Bath Guests are kindly informed that tickets and treatments will not be pre-bookable (online reservation will be suspended) during a world-renowned music festival week in Budapest called Sziget Festival, one of the largest music festivals in Europe attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year (over half a million people in 2018). We apologise for any inconvenience caused in advance.
Dates of Temporary Stop on Online Bookings
Online sales stopped, tickets available at the cashiers only:
Aug 5 – 11, 2020
This means that daytime tickets and massage treatments (or any other treatments) can only be purchased on the spot during the Sziget Festival days, which are the following:
August, 4, 2020- online pre-booking available, internet bookings accepted
August, 5, 2020– tickets & massages available on the spot (no pre-booking)
August, 6, 2020– tickets & massages available on the spot (no pre-booking)
August, 7, 2020 – tickets & massages available on the spot (no pre-booking)
August, 8, 2020– tickets & massages available on the spot (no pre-booking)
August, 9, 2020– tickets & massages available on the spot (no pre-booking)
August, 10, 2020– tickets & massages available on the spot (no pre-booking)
August, 11, 2020– tickets & massages available on the spot (no pre-booking)
August, 12, 2020- online pre-booking available, internet bookings accepted
Before August 5th and after Aug 11th treatments and fast track tickets can be booked again online. During the period of Aug 5-11, you can only buy tickets at the baths, there is no pre-purchase option.
Szechenyi Baths Party on Aug 8 can still be booked online:
Booking Aug 8 Bath PartyWhy the Temporary Break?
Sziget Festival is held every August in Budapest: there are thousands of visitors wishing to get into the baths, queues of over an hour build-up at the two major and most popular thermal baths of Budapest, SzechenyiBaths and Gellert Spa. The dense queues of visitors unfortunately often block the way to Guests who have pre-purchased a skip the line entry (or who do not realise how they could skip the line). Unfortunately, the lack of easy access through the crowds to the baths has caused complaints in the past, the fast track entries became ‘slow-track entries’ as there was no space left in the baths and visitors needed to wait over 1 hour to simply get into the baths, sometimes even with a fast track ticket.
The temporary suspension of online bookings for the affected period (Aug 5- 11) will hopefully help to minimise expectations of ‘skip the line’ or ‘fast track entries’, as during the festival days newly arriving guests often need to wait for other guests to leave the baths, so the days of normal visitor dynamics become less predictable.
There will be standard tickets at the baths, which can be bought in person at the cashier. The temporary closure of all booking dates between Aug 5 and 11th, 2020 is only for online bookings, you can still buy your ticket in person on the spot. Likewise, massage treatments can only be bought on the spot, on a first come first served basis, at the cashiers in the thermal baths.
Please note that we do not recommend joining the queues for families with younger children or for the elderly as the waiting times are expected to be at least 1 hour – most probably in sunny weather (over 30 degrees Celsius).
When to Visit the Thermal Bath
If you are determined to go to the most popular baths in Budapest – Szechenyi Baths or Gellert Spa – please try to time your visit in the early morning hours, from 6 am onwards both of them are open. The early morning hours between 6 am and 9 am are more relaxed than the rest of the day.
Szechenyi Baths Party on Aug 8 can still be booked online:
Booking Aug 8 Bath PartyWaiting in the Sun at the Bath
Please be aware that unfortunately there are no shades outside the bath buildings, so if you decide to queue for entrance and wait for approximately one hour to get in, make sure to bring a sunhat, water to keep hydrated, and proper sunscreen protection. Anyone of fragile health (children, senior citizens, people recuperating from a past illness) are kindly asked to make an informed decision before joining the queues in the date range of Aug 5 – 11.
Please also note that the hot spring pools of both Szechenyi Bath and Gellert Spa are medically not recommended for younger children under the age of 14, whose cardiovascular system might get under stress during a prolonged stay in 30+ degree pools (note: there are no children tickets, or children pools either, under 14 kids are only allowed to soak for a limited few minutes in the outdoor pools, not in the 15 indoor pools).
For this reason, we suggest choosing a different thermal bath with your kids, where the natural spring waters are cooled down and poured into shallow child pools, like Palatinus, Paskal, Csillaghegy, etc. There are other fantastic family-friendly lidos (often with thermal waters, but cooled down) to visit in Budapest where children can enjoy pools filled with cool and cold spring waters, while parents/grandparents can take to the warmer or hot spring water pools too.
Alternative Thermal Baths in Budapest
To avoid any disappointment or long queues, we would encourage guests to explore other very pleasant lidos & thermal baths in Budapest where high-quality natural spring waters fill the pools in outdoor and indoor thermal baths combined with open-air pools in the grassy parts of Budapest. Here are some of our top recommendations: the most centrally located of them are Lukacs Bath, Rudas Bath and Kiraly Bath.
Lukacs Bath is one of the most popular and historical thermal baths in Budapest, not to mention the fact, that the entry is free when you have Budapest Cards. If you already have the card why not try one of the most beloved baths of the locals where you can see dozens of ‘Thank you, Lukacs’ plaques on the wall as a commemoration of the healing properties of Lukacs Baths, near Margaret Bridge and Margaret Island by the Danube. Lukacs Thermal Bath is about 20-minute ride on the tram from Gellert Spa. See the route here.
The most popular medieval Turkish bath in Budapest in Rudas Bath. Rudas Bath offers a complex bath and wellness experience, including a hamam. There are 6 other thermal pools in Rudas Bath as well as a larger swimming pool. If you do not wish to join the queues at Gellert Spa, Rudas Bath is just a short ride from the Gellert Hill by public transport, of approx. 10 minutes. See the route here.
Kiraly Bath is the oldest historical thermal bath in Budapest, so a visit here will mean travel back in time too. Along with a historical and bigger octagonal pool, Kiraly Bath has 3 smaller pools (plus a modern jacuzzi pool for 4-5 people). If you have had enough of waiting at Gellert Spa, it is just a short ride from the Gellert Hill by public transport, of approx. 20 minutes. See the route here.
Our number 1 recommendation as a family-friendly lido goes to Palatinus Lido & Thermal Baths on Margaret Island with extra-large outdoor pools, slides, lots of green grass areas, playground and more on the popular and relaxing island in the heart of the city of Budapest called Margaret Island (Margitsziget). Palatinus is about 40 min ride from Szechenyi Baths by public transport. See the route here.
Dagaly Lido & Thermal Baths are close to the northern tip of the Margaret Island, just over Arpad Bridge and have 10 pools, and lots of green grass. Dagaly is about 25 min ride from Szechenyi Baths by public transport. See the route here.
Paskal Lido & Thermal Baths are in Zuglo District (District XIV) in Budapest. A bit further from the downtown but equally enjoyable as well. If your accommodation is close to the City Park, or you have had enough of waiting at Szechenyi Baths, Paskal Lido would be a relatively close second option, within 30-minute reach by public transport – see the route here.
Csillaghegyi Lido is on the Buda side of the capital (and very close to the venue of Sziget Festival). This lido is a more local and cosy little one.
Thank you for your understanding and have a great time in Budapest during the festival days. We hope you will explore more of the thermal baths and lidos of the City of Spas as Budapest is often referred to.
Szechenyi Baths Party on Aug 8 can still be booked online:
Booking Aug 8 Bath PartyIf you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info [at] bathsbudapest dot com. We are happy to give you guidance during the somewhat hectic days of the Sziget Festival.