helpful staff in the lounge do a great cappuccino. See www.mavcsoport.hu for more details about lounge access.
Lotz Hall & South Hall
On the north side of the station there's a hall opening off platform 6 called the Lotz Hall (Lotz Terem) after the architect. You walk through this grand hall to the north exit and taxi rank. Don't forget to admire the frescoes! On the south side of the station there's a less grand hall opening off platform 9 with another exit to the street.
The British connection
Look up before you enter the station and you'll see this classic Hungarian station sports statues of British engineer George Stephenson and inventor James Watt. Click the images below for larger photos.
Somewhere to eat before your train
Before it closed down, the Baross restaurant in the corner near the buffer stops on platform 6 used to be great place for an inexpensive meal, coffee or beer surrounded by faded grandeur. In 2022 the premises are empty and being refurbished - do let me know if another restaurant opens here.
Lakomativ Étterem (Restaurant Locomotive): This is just around the corner from the station and your dishes arrive by model train! If you have kids, they'll love it. See lakomativ-hu.webnode.hu. It's not expensive and the food is good. Walk out of the north side (Lotz Hall) exit and it's 2 minutes walk way, see walking map.
Rosenstein Restaurant: For something upmarket near the station, try the Rosenstein Restaurant, www.rosenstein.hu.
The usual suspects: At the opposite end of the scale, there's a MacDonald's, Burger King and KFC outside across the road. Simply walk out of the main doors at the front of the station, turn right and cross the road. There are of course plenty of stalls and kiosks inside the station, where you can stock up on snacks, soft drinks and beer.
Budapest's famous New York Cafe: If you don't mind a 15-minute walk from the station, Budapest's historic New York Cafe serves drinks and meals in dramatic Italian renaissance surroundings. Modestly billed as The Most Beautiful Coffee House in the World it's been a Budapest institution since 1894. I recommend making a table reservation at www.newyorkcafe.hu as there's often a queue if you haven't reserved. See www.newyorkcafe.hu. See walking map.
Local transport: Walking, taxis, metro
Walking: You can walk from the station to the Danube in around 40 minutes, see Google map of Budapest. You may prefer to take the metro or a taxi.
Metro: Budapest's metro is cheap, clean and efficient, Budapest Keleti is served by metro lines 2 & 4. To reach the metro, go down the escalators, steps or lift to the lower level behind the buffer stops on platforms 6-9 (or walk out of the front of the station and go down the steps in the station forecourt), following the 'M' metro signs to the metro station a 100m or so from the mainline station. The metro is the ideal way to reach Deli or Nyugati station, or to reach the Danube and city sights. For example, metro line M2 will take you from Keleti to Kossuth Lajos Ter at the Hungarian Parliament, on the Danube.
For Budapest metro information see bkk.hu, click EN top right for English. For a metro map, click on Timetable, trip planner, then on maps . Metro stations are marked 'M' on this Google map of Budapest, so you can easily find the metro station closest to where you want to go.
Tip: Seniors over 65 of any nationality (not just EU) now travel for free on Budapest public transit.
Buy metro tickets on your phone: Download the BudapestGo app for iPhone or BudapestGo app for Android. You can then buy Budapest city transit tickets in the app on your phone using your credit or debit card, including single tickets, 30 or 90 minute timed tickets (which allow multiple transfers within that timeframe) or an inexpensive travelcard giving unlimited travel on trams, buses & metro for 24 hours. If you buy one or more single tickets or 30 or 60-minute tickets, these sit on your phone until you need them. When you want to use one, simply click validate against that ticket in the app, your camera will open, scan the QR code on the metro station ticket validators or on the tram doors and that ticket is activated. One-day and longer travelcards & passes don't need to be validated as they are bought for a specific day. The whole system is open, with no ticket gates to go through, you simply show the ticket QR code on your phone if stopped by an inspector.
Taxis: The taxi rank is on the north side of the station, walk from platform 6 through the impressive Lodz Hall (marked Lotz terem on this station plan) and out of the exit. For a taxi fare calculator see www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Budapest-Hungary&lang=en. Taxis are usually plentiful on this rank, make sure you use a clearly-marked city taxi and make sure they start the meter.
Tip: Budapest's official taxis come in two varieties, taxi companies and freelancers. Both are yellow. To reduce the chances of being overcharged, avoid those which say Freelancer on the front doors and use taxis which have a company logo on the doors. Trustworthy companies include Főtaxi, Citytax & Bolt.
This is the view when you walk out of the front of the station. For the metro station, go down these steps to the lower level. To walk to the Danube, walk straight ahead along the Rákóczi út, the road leading away from the station. The dark grey modern building is the Intercity Hotel, a good choice if you want to be near the station.
Metro: Budapest's metro is the best way to transfer between Keleti, Deli & Nyugati stations, or between Keleti & the inner city.
Taxis. The taxi rank is on the north side of the station. Go to platform 6, walk through the impressive Lodz Hall & out of the exit, there's the taxi rank to your right.
How to transfer from Keleti to Deli
By metro: The easiest way! Metro line M2 links Keleti and Deli with just 7 stops. You can buy tickets in the metro station or download the BudapestGo app & buy tickets on your phone as explained in the local transport section above. The Budapest transit website is bkk.hu.
