Executive
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- 3 passengers
- 3 bags
- free Wi-Fi
€119 / transfer (incl. tax and parking)
€70 / hour (incl. tax)
Lake Balaton transfer – Siófok, Balatonfüred, Tihany, Hévíz
Door to door to the shores of the "Hungarian sea" – for holidays, weddings and conferences.
For many people, the drive to Lake Balaton is the first image of summer: a packed boot, a jammed M7 and a hunt for a parking space. We would like to rewrite that picture. With our Lake Balaton transfer we take you from Budapest, from Ferenc Liszt Airport or from anywhere in Hungary right to the entrance of your hotel, holiday home or event venue – and your holiday can begin in the car.
Covering 594 square kilometres, Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe. It is some 77 kilometres long, and almost every stretch of its shore shows a different face. The sandy, shallow beaches of the southern shore are a favourite with families, the volcanic buttes and vine-covered hills of the northern shore belong to wine lovers, and at the western end Hévíz and Keszthely are home to healing waters and culture. On this page we present the most popular destinations around the lake, the routes and typical travel scenarios.
- about 109 kmBudapest – Siófok
- about 129 kmBudapest – Balatonfüred
- about 196 kmBudapest – Hévíz
- 0–24available by phone
Route
Budapest to Lake Balaton: the M7 motorway and Road 71
The backbone of the route to Lake Balaton is the M7 motorway. From Budapest it runs via Érd and Székesfehérvár to the eastern tip of the lake, then continues above the southern shore, level with Siófok, Balatonszárszó and Balatonlelle, all the way to the western end of the lake and on towards Nagykanizsa. At Kőröshegy it crosses Hungary’s longest bridge, a viaduct almost 1.9 kilometres long – on a clear day it offers a lovely view of the lake and the far shore.
Road 71 takes you to the northern shore: it branches off Road 7 at the eastern end of the lake and follows the shore all the way to Keszthely, passing through Balatonfüred, below the Tihany peninsula, beneath Badacsony and past Szigliget. It is slower than the motorway, as it passes through many villages, but in return one of Lake Balaton’s finest panoramas accompanies you the whole way. For the western shore – Hévíz and Keszthely – it is best to stay on the M7 for as long as possible and turn off only at the western end of the lake.
| Destination | Distance from Budapest | Travel time (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Siófok (Lake Balaton) | about 109 km | about 1 h 15 min |
| Balatonfüred | about 129 km | about 1 h 45 min |
| Hévíz | about 196 km | about 2 h 15 min |
Distances and travel times are approximate, for normal traffic and without breaks.
When should you set off?
In the summer season, Friday afternoons and Sunday return journeys are the busiest times on the M7; on a Friday afternoon in early July the journey can take considerably longer than shown in the table. If you can, set off in the morning or late in the evening, and travel home on Monday morning – we are happy to help you find the ideal time when you book. Out of season, in spring and autumn, the road to Lake Balaton is calm and predictable, and this is when conferences and wellness weekends take over.
Southern shore
Siófok and the southern shore – beaches, hotels, events
Siófok is the largest town on Lake Balaton and the hub of the southern shore – it is no accident that it is called the capital of the lake. Its two best-known stretches of shore are the Gold Coast (Aranypart) and the Silver Coast (Ezüstpart), its symbol is the water tower in the town centre, and it was the birthplace of Imre Kálmán, composer of The Csárdás Princess. In summer the hotels, beaches and nightspots along Petőfi sétány are full, while the larger hotels host conferences, team-building training and company year-end events all year round.
From Budapest it is about 109 km, roughly 1 h 15 min in normal traffic – so even after a morning meeting you can easily make an afternoon conference by the lake. The other resorts of the southern shore, such as Zamárdi, Balatonszárszó, Balatonföldvár, Balatonlelle and Fonyód, are reached along the same route; with their shallow, gently shelving water, they are the favourite holiday spots of families with young children.
On family trips, luggage causes the most trouble: suitcases for a week’s holiday, beach gear, a pushchair. The answer is the Mercedes-Benz V-Class or the long-wheelbase Peugeot e-Traveller: both take seven passengers and seven pieces of luggage, and you can request child seats for either.
