It’s Time for Skating! – City Park Ice Rink is Open

Skating season has officially begun in Budapest, as City Park Ice Rink (Városligeti Műjégpálya) opened on November 22. We took a look at changes, prices, and also the history of the building.

The biggest and most famous ice rink of the city opened on November 22, at 5 p.m.. It awaits visitors between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day.

City Park Ice Rink is the oldest still functioning ice rink in Europe, and the largest outdoor artificial ice.

The history of the ice rink dates back to 1870. After long and persistent negotiations, the City Council gave permission for the establishment of a skating rink on the lake of City Park. Back then, entry was free for the residents of Pest. In 1874, the wooden hut by the side of the lake burnt down; that’s when the building (still seen today) was built according to Ödön Lechner’s designs.

There are no major changes regarding prices: Monday and Tuesday will continue to be ”cheap”, on other days, last year’s prices are valid. For children under 6, access is free. The prices are the following: on ”cheap” days, a student ticket is 800 HUF, an adult ticket is 1.000 HUF. On normal days, it means 1.000 and 1.500 HUF in the morning, and 1.500 and 2.000 HUF in the afternoon. At weekends, it is the same: students can skate for 1.500 HUF, adults for 2.000 HUF.