VIP minivan
Mercedes-Benz V-Class
- 7 passengers
- 7 bags
- free Wi-Fi
€179 / transfer (incl. tax and parking)
€110 / hour (incl. tax)
Kerestir pilgrimage – private transfer from Budapest to Bodrogkeresztúr
Kerestir, the ohel of Reb Shayele and the Jewish heritage of the Tokaj region – about 220 km, two and a half hours.
A village on the banks of the Bodrog, next door to Tokaj, whose name is known to almost everyone in the world’s traditional Jewish communities: Kerestir in Yiddish, Bodrogkeresztúr in Hungarian. For a Kerestir pilgrimage from Budapest, what you need is not a tour guide but a calm, reliable private transfer – so that your attention can rest on the pilgrimage, not on the road.
- Why Kerestir?
- Route and journey time
- Yahrzeit dates
- Visiting during the rest of the year
- Other holy sites in the area
- Groups and families
We help not as a travel agency but as a passenger transport company: we provide a clean, comfortable car with a chauffeur from Budapest – from your hotel or straight from the airport – to Bodrogkeresztúr (Kerestir) and back, and to other places in the region. With more than 25 years and more than 150,000 rides behind us, we know that on a journey like this, punctuality and discretion matter most. We have driven religious leaders before, and respect for religious observance goes without saying for us.
Background to the pilgrimage
Why do tens of thousands travel to Kerestir every year?
The village has fewer than a thousand inhabitants, yet on the spring anniversary tens of thousands of pilgrims arrive here from Europe, North America and Israel. The draw is a single man: Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir, known to his followers as Reb Shayele. He was born in 1851 in the village of Zborov, in what is today north-eastern Slovakia, spent a formative part of his years of study at the side of the Rebbe of Liska (Olaszliszka), later settled in Kerestir, and led the Hasidic community here until his passing in 1925.
What is remembered above all is not his scholarly works but his open house. In the stories told about him, the same images return again and again: the laid table at which anyone could sit, and the counsel he never refused to anyone. His followers believe that his intercession still gives strength today, and so they come to his ohel – many praying for their livelihood, their health and their families. The handwritten petitions left at the grave – each one a kvitel – are quiet signs of that trust.
The pilgrimage, then, is not a tourist outing but a personal, often family, religious occasion. That is why the journey itself should not be a distraction: if you set off from Budapest at dawn, it helps to be able to pray, rest or quietly prepare for the day in the car.
Our task is the journey. The substance, order and customs of the pilgrimage are set by the pilgrims and their communities – we follow them, taking you there and bringing you back.
Budapest – the Tokaj wine region
Route and journey time for your transfer from Budapest to Bodrogkeresztúr
Kerestir lies about 220 km from central Budapest, in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, in the heart of the Tokaj wine region. Most of the route is motorway: east on the M3, then on the M30 towards Miskolc, and from there along main road 37 via Szerencs to the village. In normal traffic the journey takes roughly two and a half hours without a break.
| Destination | Distance from Budapest | Travel time (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Bodrogkeresztúr / Kerestir (Tokaj region) | about 220 km | about 2 h 30 min |
| Miskolc | about 183 km | about 2 h |
| Eger | about 129 km | about 1 h 30 min |
| Košice (Slovakia) | about 260 km | about 2 h 30 min – 3 h |
Distances and travel times are approximate, for normal traffic and without breaks.
Arriving from the airport
Most pilgrims land at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD). From there, the M0 ring road leads to the M3 motorway without passing through the city centre, so the journey time from the airport is similar. With our Budapest airport transfer, your chauffeur waits for you in the arrivals hall with a name sign as part of our Meet & Greet service, walks you to the car and drives you to your chosen address – straight to Kerestir, if you wish.
On the way
There are several rest areas and service stations along the M3 motorway, and the two-and-a-half-hour journey is easily managed with one short stop. Our electric vehicles – the Mercedes-Benz EQS and the Peugeot e-Traveller – are well suited to longer journeys outside the capital too; with its long range, the EQS will take you comfortably anywhere in Hungary. For other destinations in the region, see our Eger, Miskolc and Tokaj transfers page.
