If you are trying to travel through Budapest, the BKK is probably your most efficient option, but it may not be your cheapest or most comfortable. The BKK, or Budapest public transportation authority, provides buses, trams, trolleybuses, and trains to every single end of the city, 24 hours a day, all week, holidays, no exceptions. It is, in fact, one of the best urban transport systems in the world, so it is probably much better than you are used to. The downside? It is frequently packed, only goes to select stops, which may require some walking and the possibility of getting lost, and, as with all urban transport, can be quite unhygienic. So if privacy and comfort are factors, you should probably look further.
In this little travel guide, we have compiled the most important alternatives Budapest offers in terms of transportation from car rentals to sustainable travel options in the city.
Car sharing, carpooling, and rentals
There are many reasons to choose to rent instead of using public transportation. There is a whole country outside of Budapest, and there are way too many amazing destinations and sights to list in just a few words. Budapest also has a considerable sprawl, so getting around comfortably may require long-term transportation. There are many car dealerships where you can get a bargain on a car, but car sharing is a new way to rent.
This method is becoming the most popular way to rent a car in Budapest and has come a long way in a year or so. Many options, including environmentally-friendly electric and hybrid cars, are available much less and much faster than a dealership can provide. You can have a monthly or even a one-time package when registering for a car share. MOL Limo is the car-sharing system operated by MOL, Hungary’s leading oil and gas company. Their system only covers a certain area of Budapest so for your out-of-the-city or suburban Budapest adventures, you should opt for regular car rental options. However, if you want to travel to the must-see tourist attractions of Budapest with full control and comfort, look no further.
You can register by going to www.mollimo.hu, with a copy of your driver’s license, and they will have you in the system within 24 hours, after which you can get a car. Equipped with their mobile app, you can hire any of the Mol Limo cars in Budapest with just a tap.
Carpooling is also an effective and economical way to see the country. You can use apps such as Motar or Blablacar to find a driver going to your destination and share the costs of travel. It’s also a great way to get to know the locals a little more and one of the cheapest ways of long-distance travel in the city.
Scooters
If you are looking to avoid the heavy traffic of the city center and still travel through Budapest on your own, we suggest hiring a moped, but only if you have experience riding them. You can rent one easily with the Blinkee City app, and off you go! The system is the same as car sharing: download the app, pick up your scooter, activate it, and tick-tock, the counter starts. When you are done, leave it by the road, and close it down with the app. You are then done and will be charged for the time you used the scooter.
The Green Alternative
Budapest is a big supporter of sustainable travel, and with bike trails going all around the city, there is hardly a better way of traveling in Budapest in an eco-friendly way. There are very few places where you will have to take a street, not a bike lane, and almost all of the top tourist attractions can be reached via bike. Thankfully, renting a bike in Budapest is super simple, using Mol Bubi, Donkey Republic, and other forms of community bike-sharing. There are lots with available bikes all around the city, where you can pick one up and drop them off in a similar lot when you are done. All for just pennies.
But Green Go, Budapest’s greenest car rental service, is also an eco-friendly way to acquire nice whips. Dealing only with electric wheels, Green Go will get you there fast but without the guilt. Working on the same vehicle-sharing system as the moped rentals and Mol Limo, this is truly a green alternative to getting around Budapest. The only drawback is that it only works in certain areas in Budapest, much like MOL Limo.
