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Car hire at Budapest Airport - Gateway to Hungary

Located just 16 km (10 miles) south-east of the city centre, Budapest Airport is one of the busiest air transportation hubs in the whole of central Europe. Serving the Hungarian capital and its environs, it has a growing number of connections primarily within Europe as well as Asia, the Middle East and North America.

Officially known as Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, it has excellent transport links via the four-lane M0 Budapest ring-road expressway, which means that getting in and out of Budapest is quick and easy by car or local public transport. A municipal rail link completed in 2007 is another popular way of travelling between the city and Budapest Airport in a few minutes.

Standing proud on the banks of the majestic River Danube, ancient Budapest is not only the Hungarian capital but a major tourist destination with an abundance of word-class attractions, chief amongst them the medieval Castle District, now a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. And no visitor can leave the city without an exhilarating tour of the neo-Gothic parliament building which also houses the country's magnificent Crown Jewels.

With a car hire at Budapest you'll have good access to both the city and the many points of interest in its surroundings, most notably Lake Balaton, a lovely holiday resort area conveniently located in the heart of the country. Other must-see attractions close to the capital include the Hungarian Open Air Museum where visitors can experience how country life was in the 18th century and the Hortobágy National Park where agricultural methods have remained virtually unchanged since medieval times.

Established in 1954, Auto Europe is one of the world's leading car hire companies with over 24,000 pick-up and drop-off locations in more than 180 countries. By working with all the most prestigious and reliable suppliers, we can offer you the best deals and the broadest range of vehicles available on the market.

For help with your next cheap car rental at Budapest Airport, please feel free to call our rental specialists on +44 123 3225 114 and they will be more than happy to find you cheapest rates for your trip. For added peace of mind, why not visit our our Budapest car hire reviews page to see what other Auto Europe customers thought of their car hire experience in the city.

Airport Information

Situated a few miles south-east of the capital, Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (as it is oficially known) is Hungary’s largest airport and one of the busiest in central Europe. Construction of the airport first began in 1942, but World War II hindered its development and work was forced to stop two years later. Under Soviet occupation the airport was eventually completed and it officially opened in 1950, serving a small selection of nearby European cities. Over the following decades, its passenger numbers gradually increased and scheduled flights became more regular and in 1993 the airport’s first major international flight took off, carrying passengers from Budapest to New York for the very first time. Today, Budapest Airport is a thriving air transportation hub catering for a growing number of well-established airlines, most notably British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair.

Budapest Airport (BUD)
Address: Budapest Airport, Budapest, 1185, HUNGARY
Telephone: +36 1 296 9696
Airlines operating at Budapest Airport: The list of the most important airlines operating at Budapest Airport currently includes Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Alitalia, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Czech Airines, easyJet, Egyptair, El Al, Emirates, Eurowings, Finnair, FlyDubai, Iberia, Jet2.com, KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Norwegian, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, Ryanair, Shanghai Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, TAP Portugal, Transvia, Turkish Airlines, Vueling and Wizz Air.

Where to pick up my car hire at Budapest Airport

It's an easy process picking up a car hire at Budapest Airport, as the vast majority of large global hire companies have their offices either inside the arrivals terminal or close to main car park just a few steps away. Please remember that when you arrive to collect your vehicle, it's important to have all the necessary paperwork about your person, such as your Auto Europe car hire voucher, coverage details, passport, credit card and valid driving licence.

Car hire desks' operating hours

	Avis at Budapest Airport Terminal 2B, Budapest, Hungary 1185 +36 1 296 6421	Opening Hours: Sun-Fri 8am-8pm (Sat 8am-7pm)
	Budget at Budapest Airport Airport Shuttle Desk (Arrivals), Budapest, Hungary1185 +36 70 931 8001	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-8pm
	Europcar at Budapest Airport Terminal 2B (Arrivals) Budapest, Hungary 1185 +36 1 421 8370	Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 8am-6pm (Fri 8am-2pm and Sat & Sun 8am-4pm)
	Hertz at Budapest Airport Terminal 2 Budapest, Hungary 1185 +36 1 296 0996/span>	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-midnight (Sat & Sun 8am-midnight)
	Sixt at Budapest Airport Terminal 2B Budapest, Hungary 1180 +36 1 451 4227	Opening Hours: Daily 7.45am-midnight

Terminals

The airport consists of two terminals known as Terminal 2A (gates A) and Terminal 2B (gates B, C, D). Both terminals are connected by the modern SkyCourt commercial zone. Terminal 1 is no longer in use due to the relatively recent bankruptcy of the former flag carrier, Malév Hungarian Airlines. Terminal 2A has 30 check-in desks and gives access to security check A, while Terminal 2B contains check-in desks 31 to 64 and gives passengers access to security check B. Terminal 2A and Terminal 2B consist of three floors, namely the Arrivals level, Departures level and the stylish Mezzanine level where many of the airline offices and popular Observation Terrace are located. Shopping in SkyCourt is only possible after the security check and this part of the airport is not accessible to the public, although there is a small supermarket located in Terminal 2B where both travellers and visitors can purchase provisions.

Airport Facilities

Passengers passing through Budapest Airport will find an impressive selection of shops, bars, cafés, restaurants and all other types of on-site facilities and amenities, especially in and around the SkyCourt section between terminals 2A and 2B. Besides a large Duty-free store selling all manner of drinks, confectionary, perfumes and electrical items, there are dozens of the more familiar global brands such as Hugo Boss, Guess, Calvin Klein, DRK, Hard Rock, etc. as well as the excellent Memories of Hungary shop offering travellers the chance to take a bit of the country home with them in the form of leather items, unique porcelain and home-made artisanal products. Several bureaux de change and ATMs are on hand to provide visitors with the opportunity to change money up into the local currency (and vice versa), while passengers can also plan the next stage of their journey in the airport's travel agencies and tourist information offices in the main public area where a post office is also available.

How to get to and from Budapest Airport

The good news for travellers who choose to rent a car at Budapest Airport is that it is easily accessible by car from any point in the city in about 30 minutes. The quickest route is via the special airport express road which is separated from the city's other roads by barriers, meaning that drivers can get there practically unhindered with little congestion even during the rush-hour. Thanks to the M0 ring-road around Budapest, the airport also has direct connections to some of the motorways linking the capital with some of the country's other big cities. Public transport is another of the city's strengths, especially to and from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport. There are bus stops located on the Arrivals level between the two terminals with route 100E offering a direct shuttle service to the city centre and route 200E running day and night and providing regular scheduled bus services to several points in the city. The nearest train station to Budapest Airport Terminal 2 is Ferihegy, with almost a hundred trains operating to and from the Nyugati railway station throughout the day, including fast InterCity services.

Parking Tips

The city is quite well organised so you won't have any problems finding somewhere to park once you have picked up your car rental at Budapest Airport. The Hungarian capital is divided into three parking zones with different hourly rates applicable, with Zone 1 applying to the area surrounding Castle Hill (the city's top tourist attraction) and Zone 2 covering most parts of Buda and the area outside Grand Boulevard in Pest. The most affordable places to park are in Zone 3 which covers all other parts of the city. Alternatively, there are lots of public car parks in downtown Budapest, many of which are located close to some of the city's key tourist sights, such as Bazilika Mélygarázs (located near the Basilica at Sas utca in Pest), Budapest Car Park (located a short walk away from Deák Ferenc tér at Holló Street 12-14 in Pest) and Aranykéz Parkolóház (located close to Váci Street and the Danube Promenade at Aranykéz utca 4-6 in Pest.

Useful links

Budapest Airport