Budapest is the most common start or end of a Danube cruise. Ships dock along the Danube embankments, mostly on the Pest side in the center. The airport bus 100E goes straight to the center.
Every way from the airport to the ship
Tap any way for step-by-step directions.
| The way | From | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cruise line transfer | BUD | Varies | Set by your line |
| Taxi | BUD | Not verified | Not verified |
| Bus 100E Airport Express, then taxi or walk | BUD | Not verified | Approximate: HUF 2,500 airport shuttle single ticket (BKK) |
Where Budapest lies
BudapestAmsterdamAvignonBarcelonaBaselRomeDoverGenoaIJmuidenLyonMarseilleNurembergParisPassauPortoRavennaRegensburgRotterdamSavonaSouthamptonTriesteVeniceViennaA CoruñaAjaccioAmalfi and PositanoBariBastiaBilbaoCannesCherbourgCobhDublinDubrovnikFalmouthGuernseyHolyheadHonfleurHvarKoperKorčulaKotorLa SpeziaLe HavreLivornoMonacoNaplesOlbiaPortlandPortoferraioPortofino / Santa Margherita LigurePulaRovinjSaint-MaloSaint-TropezSalernoSèteŠibenikSorrentoSplitTarragonaToulonVigoVillefranche-sur-Mer and NiceWaterfordZadarZeebruggeFrom Budapest Ferenc Liszt International (BUD)
Not verified on an official page
Cruise line transfer
- Book with your line before you fly.
- Look for the line's sign after customs.
The easiest choice; the line knows the dock.
Taxi
- Use the official airport taxi stand only.
- Give the driver the exact dock address from your documents.
Ask for an estimate before you go.
Bus 100E Airport Express, then taxi or walk
- Find the 100E stop outside the terminal.
- Pay by bank card on board (Budapest Pay&GO) or buy in the BudapestGO app.
- Ride to Kálvin tér or Deák Ferenc tér (city center). It runs 24/7.
- Take a taxi or walk to your dock.
Regular tickets and passes are not valid on 100E; you need the special airport ticket.
From the city or your hotel
Taxi or walk from a central Pest hotel
Most docks are on the Pest embankment near the Parliament and the Chain Bridge area.
Where to stay
Arrive a day or two early. A delayed flight on sailing day is the most common way travelers miss the ship.
Pest side, District V (near Parliament or Vörösmarty tér)
Close to most docks and the 100E bus stops.
Sailing day
Terminals & docks
No single terminal. Ships tie up at numbered docks on the embankments. Examples: Viking lists docks at Id. Antall József rkp. (1052), Jane Haining rkp. (1051/1052) and others; Uniworld lists Carl Lutz rkp. (1138). Your line sends the exact dock.
Check-in
- River ships usually start boarding in the afternoon. AmaWaterways says boarding usually begins around 3:00 p.m., and you can drop bags earlier.
- Uniworld says to confirm your boarding address and boarding time 24 hours before you arrive.
- River docks can change at short notice. Confirm the dock address with your line the day before.
What trips people up
- Docks are not fixed; several lines share the embankments.
- Low water: in fall 2026 Viking (Sept 30 notice), AmaWaterways (Oct 2026) and Uniworld all reported low water on parts of the Danube, Rhine and Main. Fixes include ship swaps, bus legs, or a different boarding town. Your line will contact you if your cruise changes.
- AmaWaterways reported moving guests from Budapest to Vienna by bus during low water in 2026.
Do this
- Arrive a day or two early. Budapest is a great city to see.
- Take an evening river cruise to see the Parliament lit up.
Leaving the ship: back to the airport
The same routes run in reverse. On the last morning everyone leaves at once, so lines for taxis and buses are at their longest. Book flights home for the afternoon or later, and arrange your ride in advance if you can.
| The way | To | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cruise line transfer | BUD | Varies | Set by your line |
| Taxi | BUD | Not verified | Not verified |
| Bus 100E Airport Express, then taxi or walk | BUD | Not verified | Approximate: HUF 2,500 airport shuttle single ticket (BKK) |
Before or after your cruise
- Hungarian Parliament tour
- Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion
- Széchenyi thermal baths
- Great Market Hall
Sources & what we could not confirm · 7 sources · checked 2026-11
- Viking River Cruises: Docking locations
- Uniworld: Port locations and boarding times
- BKK: 24/7 connection between the airport and the city centre
- Viking: Updates on current sailings (Sept 30, 2026 notice)
- AmaWaterways: Despite historically low water (Oct 2026)
- AmaWaterways: River cruise guide for first timers
- Uniworld: Travel information (water levels)
- Airport distance and taxi fares
- 100E trip time
- Whether BKK's free travel for over-65s applies to non-EU visitors
- US nonstop flights: not verified for this page; check airline sites