When you land, you will need your most important documentationswith you, so the Hungarian Police can check you at the border.
What do you need here exactly?
Your Passport
Your Invitation Letter (or VISA if you already have it)
Your Student Certificate (without the OFFICIAL version of the paper your stay is NOT legal)
IMPORTANT: Please check in advance that your papers are not overdue in order to have the process as smooth as possible.
Change money to HUF if necessary: you will use this to cover public transport costs
If you have a Wise/Revolut/Mastercard/Visa or similar card, you do not need cash as the ticket machine accepts these
If you do not have any of the former, change only around 30 EUR to HUF as the exchange rate is one of the highest at the Airport.
Buy yourself either a monthly Budapest Pass and/or an Airpot Shuttle Bus ticket:
If you are a EU citizen or a student in a EU university: buy a Student Monthly Pass for around 3450 HUF (~ 9 EUR). You may have an ISIC card before buying this kind of ticket.
If you do not fall into the previous category: buy a Monhtly Budapest Pass for regular people (adults) for around 8950 HUF (~ 23 EUR)
If you plan to use Bus 100E (see next slide) buy an Airport Shuttle Bus ticket too
If you are not sure or feel lost, please text in the WhatsApp group chat with AIESEC in Hungary or contact the manager responsible for you
Goes directly to the City Center from the Airport
Check this for more information
Be aware that this costs 2200 HUF (monthly pass is NOT valid for this bus) and buy the Airport Shuttle Bus ticket beforehand. Note that the ticket price MAY CHANGE anytime!
Takes approx. 30-40 mins (check the traffic before!)
Choose this option if you are travelling alone
Bus 200E will get you to Kőbánya-Kispest metro station from the Airport. From there you can take metro line M3 to Deák Ferenc tér.
For this route your montly public transportation pass is valid.
Click here for more information about Bus 200E.
Takes approximately 1 hour (check the traffic before!)
Make sure to plan your trip beforehand and check the route you need to take to get to your accommodation. (i.e. you might need to take other means of transportation as well after getting off at Deák Ferenc tér etc.). For trip planning, we recommend the BudapestGO application.
If you prefer to take a taxi from the airport, we recommend Bolt or Uber. We would reccommend this option if you arrive outside pickup hours and/or you have multiple and very heavy suitcases that will be hard to drag through the city without any help.
On the following site, you can learn more about public transportation in Hungary, including a guide about how the ticket vending machines work.
Will you pick me up by car?
No, unfortunately, we are students and most of us do not have a driving license. If we physically pick you up it means that we escort you from the Airport or from Deák Ferenc tér (City Centre) to your accommodation by public transportation.
If I arrive late at night or really early in the morning you still need to pick me up?
No. We only work from 8am to 8pm in this case, so if your arrival is not within this time range unfortunately we can't physically pick you up, but we will be there online and provide the neccessary details you need to get to your accommodation.
Does online pickup count as the standard 'Arrival Pickup'?
Yes, as according to the standard an AIESEC member needs to ASSIST you after your arrival to your accommodation, and online help is considered assistance.