Herds of festivalgoers put up their tents and settle in Budapest for the weeklong Sziget Festival spectacular on the Island of Freedom, for nonstop celebration amid cheerful crowds. Happening this year from August 10-17, people from all corners of the world descend on the festival area in the middle of the River Danube north of central Budapest. Here’s a summary for how to get to and from Sziget quickly and easily.
Where is the Sziget Festival?
The Sziget Festival is held on Óbuda Island (aka Hajógyári Island), just north of Margaret Island. It’s very easy to get there from downtown Budapest, with many transport options to and from the “Island of Freedom”. Public transport will run more frequently around the clock during every day of Sziget, making it easier for partygoers to reach and leave the festival grounds. The main entry point is the iconic K Bridge, now dressed up with welcoming banners – check out this map for the exact location.Public transport ticket: Sziget CityPass
The highly economical Sziget-Budapest CityPass, which costs 33 euros for 13 days or 12 euros for 2 days, includes full use of Budapest’s public-transport system (including trams, buses, metros, and HÉV suburban trains), plus free or discounted entry to some thermal baths and great pool complexes, museums, the Center of Scientific Wonders, the Giraffe Hop On Hop Off sightseeing bus, and 2-for-1 drinks at Akvárium Club in downtown Budapest. A Sziget CityPass can be purchased online, at Keleti Railway Station, at Erzsébet Square, and at the entrance to the festival itself. If you arrive by plane, your CityPass voucher can be exchanged for a wristband directly at the Liszt Ferenc Airport, so you don’t have to worry about losing transport tickets; above all, the CityPass also includes airport and boat-shuttle services to Sziget (see below). The alternative is to buy BKK tickets or passes – check out this article for more details about this.Public transport to Sziget
From the airport you can exchange your Sziget CityPass voucher for a wristband, which includes free shuttle service to the island. This Sziget shuttle runs every 30 minutes between 8:45am and 12:30am August 9-13, leaving from Terminal 2 at the airport. Alternatively, BKK bus 200E takes passengers directly from the airport to the Kőbánya-Kispest M3 metro terminus, and the M3 (blue line) takes passengers directly to Nyugati Square; see the Nyugati Pályaudvar information below for continuing directions.
From the major train stations:
Nyugati Pályaudvar: take Tram 4-6 (outside the station) toward Széll Kálmán tér. Get off at the third stop, called Margit Híd-Budai Hídfő (the first stop after you completely cross Margaret Bridge). Take the stairs down to the regional HÉV train-line station and get on a train towards Szentendre/Békásmegyer. Then disembark at the fourth stop (called Filatorigát) and follow the crowds to Sziget!
Keleti Pályaudvar: find the Metro (you'll see big “M” signs), and get on Metro 2 (the Red Line) towards Déli Pályaudvar. Get off at the Batthyány tér station, and get on the HÉV train to exit at the fifth stop (Filatorigát), then follow the crowds to Sziget!
Déli Pályaudvar: find the Metro and get on Metro 2 (the Red Line) towards Örs vezér tér. Get off at the Batthyány tér station. Now get on the regional HÉV train to the fifth stop (Filatorigát), then follow the crowds to Sziget!
Sziget Boats run every 30 minutes, taking passengers to a limited number of stops on the Buda and Pest sides of the inner city. The planned route is Petőfi tér > Batthyány tér > Jászai Mari tér > Sziget, although always double-check because routes can change due to water levels and other factors.
If you need to get around from elsewhere in Budapest, this BKK route planner will help. During the festival, suburban HÉV trains run every ten minutes to Sziget during the day and every 15-20 minutes during the night.
Parking
If you're driving to Sziget, there are some great parking options. For 95 euros you can park right on the island for the entire ten days and walk directly into the festival. To access this parking lot, enter through Bridge H from Árpád Bridge. Note that the ticket is valid for one-time entry to the parking area. There’s cheaper parking available at Star Parking (Budapest 1137, Visegrádi Street 116), where it’s 55 euros for the whole ten days, with a free shuttle provided to and from Sziget.Ride a bike
Riding a bike to Sziget is a great option! Not only can you cycle along the Buda side of the Danube on a designated bike path (the junction at the Buda side of Margaret Bridge being an easy access point), seeing the beautiful sights along the river, but Sziget also has a free bike-storage facility on the island while you party.Taxis
City Taxi has a special agreement with Sziget, and has exclusive drop-off and pick-up points right near K Bridge. You can reserve a cab by calling +36 1 211 1111. Elsewhere, be careful when getting into taxis on the street as they might try to overcharge foreigners. There is now a flat meter rate for all taxis in Budapest, but you might still run into problems, so it’s always best to call a taxi company and book ahead instead of just jumping into a cab.
