The RiverRide Budapest is a special amphibious bus that can also drive straight into the river. It’s the perfect combination of a sightseeing tour around the city and a cruise on the Danube River in one vehicle. We’ve done it several times, and we can definitely recommend it!
This is a tour that begins like any regular sightseeing bus tour, passing by all the famous landmarks in the heart of Budapest. The company offers two options: a short route of about 50 minutes or a longer route of about 1.5 hours, with the difference being the length of the cruise section on the Danube.
The tour starts at Széchenyi Square (in front of Tokyo Restaurant) and then continues along a route inside the city, passing by sights such as József Attila Street, Andrássy Avenue, Heroes’ Square, Dózsa György Street and Dráva Street. After that, the bus drives directly into the river and continues as a boat, cruising past Budapest’s most famous riverside landmarks such as the Hungarian Parliament Building and Buda Castle.
The cruise length depends on the option you choose. On the short route, the cruise lasts about 20 minutes, while on the longer route, it is about 50 minutes. At the end, the bus exits the Danube and returns to the starting point at Széchenyi Square.
The tour also includes a live guide in English explaining the landmarks along the way. In addition, there is an audio guide available in a wide range of languages, including Spanish, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian, Danish, Hebrew, Polish, and Romanian.
We highly recommend this tour, especially for families with children looking for a fun and unique attraction in the city. The most exciting moment is the splash into the river, which is particularly thrilling for kids. Just note that this is not a hop-on hop-off service, as the RiverRide does not stop at stations for boarding or drop-off, it offers one continuous sightseeing tour. So, if 1.5 hours feels too long, we suggest choosing the shorter route.
The short tour departs at 10:30 AM, while the long tour runs several times a day at 11:30 AM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and also at 5:30 PM on Saturdays.
The ticket price is €26 for the short tour and €29 for the long tour. It is recommended to book in advance to secure your preferred date and time. You can do that here.
Széchenyi Square (in front of Tokyo Restaurant).
Short tour: departs at 10:30 am
Long tour: departs at 11:30 am, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm, and an additional 5:30 pm departure on Saturdays.
