Money at Budapest Ferenc Liszt (BUD)
Currency, tipping and cash-vs-card for arrivals at Budapest, Hungary.
Budapest uses the HUF (Ft). Expected airport→city taxi fare is roughly HUF 2200–HUF 9000. Card usually accepted; avoid airport currency kiosks.
Airport currency kiosks quote rates 5–15% worse than any bank ATM inside the terminal. If you need cash on landing, use an in-terminal bank ATM — not the "0% commission" kiosks (the margin is in the rate).
Frequently asked
Q.What currency is used at Budapest Ferenc Liszt (BUD)?
Hungary uses the HUF (Ft). Airport ATMs dispense HUF directly — skip the exchange kiosks.
Q.How much should a taxi from BUD to the city cost?
Expected fare on the BUD → Deák Ferenc tér route is roughly HUF 2200–HUF 9000. Around HUF 12,000+ is already high, and HUF 20,000+ unmarked is a scam quote — confirm the meter or a printed rate before you get in.
Q.Do I tip taxi drivers at BUD?
Round up or ~10%. Drivers in Hungary don't rely on tips the way US drivers do; inflated "tips" are sometimes used to justify an overcharge — pay the metered fare first, then decide.
Q.Cash or card for a taxi at BUD?
Card usually accepted; avoid airport currency kiosks. "Card machine broken" is the most common excuse to force a cash overpay — carry a small stack of HUF notes and you keep the leverage.
Q.Should I change money at BUD?
Only if you need $10–20 of HUF to cover a taxi or a SIM card. Airport exchange kiosks quote 5–15% worse than a bank ATM in the same terminal. If your card has no FX fee, just pay by card and skip cash entirely.
Every transport option ranked, fare tiers, first-30-minute checklist and reported scams.