The Buda Castle in Budapest is a hilltop castle, and getting there can be confusing due to the conflicting information online and offline.
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You have the option to either take the public bus, the elevator, a tourist shuttle, or the funicular, or you can walk up as well.
I'll explain each so that you can decide for yourself which to pick.
By Public Transport (Budget Version)
We jumped on a public transport bus as we had a block of 10 tickets for the metro, tram, and Budapest bus network.
This is the cheapest and best option for travelers to get to the Buda Castle within minutes! It took the bus 6 minutes to get to the Buda cathedral bus station in total.
The bus stop on the Buda side is at the Clark Ádám tér, just right next to the funicular and shuttle bus station.
The stop is hardly advertised, and you have to wait at the bus stop on the other side of the road.
Therefore, most tourists don't know that they have the option of taking the local bus to go up to the castle hill.
Jump on the Line 16 Bus and don't forget to validate your ticket if you haven't yet. The bus runs every 10 minutes or so until midnight.
After midnight, you can get to the castle hill via the 916 night bus Line, which stops at the same stops. But be aware the night bus runs only from 12 am to ~1 am and from ~5 am onwards.
The Buda Cathedral bus station is called Szentháromság tér and to get close to the Buda Castle, you will need to get out at the Dísz tér and walk the last 10 minutes to the castle.
Tip: How to use Public Transport in Europe.
By Elevator (Free)
Hidden at the other end of the Buda Castle is a free-to-use elevator.
We didn't know about the elevator at first but discovered it as we were enjoying the panoramic view from the Buda Castle area.
The lift is tucked away next to the Maria Mater Dei Statue on the castle hill, and it will take you down within a minute.
You can't miss it, and it isn't that busy because apparently nobody knows that this elevator exists. The bottom lift entrance is at the Várkert Bazár gardens.
By Tourist Shuttle (With Budapest Card)
The Tourist Shuttle bus is a blue and white electric vehicle that takes tourists up to the castle hill. It's not the public city bus; their name is super confusing as they call themselves the official Budapest Castle bus.
The pickup point is at the base of the funicular, and here you will find a few sellers promoting the service.
They offer a day ticket for about $16 per adult. If you have the Budapest Card, it's included for free.
I think the Tourist Shuttle bus is great for elderly visitors, as it can take you along a set route to different stops on the castle hill with ease.
That said, this tourist shuttle won't be able to get you any closer to the Buda Castle than the public city bus.
By Funicular (Most Accessible)
The funicular is the most well-known option to get to the Buda Castle district in the Buda area. You will find the station at the Clark Ádám roundabout.
It's a renovated UNESCO World Heritage Site protected funicular from 1870, and it's undoubtedly stunning! But it comes with a premium price per ride.
A full price return ticket stands at about $14 per adult, and tickets can be purchased at the bottom and top stations, respectively, or online in advance.
The funicular crosses a garden area with walking bridges, so be prepared that people will be taking pictures.
It's operational daily, except every odd week Monday it's closed for maintenance, from 8 am to 10 pm, and you can jump on a funicular every 5 minutes.
Climbing/Walking
You can walk up, which I don't recommend on a hot summer day. Budapest is super hot in the summer. We walked down as it wasn't that exhausting.
Either, you walk along the Hunyadi János út road up, which is the closer option to get to the cathedral and Fisherman's Bastion. This route will take you 20-30 minutes.
You will find a pathway through the funicular garden area too or take the staircase next to the Buda Castle elevator.
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