How to get to Buda Castle

What are the ways up to Buda Castle?

Five: the funicular, bus 16, buses 16A and 116, the Várkert Bazár escalator and lift, and the footpaths from Clark Ádám tér or the Vienna Gate.

Which one is best depends on where you start and what you are carrying. The table compares them on cost, time and where they leave you.

How much is the Buda Castle funicular, and when is it closed?

HUF 4,500 one way and HUF 5,500 return for adults in 2026. It runs 8:00 to 22:00, and it is closed 5 to 16 October 2026 for maintenance.

The Budavári Sikló opened in 1870 and still runs two small wooden cars up a 95-metre track. The ride takes about a minute and a half. The lower station is at Clark Ádám tér, next to the tunnel under the hill; the upper station is on Szent György tér, between the palace and Sándor Palace. Tickets are sold at the stations and online, and are valid for a year from purchase.

Two closures catch people out. BKV takes it out of service for maintenance on the Monday of every odd-numbered week, and in 2026 it has two longer breaks: 20 to 24 April and 5 to 16 October. In summer the queue at the bottom builds by mid-morning, which is the other reason we rarely recommend it for going up. Ride it down in the evening, when the queue is short and the view of the bridge is better.

Which bus goes to Buda Castle?

Bus 16 from Deák Ferenc tér in Pest, and buses 16A and 116 from Széll Kálmán tér in Buda. All three stop at Dísz tér, a few minutes from the palace.

Bus 16 is the one most visitors want. It leaves from Deák Ferenc tér (metro M1, M2 and M3), stops at Széchenyi István tér by the Four Seasons, crosses the Chain Bridge to Clark Ádám tér, then climbs to Dísz tér and continues to Szentháromság tér for Matthias Church and the bastion, and out through the Vienna Gate to Széll Kálmán tér. Get off at Dísz tér for the palace.

Buses 16A and 116 start at Széll Kálmán tér (metro M2) and enter the Castle District from the north through the Vienna Gate. They suit you if you are staying in Buda or coming off the red metro line.

A single ticket costs HUF 500 in advance or HUF 700 from the driver, and you must validate it on board. A 24-hour travelcard is HUF 2,750 and a 72-hour card HUF 5,750, per BKK. The Budapest Card covers all three lines.

Is there a free lift up to Buda Castle?

Yes. The Várkert Bazár on the river side has a free covered escalator and a lift that climb most of the hill to the palace.

The Várkert Bazár (Castle Garden Bazaar) is a long arcaded building by Miklós Ybl at the foot of the palace, finished in 1883 and reopened in 2014. Trams 19 and 41 and bus 86 stop at the Várkert Bazár stop outside; from the Chain Bridge it is a ten-minute walk south along the river.

Go into the modern wing and take the escalator, then the lift beside it. They bring you up to the access road on the palace's south side, and a short flat walk leads to the courtyards. The lift takes wheelchairs and prams, which makes this the best step-free route if the funicular is closed or the queue is long. The gardens around it are open 6:00 to midnight. Lifts occasionally go out of service, so check on the day if step-free access matters.

Can you walk up to Buda Castle?

Yes, in 15 to 20 minutes from Clark Ádám tér, or about 15 minutes from Széll Kálmán tér to the Vienna Gate. Both are free.

From the Chain Bridge: at Clark Ádám tér, the footpaths and stairs to the left of the funicular zigzag up through the gardens to the palace terraces. It is steep in places but short, and the view improves at every turn. Wear shoes with grip; the steps are worn smooth.

From Széll Kálmán tér: walk up Várfok utca to the Vienna Gate. The slope is gentle and you arrive at the quiet north end of the old town, near the Tóth Árpád promenade. This is the best way in if you want to see the Castle District first and finish at the palace.

From Batthyány tér: stairs from Fő utca lead up towards Fisherman's Bastion in about 15 minutes. The tip-based Castle District walk starts here and climbs with you, and the vampires night tour starts at the Zero Kilometre Stone on Clark Ádám tér, so both handle the climb as part of the tour.

How do you get up while the funicular is closed in October 2026?

Take bus 16 from Deák Ferenc tér or Clark Ádám tér, or the free lift at the Várkert Bazár. Both arrive within five minutes of the funicular's top station.

From 5 to 16 October 2026 the funicular does not run. The quickest replacement is bus 16 from the stop at Clark Ádám tér, right beside the closed lower station: two stops to Dísz tér. If you have a pram or a wheelchair, the Várkert Bazár lift is the better choice, because the bus can be crowded at midday.

Tours that meet at the top are not affected. The castle walk with St Stephen's Hall meets at the Savoy Terrace on Szent György tér, beside the funicular's upper station; allow 20 minutes for the bus and the walk from Dísz tér, because the walk starts on time and latecomers cannot join.

Frequently asked questions