By tram, walk 13 minutes along the main boulevard (Rákóczi út) towards central Budapest to the Blaha Lujza tér tram stop and take tram 4 or 6 to Széll Kálmán tér which is 9 minutes walk from Deli Pályaudvar. Tram line 4 & 6 crosses Rákóczi út from left to right and you'll find the tram stop a few metres up the street on your left. Buy a ticket from a ticket vending machine before boarding the tram and remember to validate the ticket in the validator on bard the tram. Alternatively, download the BudapestGo app & buy tickets on your phone, as explained in the local transport section above. The Budapest transit website is www.bkk.hu.
Tip: Seniors over 65 of any nationality (not just EU) now travel for free on Budapest public transit.
By taxi it is 5.5 km, journey 14 minutes, fare around 2,500 forint.
How to transfer from Keleti to Nyugati
By metro, use metro line M2 for three stops between Keleti pályaudvar and Deák Ferenc then metro line 3 for two stops between Deák Ferenc and Nyugati pályaudvar. You can buy tickets in the metro station or download the BudapestGo app & buy tickets on your phone, as explained in the local transport section above. The Budapest transit website is bkk.hu.
By tram: Walk 13 minutes along the main boulevard (Rákóczi út) towards central Budapest to the Blaha Lujza tér tram stop and take tram 4 or 6 to Nyugati pályaudvar. Tram line 4 & 6 crosses Rákóczi út from left to right and you'll find the tram stop a few metres up the street on your left. Buy a ticket from a ticket vending machine before boarding the tram and remember to validate the ticket in the validator on bard the tram. Alternatively, download the BudapestGo app & buy tickets on your phone, as explained in the local transport section above. The tram stops outside the front of Nyugati station. The Budapest transit website is bkk.hu.
By trolleybus, take trolleybus 73 from the bus bays on the south side of Keleti station (the station plan shows the exact stop), this goes directly to Nyugati station.
Tip: Seniors over 65 of any nationality (not just EU) now travel for free on Budapest public transit.
By taxi it is 3 km, journey 9 minutes, fare around 1,600 forint.
On foot it is 2.8 km and takes around 36 minutes.
Number 4 or 6 tram. My favourite way between Keleti & Nyugati stations, calling at the Corinthia Hotel!
Budapest hotels
Affordable hotels near the station
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For a good affordable hotel near the station, pick of the bunch is the Intercity Hotel, just across the square in front of the station.
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Also consider the Hotel Bristol, an inexpensive 4-star hotel 550m 8-minute walk from Keleti station with great reviews.
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For a budget option with good reviews, try the inexpensive Baross City Hotel across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away.
Budapest's most iconic hotels
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The Corinthia Hotel: The luxurious 5-star Corinthia Hotel is the Grande Dame of Budapest hotels. Opened in 1896 as the Grand Hotel Royal, it was almost certainly the inspiration for the 2014 film The Grand Budapest Hotel, made 2 years after film-maker Wes Anderson stayed here. It's a superb hotel with a renowned spa & pool and an excellent breakfast - with choice of dry or sweet champagne included. It's 20 minutes walk from Keleti station or 9 minutes by taxi. It's a !5 minute walk or a few minutes by taxi or number 4 or 6 tram from Nyugati station.
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The New York Palace Hotel: Also historic and top notch, the New York Palace Hotel opened in 1894 and houses the famous New York Cafe on its ground floor. It's 15 minutes walk from Keleti station and gets fabulous reviews.
Budapest Kelenföld
Kelenföld is a busy 16-platform secondary station just outside the city centre, it's Budapest's Clapham Junction. Trains make a brief stop there on their way in and out of Budapest Deli or Budapest Keleti in the city centre. Kelenföld is fully modernised but with limited facilities and a long way from anywhere you'd want to be. If you get off the train there, it basically means taking the metro the rest of the way into the city.
Unfortunately, if you run an enquiry to or from the generic BUDAPEST on train booking websites, it may try to send you to/from Budapest Kelenföld.
In 95% of cases, if a long-distance train calls at Kelenföld, it then continues to (or has come from) Budapest Deli or Budapest Keleti in the city centre, and it's better to use those centrally-located termini where the trains terminate/start than out-of-the-centre Kelenföld. So if the website you're using suggests Kelenföld, re-run the enquiry specifying Budapest Keleti or Budapest Deli.
If you do end up at Kelenföld, all is not lost. Metro line M4 was extended to Kelenföld in 2014, linking Kelenföld with the city centre and Keleti station, a fast and easy way into the city centre. But personally, I'd miss making my grand entrance into the city at historic Keleti station!
There's one good reason to use Kelenföld: If you're travelling from Zurich/Munich/Salzburg/Vienna to the Lake Balaton area (or vice versa) it's better to make an easy same-station change at Kelenföld than to continue into Budapest Keleti, change stations by taxi or metro to Budapest Deli for a train to Balaton (which calls at Kelenföld again on its way out of Budapest).
The entrance to Budapest Kelenföld. The original station building is visible on the right alongside the tracks, now defunct, decrepit and fenced off.
The modern station is simply a wide concrete underpass beneath all 16 tracks, with escalators, steps and lifts up to each platform. The ticket office and entrance to the metro are in the underpass, along with a few food outlets and retail units.
