Visit Buda Castle with a Wheelchair

Visiting Buda Castle with a wheelchair is absolutely possible, but it requires a bit of planning to make the trip smoother and more enjoyable. Here is some helpful advice when planning your trip to the Buda Castle District in Budapest.

Getting Around Buda Castle Hill

• Accessible Buses: Take the Bus number 16A or 116 bus from Széll Kálmán Square or from Deak Square. These buses are wheelchair-friendly and will take you close to the castle area. The buses in Budapest feature a low floor and thus they are all wheelchair-accessible (typically the middle door with the icon showing a wheelchair and buggy).
• Taxis: You can consider taking a wheelchair friendly taxi directly to the top of Castle Hill.
• Parking: If you’re planning to drive a rented car to the Buda Castle Hill, kindly be aware that this is not an easy option due to the many restrictions and steep prices in and around the Buda Castle areas. We suggest using the public transport buses or a wheelchair friendly taxi to avoid the stress getting around in Budapest for first time visitors may mean.

Attractions on Buda Castle Hilltop

• Smooth Pathways: Stick to smoother paths as much as possible. The Castle District hilltop area consists of a more modern residential area, which is more compatible with a wheelchair, and a historical castle area, which has cobblestone streets and courtyards. Having said that, there are smoother pavements along some routes, particularly near major attractions like the Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion.
• Elevators and Ramps:
  • Buda Castle Complex: Elevators and ramps are available in several areas of the Buda Royal Palace, such as inside the Hungarian National Gallery and Budapest History Museum and the remarkably luxurious gilded St Stephen’s Hall (also featuring wheelchair friendly toilets)
  • Fisherman’s Bastion: While the upper levels of the Bastion have limited accessibility, and are not wheelchair friendly, the lower terrace areas are wheelchair-friendly. We suggest using an all terrain wheel chair, lightweight to carry around or get a lift if needed and  suitable to reduce the bumps on the various terrains on the Buda Castle hilltop.
  • Cave Visit in Hospital in the Rock Museum: Buda Castle District is built on top of a complicated system of caves in the Emmental holed Castle hill. There are several cave tours in Buda Castle, one of which partly can be visited by wheelchair users. The museum can be approached with a lift from the castle hilltop. The Hospital in the Rock – Nuclear Bunker Museum in Budapest offers partial accessibility, allowing visitors with mobility aids and their companions free entry to the hospital section of the guided tour, while the machinery area remains inaccessible due to steps and narrow corridors. It’s recommended to inform the museum in advance for assistance. Although visitors using mobility aids may miss the final 15 minutes of the tour, getting inside part of the cave system underground may offer a special opportunity and hidden gem attraction in Budapest (this historic site, originally built as an underground hospital during WWII using the century old cave system, is now open as a museum).
  • Restaurants in the Buda Castle: some of the restaurants in the Buda Castle are wheelchair friendly. Please send your inquiry here: Buda Castle Restaurants

Toilets for Wheelchair Users in Buda Castle District

• Accessible Toilets: Look for accessible restrooms at major attractions like the National Gallery and History Museum. In the vicinity of the Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion you may wish to find out about the option to use wheelchair accessible toilets inside the Buda Castle Hotel Hilton.
• Wheelchair Rentals: Some museums in the castle district provides simple wheelchair rentals for those who do not require permanent wheelchair use. Kindly contact the museum / gallery ahead of time to confirm availability.

Plan Ahead: Online Reservations & Private Tours

• Tickets: You can buy your tickets online in advance for attractions like the Hungarian National Gallery or St Stephen’s Hall. This can help skip long lines, especially if you need assistance.
• Guided Tours: While, unfortunately, public tours in the Buda Castle District are not suitable for wheelchair users, we can offer private tours specifically designed for accessibility. The private guides are familiar with wheelchair-friendly routes (languages can be booked in English, German, Spanish, Italian etc.). As the guide will be booked only for you please plan with costs accordingly. Contact us for a quote at info [at] budacastlebudapest.com

Lifts in the Buda Castle

There are multiple lifts (Iskola Street, Murad Lift, Castle Garden Bazaar Lifts, Szechenyi National Library Lift and Granit Lift) at various points in the Buda Castle District. Although not all of them may be functional on the day of your visit, as, due to traffic and weather conditions, some may be in need of maintenance, they are mostly very well looked after. One of the most used lifts is probably the Granite Lift (in Hungarian, Granit Lift). On Google Maps you can see the Lift and Stairs to plan your route.

Castle Garden Bazaar Lift
The lift at Castle Garden Bazaar is very spacious (it may be running smoothly but there are occasional downtimes, unfortunately.) The Castle Garden Bazaar (Várkert Bazár) is accessible for wheelchair users via several transport options in Budapest. The 16 bus from Deák Ferenc Square or Széll Kálmán Square is wheelchair-accessible and stops at Clark Ádám Sq. From here, next to the Tunnel, you can take a short, flat ride. From Nyugati Railway Station, you can use the M3 metro to Deák Ferenc tér (accessible metro stationsÖ, then board the accessible, low floor number 105 bus to Clark Ádám Square for an easy approach to the venue.

The Gránit Lift: Accessible Access to Buda Castle

The Gránit Lift bridges the height difference between Lovas Street and the Tóth Árpád Promenade, running alongside the modern Gránit Staircase, which connects to the historic castle wall. The lift, discreetly built into the castle wall, ascends approximately 10 metres, starting from Lovas Street and arriving at the scenic promenade above. A similar integration of a lift into castle walls can be found in Gironella, Spain, providing an international example of thoughtful design.

The Gránit Lift – next to the steep Granite Stairs – offers a convenient alternative to the long staircase, taking visitors directly to the heart of Buda Castle’s residential district and the scenic Tóth Árpád Promenade with its breathtaking views. Located on the western side of the Castle, the lift solves the challenge of navigating the steep climb from Krisztinaváros (Taban, Varosmajor etc.) neighbourhood of Budapest. This compact lift accommodates up to eight passengers, including strollers and bicycles, making it suitable for a wide range of visitors. It is equipped with surveillance cameras for added safety. Upon exiting, visitors are greeted with panoramic vistas of Krisztinaváros, Vérmező, and Buda’s hills and valleys (the opposite side of the Castle Hill offers panorama over the river Danube in Budapest, the Hungarian Parliament building, the Basilica etc.).

The Iskola Street Lift provides a practical solution for accessing Buda Castle, connecting the lower-level park to the Gimnazium Street level, while being discreetly integrated behind the late Baroque Iskola Staircase. The lift’s construction required innovative techniques, including careful breakthroughs in the thick vaulted walls, ensuring the preservation of the historic surroundings. The lift is in the vicinity of the History of Music on Tancsics Street and Castle Hilton Hotel.

The Murad Lift offers access to the Turkish monument commemorating the medieval battles in the Buda Castle against the Ottoman Turks and providing access to the Anjou Bastion. As you notice, this part of the promenade is covered in cobblestones.

Miscellaneous Advice for Wheelchair Visitors

• Comfortable Timing: Please visit the Buda Castle area during daylight hours and possibly avoid peak tourist times (weekends between 10 and 4 pm), as narrow pathways can get crowded.
• Companion: If possible, travel with a companion who can assist with navigating uneven paths or explore temporary closures and find out about alternative pathways.