3 Iyar
When is Reb Shayele’s yahrzeit? Dates for 2027 and 2028
Reb Shayele’s yahrzeit falls on 3 Iyar in the Jewish calendar. Because the Jewish calendar follows the moon, the civil date changes from year to year; and because the Jewish day begins at sunset, the commemoration starts on the evening before the anniversary. Many pilgrims arrive in the area several days in advance.
| Year | 3 Iyar | Commemoration begins |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Monday 10 May | Sunday 9 May, evening |
| 2028 | Saturday 29 April | Friday 28 April, evening |
The dates are based on the hebcal.com Jewish calendar converter. In 2028 the yahrzeit falls on Shabbat – observant pilgrims then plan their travel for the days before and after Shabbat.
What to expect around the yahrzeit
During the yahrzeit, the quiet village is completely transformed. The local authorities and the police introduce temporary traffic arrangements: some streets become one-way, vehicle access to the roads leading to the cemetery is restricted, and vehicles must stop in designated parking areas, from where you continue on foot. Progress is slower on main road 37 and in the neighbouring villages too. The authorities set the exact arrangements themselves each year, and police instructions always take precedence.
- Book early. Accommodation in the region and the larger vehicles fill up quickly on these days.
- Allow for a longer journey. The two-and-a-half-hour drive can take considerably longer around the yahrzeit.
- Agree the drop-off and pick-up point. We fix the meeting place shortly before the journey, in line with the local traffic arrangements.
- Wear comfortable shoes. There may be stretches on foot from the car parks to the cemetery and the pilgrim houses.
On quieter days
The ohel can be visited on any day of the year
Many people assume that Kerestir only receives pilgrims in spring, around the yahrzeit. In fact visitors come all year round – families, small groups, people travelling alone – and, according to local experience, mainly at weekends. A pilgrimage on an ordinary day is calmer: there are no traffic restrictions, the cemetery is quiet, and the day has an entirely different pace.
From Budapest, a journey like this is usually a full day. The time spent at the ohel and at the rebbe’s former house is entirely personal – some would move on after an hour, others would spend half a day in the village. That is why an hourly booking, with the chauffeur following your instructions, often suits a pilgrimage better than a simple return transfer: the day is not fixed, and your return time can follow your own programme.
There are also independent pilgrim houses in the village offering accommodation and meals – we do not run them, so it is best to arrange your stay directly with them. If you are planning a pilgrimage over several days, we will take you to your accommodation and back.
Planning
Friday travel and short winter days – what to know about timing
In Jewish tradition, Shabbat begins at sunset on Friday. In winter the sun sets in the Zemplén region before four in the afternoon, so a Friday day trip from Budapest leaves a very narrow window at that time of year. On long summer days there is far more time – but the timing is always your decision.
That is why we ask you to tell us in your quote request not only your departure time but also when you need to be back at your accommodation or at the airport. We plan the schedule around this and confirm it in the final quote. If time is tight on the way back, it is worth moving your visit to an earlier day in the week or booking accommodation in the region.
Dress and conduct at the cemetery
At the cemetery and in the pilgrim houses, modest dress in keeping with religious tradition is appropriate. Many pray quietly at the grave; before taking photographs, look around first, and if others are present, ask their permission. If your party includes a companion who is not a member of the community, they would do well to learn about local customs in advance – pilgrims and locals alike appreciate such consideration.
Travelling with children?
Many families come with several generations. When you book, you can request a child seat: an infant seat (0–1 years), a toddler seat (1–3 years) or a booster seat (3–6 years). Let us know the number and ages of the children, and we will prepare the car accordingly.
Example
A one-day pilgrimage from Budapest – how it might look
The schedule below is just one possible example; the real programme always follows your needs, the time of day and the season. We show it so that, when planning, you can see how much time goes on the places you visit and how much on the drive.