Northern shore
Balatonfüred and Tihany – Reform Era elegance and a thousand-year-old abbey
Balatonfüred is the time-honoured spa town of the Balaton Uplands. Its carbonated medicinal springs rise in Gyógy tér, home to the Kossuth Spring pump house and the heart hospital; the lakeside promenade is named after Rabindranath Tagore, who recovered here in 1926 and planted a tree in memory of his stay. The Jókai Villa was once the writer’s summer house, and the harbour and piers form one of the lake’s most elegant promenades on summer evenings. From Budapest it is about 129 km, roughly 1 h 45 min.
Two summer events in Füred reach far beyond the town. The Anna Ball has been held since 1825, today on the Saturday closest to St Anne’s Day – one of Hungary’s most distinguished society events. Also in July, the Blue Ribbon (Kékszalag), Europe’s largest round-the-lake sailing race, held since 1934, starts from Balatonfüred. On such days the town’s hotels fill up and parking is almost impossible – which is when it is especially valuable to be dropped at the entrance and collected from the same spot at the end of the event.
The Tihany peninsula
A quarter of an hour from Balatonfüred, the Tihany peninsula reaches out into the lake – one of the most beautiful spots on Lake Balaton. At its summit stands the Benedictine abbey, founded by King Andrew I in 1055; its founding charter is the oldest Hungarian charter to survive in its original form, and its Latin text includes Hungarian words – making it the oldest written record of the Hungarian language. The founding king himself rests here, in the crypt. From the abbey terrace you can see across the whole lake, and in early summer the lavender fields bloom in the heart of the peninsula.
A typical day in Füred and Tihany: a morning stroll along the Füred promenade, lunch by the water, the abbey and the peninsula in the afternoon, and dinner at a wine-country restaurant in the evening. An hourly booking is the most comfortable option – the car and chauffeur are at your disposal all day, and you decide how long to spend where. We also organise similar multi-stop programmes as part of our sightseeing and guided tours.
Wine and gastronomy
The wines of the Balaton Uplands – tasting without driving
Six wine regions surround Lake Balaton, and most of their wines are born on the volcanic slopes of the northern shore. The most prized grape of the Balatonfüred-Csopak wine region is Olaszrizling; on the slopes of the Badacsony butte Olaszrizling is also grown in the greatest quantity, yet the region’s most famous wine is Badacsony Szürkebarát (Pinot Gris). Somló, Hungary’s smallest wine region, is known for Juhfark, while on the southern shore the light whites and sparkling wines of the Balatonboglár wine region offer a counterpoint.
The stone-walled vineyards of the Káli Basin, Szigliget Castle and the vine-clad hill of Badacsony are the classic settings for a wine-tasting day. Most wineries ask you to book in advance, so it is worth putting your programme together before you book with us: we then tailor the route and timing to it. The greatest advantage is obvious – after the tastings nobody has to get behind the wheel, and every member of the party can enjoy the day equally.
For a party of one to three, the rear seat of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or the electric EQS offers a comfortable rest between two cellars; for a larger group of friends, the facing seats of the V-Class create a convivial atmosphere, with chilled drinks provided on request.
Sample itinerary
A day at Lake Balaton from Budapest – one possible plan
Many of our guests set aside just a single day for Lake Balaton, for example after a business trip or city break in Budapest. The plan below shows what fits comfortably into an hourly booking – and naturally every part of it can be shaped to your taste.
- Morning: departure from Budapest
From your hotel entrance along the M7, leaving after the rush hour, to the eastern tip of the lake, then on Road 71 towards the northern shore. - Late morning: Tihany
The abbey, the view of the lake, a short stroll through the peninsula’s old village – no need to think about parking, as the car waits nearby. - Lunch: Balatonfüred or Csopak
A fish dish by the water or a wine bistro at the foot of the vineyards, with a glass of Olaszrizling. - Afternoon: Badacsony or the Káli Basin
A cellar visit booked in advance, Szürkebarát and views of the buttes. - Evening: back to Budapest
On the way home you can rest, read or work – there is Wi-Fi in the car too.
If you would rather spend the second half of the day on the southern shore, the programme can be swapped for Siófok or a day on the beach; and if you come for two days, you can add a swim at Hévíz and the palace in Keszthely. We always adapt the route to your pace.
Western shore
Hévíz and Keszthely – a healing lake and an aristocratic palace
Hévíz is built around the world’s largest biologically active natural thermal lake with a peat-mud bed. The 4.4-hectare lake is surrounded by 33.9 hectares of protective woodland; its water never drops below 22 °C even in winter, reaches 35–38 °C in summer and, thanks to its abundant springs, is completely renewed roughly every three days. The lake bath is therefore open in winter too, and the town’s hotels welcome guests all year round – many come for a cure lasting several weeks, not only from Hungary but also from neighbouring countries and Western Europe.
