Budapest public transport to run on special timetable over Christmas and New Year

Budapest’s Centre for Transport (BKK) will introduce a special public transport timetable during the Christmas holiday period and on New Year’s Eve, adjusting services to changing passenger demand and running more services than in previous years.

Christmas Eve: Adjusted services and earlier last departures in Budapest

In a statement to MTI on Wednesday, BKK said that on 24 December, services will operate according to the Saturday timetable in the morning and during the day. On Christmas Eve, as in previous years, daytime surface services will make their last departures from termini between 3 PM and 4 PM. However, metro lines serving the city centre will continue running longer than other daytime services, operating until 6 PM.

Due to earlier closing times at large suburban shopping centres, most services will make their final stops at these locations between 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM. The only exception is bus 22, which will continue to serve shopping centres until the end of operations.

Travel options after daytime services end

After daytime services finish, passengers will be able to travel between 4 PM and 6 PM using metro lines and night services. Some night routes will operate on modified routes during this period to ensure connections with the metro.

The 100E and 200E airport buses, as well as tram 6, will continue to run around the clock as usual. Tram 6 will operate every 10 minutes between 4 PM and 8 PM, and every 15 minutes from 8 PM onwards.

After 4 PM, bus 200E will run every 8–10 minutes. Once the last metro service has finished, buses will depart from and arrive at Határ út metro station every 20 minutes, providing connections to metro and night bus services.

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Night services and increased frequencies

Night services will begin operating between around 3:30 PM and 4 PM, generally with frequencies similar to the standard night timetable. Between 4 PM and 6 PM, some night routes will run on modified routes aligned with metro services, in some cases more frequently or using articulated buses instead of single vehicles. Services including buses 907, 909A, 923, 956, 973, 979 and 979A will operate more frequently.

Due to expected tourist traffic in Buda Castle, bus 916 will run at increased frequency every 5–10 minutes between 4 PM and 9:30 PM. Bus 916A will also operate more frequently between Széll Kálmán Square and Deák Ferenc Square until 6 PM.