- Early morning: departure from Budapest
Pick-up at your hotel or flat, then north-east via the M3 and M30 motorways. On the two-and-a-half-hour journey you can rest, read or pray – and stay in touch with your family over the free Wi-Fi. - Morning: Kerestir
Arrival in the village, a visit to the ohel and the rebbe’s former house. How long you stay is entirely up to you – with an hourly booking there is no need to hurry. - Early afternoon: Liska (Olaszliszka)
A quarter of an hour’s drive to the grave of the Rebbe of Liska. If you wish, Ujhel (Sátoraljaújhely) can also fit into the day – please mention this when you book. - Afternoon: a short break
A brief stop in Tokaj or on the way, before setting off back to Budapest. - Evening: arrival in Budapest
At your accommodation, an address in Budapest or straight at the airport – we fix the time when you book.
A day like this usually takes ten to twelve hours. If your programme is longer, or you wish to visit several holy sites, it is worth staying overnight in Zemplén and travelling home the next day – so that the pilgrimage does not become a rush. For a programme of several days, send us the full schedule broken down by day, and you will receive all the journeys in a single quote.
The Tokaj wine region and Zemplén
Several holy sites in one day – pilgrimage places near Kerestir
Kerestir is not an isolated point on the map. The towns and villages of the Tokaj wine region and Zemplén were once home to flourishing Jewish communities, closely linked to wine production and the wine trade. Today their holy sites form a whole pilgrimage map, and several of them can easily be combined with a journey to Kerestir.
Olaszliszka (Liska)
Here rests Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Friedman, the Rebbe of Liska and teacher of Reb Shayele. It is roughly a quarter of an hour’s drive from Kerestir, so many pilgrims visit both graves on the same day.
Sátoraljaújhely (Ujhel)
The town’s old Jewish cemetery is the resting place of Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, also known as the Yismach Moshe after his principal work. It lies some 40 kilometres from Kerestir, roughly thirty to forty-five minutes away.
Mád and Tokaj
Mád’s late Baroque synagogue is one of the finest Jewish monuments in the region. Tokaj lies just a few kilometres from Kerestir – the town that gives the wine region its name makes a pleasant stop before the journey home.
Nagykálló (Kalov)
This town near Nyíregyháza is the resting place of Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Taub, the Rebbe of Kalov. It is roughly an hour from Kerestir, so it fits better into a two-day programme.
A single day comfortably allows for Kerestir plus one or two nearby stops, such as Liska or Ujhel. If you would like to visit more places, or include Kalov, it is worth spreading the programme over two days. We fix the route in advance, but it can be changed along the way – please list your stops in order when you book.
If you are arriving from Slovakia or travelling on there, it is useful to know that Košice is a little over an hour’s drive from Kerestir; read more on our Budapest to Košice transfer page.
At a glance
The pilgrimage in numbers
- approx. 220 kmfrom central Budapest
- 2.5 hoursjourney time in normal traffic
- 3 IyarReb Shayele’s yahrzeit
- 50 peoplethe group size possible with our Round trip service
Vehicles
Group pilgrimages to Kerestir: V-Class, Sprinter VIP, e-Traveller
Pilgrims often travel with family, friends or a community group. For up to seven people, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class and the fully electric Peugeot e-Traveller keep the party together; if there is a lot of luggage, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VIP carries six passengers and up to twelve pieces of luggage. For one to three passengers, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a comfortable, well-priced choice for a longer journey outside the capital.
VIP minibus
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VIP
- 6 passengers
- 12 bags
- free Wi-Fi
€334 / transfer (incl. tax and parking)
€120 / 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)
Executive
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- 3 passengers
- 3 bags
- free Wi-Fi
€119 / transfer (incl. tax and parking)
€70 / hour (incl. tax)
Larger groups – Round trip for up to 50 people
When a community, a school or a large family travels together, our Round trip service can transport up to 50 people. It is designed precisely so that a group can visit several places outside the capital in a short time, with the stops adjusted flexibly along the way – if, for example, you spend longer at the grave, or another holy site is added to the list.
With several vehicles, we divide the group between the cars according to the number of people and the luggage. Free Wi-Fi and mineral water await passengers in all our vehicles, and in the V-Class we can also provide chilled drinks on request. Our chauffeurs speak foreign languages and have years of experience looking after VIP guests.
For corporate or organisational clients we offer a single invoice and electronic payment; the full fleet is presented on our Our fleet page.
Fares and quotes
How much does a Kerestir transfer to Bodrogkeresztúr cost?
