How to Take a Taxi in Budapest: What Visitors Should Know
Taking a taxi in Budapest is generally easy, safe and predictable. But there are a few local things worth knowing — especially late at night or during a busy weekend.
The most important rule is simple: whenever possible, order your taxi through an app.
All Official Budapest Taxis Are Yellow
Official Budapest taxis are yellow, but colour is not the only thing you should look for. A licensed Budapest taxi carries official markings, regulated fare information and identification details for the vehicle and driver.
However, just because a yellow taxi is waiting in front of you doesn't necessarily mean it is the best one to jump into.
Our Best Advice: Order Your Taxi Through an App
Several licensed taxi companies operate in Budapest, including internationally familiar names as well as local companies.
Our simple advice at Budapest Food Atlas is: don't just take the taxi that happens to be standing in front of you. Order the one that comes specifically for you.
This is particularly useful at night, around bars, clubs, major events and busy tourist areas.
Ordering through an app means you know which car is coming, can check the licence plate, have a digital record of the journey and can identify the vehicle much more easily if something goes wrong.
What Are Budapest's “Taxi Hyenas”?
There is a colourful Hungarian expression you may occasionally hear in Budapest: taxishiéna, literally a “taxi hyena”.
The term has long been used for taxi drivers who try to take advantage of passengers — particularly visitors who do not know the city. Typical problems can include attempting to charge an unreasonable fare or taking an unnecessarily long route.
How Do You Avoid Them?
The easiest solution is not to choose a random taxi from the street, particularly late at night. Order from a licensed taxi company using its app.
If you do take a taxi from the street, check that it is an official certified Budapest taxi with the required markings and displayed fares. If something does not feel right, choose another taxi.
Bolt, Uber or a Local Taxi Company?
You will find internationally familiar names operating in Budapest, but the city has one important difference from many other places: official taxi fares are regulated.
That means choosing a taxi company is not necessarily about finding the cheapest provider. Often the more useful question is simply: who can get a car to me quickly?
A Local Tip: Try Főtaxi
If Budapest is particularly busy and you are struggling to find a car, it can be worth trying Főtaxi as well.
Főtaxi operates one of the city's largest fleets and has its own mobile app. That can be particularly useful on Friday and Saturday nights, after major events or whenever large numbers of people are trying to find a taxi at the same time.
Taxi Fares in Budapest Are Regulated
Official Budapest taxis operate using regulated fares. The taximeter calculates the price based on the applicable base fare, distance travelled and, where relevant, time-based charges.
In normal circumstances, there is no need to negotiate the price with your driver. If someone offers you a strange fixed cash price for an ordinary Budapest journey instead of using the meter, consider it a warning sign.
Can I Pay by Card?
Yes. Official Budapest taxis accept both cash and bank cards. Depending on the company, payment through the taxi app may also be available.
What About the Airport?
At Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, do not accept a random ride offer simply because somebody approaches you in the arrivals area. Use the official airport taxi service or order through a trusted app.
How Do I Know If My Driver Is Taking a Detour?
Budapest traffic is not always logical. Road closures, one-way streets, traffic jams and temporary restrictions can mean that a route that looks longer on the map is genuinely faster.
If you are unsure, there is nothing wrong with checking the route on your phone.
If you cross the Danube twice, check your map. 😄
Budapest is divided by the Danube into Buda and Pest. Unless there is a good reason for travelling backwards and forwards between the two sides, crossing two bridges during the same taxi journey can at least be... interesting.
This is not an actual rule. Traffic, road closures or your route may make two river crossings perfectly sensible.
One river crossing? Budapest.
Two river crossings? Check your map. 😄
What Should I Do If Something Goes Wrong?
First, note or photograph the licence plate. Official Budapest taxis also display identification information that can help identify the vehicle and driver.
If you ordered through an app, details of the journey will usually remain available there, making a complaint much easier.
Five Things to Remember
1. Order through an app. Especially at night.
2. Use an official, certified Budapest taxi.
3. Official Budapest taxi fares are regulated.
4. If something goes wrong, keep the licence plate or vehicle identification details.
5. And if you cross the Danube twice... take a look at your map. 😄
Taking a taxi in Budapest should be straightforward. In most cases, all you need to do is order through a trusted app, check the licence plate, get in and enjoy the ride.
Just keep an eye on those bridges. 😉