TRAVELLING TO SZENTENDRE FROM BUDAPEST
Visitors can travel from downtown Budapest to central Szentendre in a matter of speedy minutes or leisurely hours, depending on the chosen mode of transportation – options abound, from road to rail to river to bicycle.
By road: Hungary’s main road 11 takes drivers directly from the Buda riverbank to the outskirts of Szentendre; the on-ramp just north of the Buda side of Margaret Bridge provides easy access to main road 11, and when there is no traffic the entire trip can take less than a half hour, but the roadway is often congested in both directions. Drivers do not need a motorway permit for main road 11, but be aware that parking is strictly regulated in Szentendre, and most of the town’s primary attractions are located on restricted or pedestrianised lanes.
By rail: Budapest’s far-reaching HÉV commuter-train networkincludes one line leading directly to Szentendre, the H5 starting at Buda’s Batthyány tér (accessible by M2 metro), also stopping at HÉV station beneath the Buda side of Margaret Bridge. Passengers must validate an ordinary Budapest public-transport ticket (350 HUF) when boarding the H5, and for travel to Szentendre (beyond Budapest’s borders) they must also purchase a supplemental ticket (310 HUF) at either the Batthyány tér or Margaret Bridge stop; both types of passes are available at the stations’ ticket-vending machinesthat provide English info, and the Szentendre HÉV station also has these machines for buying return-trip tickets. H5 trains run frequently every day from soon after 4am to a little past midnight; for the complete schedule, click here. To walk into nearby central Szentendre from the town’s HÉV station, head down into the underpass beyond the end of the tracks and you will emerge on Kossuth Lajos utca; just keep walking straight ahead for about five minutes to reach the city centre.
By river: The most delightful way to reach Szentendre is by boat, providing passengers with panoramic Danube views from departure in the heart of Budapest until docking at Szentendre’s picturesque promenade (see below). Hungary’s Mahart Passnave line provides frequent ferryboat services from Budapest to Szentendre and points beyond along the Danube Bend – on every day except Mondays from late April through early September, ships set sail at 9am from Pest’s Vigadó tér dock and make a quick stop at Batthyány tér ten minutes later before heading directly to Szentendre, arriving at 10:30am; this ship continues upriver to Visegrád and Esztergom before returning to Szentendre at 7pm to pick up Budapest-bound passengers, providing day-trippers with plenty of time to explore the town. Other Mahart Passnave ferry lines depart from Budapest for Szentendre at 10:30am (with daily service between early July and early September) and at 2pm during summer – to see complete timetable and ticket information, click here.
By bicycle: Szentendre is one of the most popular day-trip destinations among Budapest’s cycling community because a dedicated bike path takes two-wheelers all the way there from the Buda side of Margaret Bridge. This flat riverfront trail passes through the pleasant Római Part recreation area (providing plenty of food stands for a refreshment stop along the journey) and is shaded by trees throughout much of the route, making it accessible for cyclists of most ability levels; for more details about the Budapest-Szentendre bike path, click here.
By public transport H5 HÉV from Budapest, Batthyány tér to Szentendre, Állomás tér 45-50 minutes.
By car from Budapest, Batthyány tér to the Race Center 30-35 minutes.
By car from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport to the Race Center 40-45 minutes.