Guests coming for a cure often travel from Ferenc Liszt Airport straight to Hévíz. In that case the airport Meet & Greet and the transfer become a single journey: your chauffeur waits in the arrivals hall with a name sign, helps with your luggage and heads for Lake Balaton via the M0, bypassing the city centre. From Budapest to Hévíz it is about 196 km, roughly 2 h 15 min; if you have a lot of luggage, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VIP has room for twelve suitcases.
Keszthely and the Festetics Palace
A few kilometres from Hévíz lies Keszthely, the western gateway to Lake Balaton. The town’s pride is the Festetics Palace, today the Helikon Palace Museum: its ornate library hall was furnished between 1799 and 1801, and it is the only aristocratic private library in Hungary to survive intact with its original collection and furnishings. The palace park, the town centre and the lakeside can easily be explored in half a day, and nearby Szigliget and Badacsony make an ideal addition to a day on the western shore.
Hévíz–Balaton Airport, Sármellék
South of Keszthely, near Sármellék, lies Hévíz–Balaton Airport. In 2002 it became Hungary’s second international airport after Budapest; today it mainly handles seasonal leisure charter flights, and the schedule changes from year to year. If you are arriving or departing here, you can also book a transfer to or from the Sármellék terminal – to Hévíz, Keszthely, any town or village around Lake Balaton, or Budapest. For the current season’s flights, it is best to check the airport’s own website.
Occasions
Who and what for? Travelling to Lake Balaton
Wellness and healing
A cure in Hévíz, a wellness weekend in Füred or a spa hotel in Tihany: relaxation begins the moment you step into the car at your gate. At the end of a longer stay, we arrange the journey home in advance too.
Corporate events and team building
A conference in Siófok, a strategy meeting at a manor house in the Uplands, a year-end dinner by the water. We look after executives and guests from arrival to departure – with a Round trip, for groups of up to 50.
A wedding at Lake Balaton
A reception at a winery, a castle hotel or on the waterfront: alongside the newlyweds’ car, guests can travel comfortably from Budapest and back.
Family holidays
Seven passengers, seven bags, child seats on request – the V-Class and the e-Traveller are roomy enough even for a large family, so the first day of your holiday is not spent in a traffic jam.
Summer events
Throughout the summer months, festivals, concerts, wine weeks and regattas follow one after another along the shore. A journey home timed to the end of the event frees up your evening.
International guests
Partners, friends or family flying in to Budapest from abroad are taken straight from the airport to their accommodation at Lake Balaton, with a chauffeur who speaks foreign languages.
Corporate travel
Corporate events at Lake Balaton – at a corporate rate
In recent years Lake Balaton has become one of the most popular venues for corporate events: it is close enough to Budapest that a two-day programme does not lose too much time to travel, yet far enough away for participants to genuinely break from their daily routine. The conference hotels of Siófok and Füred, the wine estates of the Uplands and the event venues of Tihany are all in demand.
In a programme like this, passenger transport is the invisible backdrop that simply has to work. We offer our business clients a corporate rate, all of a company’s journeys can appear on a single invoice, and electronic payment is available. The chief executive can travel in an S-Class or an EQS, the leadership team in a V-Class, and the exhibition materials and equipment in a Sprinter VIP. Free Wi-Fi in every car means you can work on the road, and the facing seats of a V-Class even allow a short meeting. You can read more about our corporate options on our corporate chauffeur service page.
The off-season months bring their own advantages: in spring and autumn the hotels are quieter, the shore is calmer and traffic on the M7 is predictable, so a two-day leadership workshop or a partner meeting at Lake Balaton is easy to organise. In winter, the wellness hotels of Hévíz and Füred make a fitting venue for an end-of-year thank-you to your most important clients.
For an event at Lake Balaton lasting several days, it is worth letting us know the arrival and departure times and the number of participants early in the planning – so we can put together the vehicles and routes to ensure everyone arrives and leaves at the time that suits them best.
Vehicles
Which car should you take to Lake Balaton?