We publish our vehicle fares openly: transfer fares include tax and parking, and hourly rates include tax. For a pilgrimage to Kerestir – whether one way, a return day trip, a multi-stop journey or a trip of several days – we send a tailored quote based on the route, the schedule, the number of passengers and the vehicle you choose.
| Vehicle | Category | Passengers (max.) | Luggage (max.) | Wi-Fi | Transfer incl. tax and parking | Hourly rate incl. tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | Executive | 3 | 3 | free | €119 | €70 |
| Mercedes-Benz V-Class | VIP minivan | 7 | 7 | free | €179 | €110 |
| Peugeot e-Traveller electric | Eco | 7 | 7 | free | €149 | €95 |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VIP | VIP minibus | 6 | 12 | free | €334 | €120 |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class | Luxury | 3 | 3 | free | €199 | €125 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS electric | Eco / Luxury | 3 | 3 | free | €199 | €125 |
The key details for a quote request are: the date of travel, the pick-up point (hotel or flight number), the number of passengers and pieces of luggage, the places you wish to visit, and when you need to be back. Our three contact channels – phone 0–24 hours, WhatsApp and email – are set out on the booking and quotes page, where you will also find a ready-made email template. Our team will get back to you shortly with a final quote. You can also pay by credit card.
Budapest’s Jewish heritage before or after your journey
Many pilgrims also spend their days in Budapest exploring its heritage. In the former Jewish quarter in District VII stand the Dohány Street Synagogue – the largest synagogue in Europe – as well as the Rumbach Street and Kazinczy Street synagogues. If you would like to add a programme in Budapest before or after the pilgrimage, we can arrange this with an hourly booking; you will find ideas on the sightseeing and guided tours with a private driver page.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How far is Kerestir (Bodrogkeresztúr) from Budapest?
It is about 220 km from the city centre – roughly two and a half hours by car on the M3 and M30 motorways, followed by main road 37.
When is the yahrzeit in 2027?
In 2027, 3 Iyar falls on Monday 10 May, and the commemoration begins on the evening of Sunday 9 May. In 2028 the yahrzeit falls on Saturday 29 April.
Can we drive right up to the cemetery on the yahrzeit?
Temporary traffic arrangements are in force around the yahrzeit: vehicles stop in designated car parks, from where you continue on foot. We agree the drop-off and pick-up point in line with the local arrangements.
Can the ohel be visited on other days of the year?
Yes. Pilgrims come all year round, mainly at weekends. At those times there are no traffic restrictions and the visit is calmer.
Can Liska and Ujhel fit into the same day?
Yes. Liska (Olaszliszka) is a quarter of an hour and Ujhel (Sátoraljaújhely) roughly thirty to forty-five minutes from Kerestir, so all three places fit into a day trip from Budapest.
Which vehicle suits a larger family or group?
For up to seven people we recommend the Mercedes-Benz V-Class or the electric Peugeot e-Traveller, and with a lot of luggage the Sprinter VIP. With our Round trip service we can transport up to 50 people.
We are travelling alone or as a couple – which car should we choose?
For one to three passengers, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a comfortable, well-priced choice for a longer journey outside the capital; if you would like a particularly quiet ride, the electric Mercedes-Benz EQS is also a good option.
Can I request a child seat?
Yes: an infant seat (0–1 years), a toddler seat (1–3 years) or a booster seat (3–6 years). Please mention it when you book, together with the children’s ages.
Do you book accommodation?
We do not book accommodation; it is best to contact the independent pilgrim houses in the village directly. We will, of course, take you to your accommodation and back.
How do I get a quote?
Call us 0–24 hours, or write to us on WhatsApp or by email, giving the date, the number of passengers, the places you wish to visit and when you need to be back. Our team will send you a final quote shortly.
Read on
Related pages
Eger, Miskolc and Tokaj – transfers from BudapestCastles, wine regions, spas and business centres in northern Hungary.Read more 
Budapest airport transfer with Meet & GreetYour driver waits in the arrivals hall with a name sign, walks you to the car and takes you to your address.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
Let us plan your pilgrimage together
Tell us when you are travelling, how many of you there are, where you are starting from and which places you would like to visit – our team will get back to you shortly with a final quote.