Budapest annoyances – tourists beware

My wife and I just returned from a wonderful vacation in Budapest. The city was sizzling hot, but the view of the river was gorgeous as always. Ferihegy airport is busy, the new building is already overcrowded and the season has just started.

Taxi

Our Frankfurt flight leaves early and we have to be at Ferihegy well before 5:00AM. How do we get to the airport from the city in this ungodly hour?

I remember well that forty years ago there was an express bus service from downtown Budapest (Deák Square) directly to the airport. It was fast, cheap and efficient. Today, Budapest is one of the few cities in the world where there is no 24-hour airport bus service. Expensive taxi or shuttle services are the only choices. We choose the taxi which costs about 8,000 Ft or 30 USD; a small fortune for the average Hungarian. In addition, a couple of years ago Budapest eliminated the so called „airport transfer” negotiated cab fare which was significantly lower.

We also visited Edinburgh this summer and used the city’s 24 hour Airlink service. The double-decker was wonderful with separate storage bins for large luggage, free WiFi and a superb view of the castle. The cost is 4.5 pound or about 2,000 Ft. How come Budapest doesn’t have a similar airport bus service?

Edinburgh has a cheap and efficient Express bus service to the Airport.

A friend explains that it is because of the Hungarian „taxi mafia.” City officials banned Uber and government cronies make millions from the inflated cab fares. Every day hundreds of yellow cabs jam the narrow road to Ferihegy. Everybody knows that Express buses would significantly reduce congestion and pollution yet corruption rules.

Water

I like to have a bottle of water with me on the plane and I always fill up my empty bottle with tap water after passing airport security. Every airport in the world has free drinking fountains; the Amsterdam airport even advertises them.

English language sign at Amsterdam Airport:: Refill your bottle here with our fresh and clean tap water.

The new Budapest Airport building has no drinking fountains beyond security checkpoints! None. After passing security there is absolutely no free water. Tourists can buy water for Euros or Forints, about 400 Ft for a small bottle.

Water at Ferihegy for Euro

In front of the second-floor women’s restroom there is a long line forming; people are standing with plastic bottles. Only the woman’s restroom has cold tap water, the man’s restroom provides hot water.

Water mafia. Hungary still has a long way to go.

György Lázár

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