Lake Balaton Ferry Season Launches with Extended Schedules and Savings
After a successful pre-season, the main ferry season on Lake Balaton started on the first weekend of July, and the Balaton Shipping Company (BAHART) is increasing the number of its routes. During the high season, there will be many more sailing opportunities for visitors to the “Hungarian sea”. In ports where ships used to sail only on weekends, it is now possible to sail on weekdays.
The two new catamarans and ferries inaugurated in March remain very popular with passengers. The catamarans operate on the busiest routes between Fonyód and Badacsony (southern-northern shore) and on the Siófok – Balatonfüred – Tihany route (southern-northern shore).
The ferries will also operate according to the summer timetable:
– from Szántódrév (southern shore) between 7 a.m. and 11.30 p.m.
– from Tihanyrév (northern shore) between 7.15 a.m. and 11.45 p.m.
– every half hour, or more frequently if traffic and speed of service require it.
In addition to these services, there are also cruises from 15 ports, sunset cruises from 13, children’s cruises from 10, and party cruises from 9.
“Once again this year, BAHART’s cruise destinations have attracted a huge number of visitors, as evidenced by the fact that 150,000 more people have used BAHART’s services since the end of the pre-season than last year. 158,000 passengers traveled on the scheduled cruises, 61,000 passengers tried the cruises, 38% more than in the same period last year, and 534,000 passengers used the ferry service, 20% more than last year. During this period, nearly 68,000 bicycles were carried by BAHART vessels, almost 40% more than in 2023,” stressed Gábor Veigl, CEO of BAHART.
In addition to this, the company has extended its discounts this year. During the summer holidays between June 22 and September 1, children aged 6-11 with a “Kajla passport” can travel free of charge on BAHART’s scheduled inter-city services. Moreover, from June 1, the family ticket type on scheduled cruises has been extended to include pleasure and children’s cruises – all at a discounted, fixed fare, regardless of the number of children.
People with disabilities can now travel free of charge on passenger boats as well as ferries. At BAHART ticket offices, passengers can also pay with SZÉP cards (the most popular fringe benefit in Hungary) and avoid queuing by purchasing tickets online.
In addition to the usual children’s and party boats, BAHART is also introducing two new features this year. The “evening chill boat”, departing from Siófok (southern shore) on Wednesdays, will take passengers on a new catamaran to enjoy the waves of Lake Balaton with pleasant background music and a cocktail. For children, BAHART offers a “circus cavalcade” children’s boat departing every Friday from Balatonfüred and Fonyód.
During the main season, a video series will be produced in which BAHART staff will present the company’s history, fleet, vision, innovations, and old and new ships. The series will be available on BAHART’s social media platforms for sailing enthusiasts.
With these exciting new offerings and increased services, visitors to Lake Balaton can look forward to a memorable and enjoyable experience on the water.