For couples or business trips of one to three passengers, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the elegant, good-value choice; if you are looking for the very highest comfort, we recommend the S-Class or the quiet, 100% electric Mercedes-Benz EQS, whose long range easily reaches any point on Lake Balaton. For families and groups of friends there is the V-Class or the e-Traveller, and for lots of luggage the Sprinter VIP. For environmentally conscious travellers, our electric fleet offers an alternative with zero local emissions.
Each vehicle’s transfer fare includes tax and parking, and its hourly rate includes tax – for example, the V-Class costs €179 per transfer or €110 per hour. For a Lake Balaton journey, our team will send you an exact quote once they know the route, after you book; you will find the details on our prices and FAQ page.
Eco / Luxury · electric
Mercedes-Benz EQS
- 3 passengers
- 3 bags
- free Wi-Fi
- 100% electric
€199 / transfer (incl. tax and parking)
€125 / hour (incl. tax)
VIP minivan
Mercedes-Benz V-Class
- 7 passengers
- 7 bags
- free Wi-Fi
€179 / transfer (incl. tax and parking)
€110 / hour (incl. tax)
Eco · electric
Peugeot e-Traveller
- 7 passengers
- 7 bags
- free Wi-Fi
- 100% electric
€149 / transfer (incl. tax and parking)
€95 / hour (incl. tax)
Booking
How to book your Lake Balaton transfer
- Destination and time
Give us the pick-up address – a Budapest flat, a hotel, the airport or any address in Hungary – and the exact address of your accommodation or event venue at Lake Balaton. - Passengers, luggage, requirements
The number of passengers and suitcases, child seats, perhaps sports equipment – we recommend the vehicle on this basis. - One way, return or a full day
A simple transfer, a journey home at a later date, or a car at your disposal by the hour for a day with several stops. - Quote and confirmation
Our team will be in touch shortly with the final quote.
You can book by phone 24 hours a day, via WhatsApp or by email; we have gathered the details we need on our booking and quotes page. If your trip to Lake Balaton is part of a longer tour of the country, you will find an overview of other destinations on our premium transfers anywhere in Hungary page, and for a wedding by the lake our wedding car with chauffeur page offers further ideas.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Budapest to Lake Balaton?
In normal traffic and without breaks: Siófok about 1 h 15 min, Balatonfüred about 1 h 45 min, Hévíz about 2 h 15 min. On summer Fridays and Sunday afternoons it can take longer because of congestion on the M7.
Do you also go to the northern shore, for example Tihany or Badacsony?
Yes, to any town or village on Lake Balaton. Road 71 serves the northern shore, following it through Balatonfüred and Badacsony all the way to Keszthely.
Can we go straight from the airport to our accommodation at Lake Balaton?
Yes. Your chauffeur waits in the arrivals hall with a name sign, escorts you to the car and heads for Lake Balaton via the M0, bypassing the city centre.
Can I book a transfer to or from Hévíz–Balaton Airport?
Yes, passengers arriving at or departing from Sármellék airport can also request a quote to Hévíz, Keszthely, any town or village around Lake Balaton, or Budapest.
Which car do you recommend for a family holiday at Lake Balaton?
For up to seven passengers, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class or the electric Peugeot e-Traveller – both take seven pieces of luggage. If you have a great deal of luggage, the Sprinter VIP takes six passengers and twelve bags.
Can I book a car with chauffeur for a wine-tasting day?
Yes, and an hourly booking is the most comfortable option: the car and chauffeur are at your disposal all day, and nobody has to drive after the tastings.
Do you take larger groups to corporate events at Lake Balaton?
Yes, as part of a Round trip we can arrange transport for up to 50 people. We offer our business clients a corporate rate, a single invoice and electronic payment.
How much does a Lake Balaton transfer cost?
For a Lake Balaton journey, our team will send you an exact quote once they know the route, after you book. You will find the transfer fares and hourly rates for each vehicle on our Prices page.
Read on
Related pages
Premium transfers anywhere in HungaryFrom Budapest to the countryside and back – door to door, by Mercedes-Benz or electric car.Read more 
Wedding car with chauffeur – elegance on your big dayFor weddings, anniversaries and special evenings – for the couple and their guests.Read more 
Mercedes-Benz V-Class with chauffeur – a VIP minivan for sevenA spacious, elegant minivan with facing seats – for families, teams and wine-country outings.Read more Booking 24/7
Heading for Lake Balaton – door to door
Tell us where you would like to set off from and where you are going on the lakeshore – our team is ready for your call, WhatsApp message or email 24 hours a day.