Lake Balaton Getting there & around

Getting around

Railway service on both the northern and southern sides of the lake is fairly frequent. A better way to see the lake up close, though, is on a ferry run by the Balaton Shipping Co (Balatoni Hajózási Rt; 84-310 050; www.balatonihajozas.hu; Krúdy sétány 2, Siófok). Ferries operate on the Siófok-Balatonfüred-Tihany-Balatonföldvár route, and from Fonyód to the Badacsony, up to four times daily in April/May and September/October, with many more frequent sailings from June to August. From late May to early September, ferries ply the lake from Balatonkenese to Keszthely and Révfülöp to Balatonboglár. There is also a regular car ferry between Tihanyi-rév and Szántódi-rév (from early March to late November). There are no passenger services on the lake in winter, ie from November to March.

Adults pay 720Ft for distances of one to 10km, 1020Ft for 11km to 20km and 1240Ft for 21km to 70km. Children pay half-price and return fares are slightly less than double the one-way fare. To transport a bicycle it costs 400/700Ft one way/return.

The car ferries charge 360/150/550/1040Ft per person/bicycle/motorcycle/car.