Storing Luggage at Budapest-Keleti Train Station
Important update from a reader in comments below – unconfirmed but looks legit and recent Sept 2023. Please add your intel in comments if you can confirm or elaborate: “Having just passed through Budapest Keleti station today, I’m afraid the helpful left luggage locker facilities you described back in 2013-15 no longer exist. The upstairs credit card operated lockers were all out of order, the sign referring customers downstairs. There are 3 or 4 card operated lockers downstairs, out of perhaps 30-40 lockers. All were occupied, unsurprisingly.
Neither upstairs nor downstairs coin operated lockers accept Euros. There is NO change machine in Keleti, (nor anywhere nearby) and given no shop / kiosk is willing to part with coins – upto 2000HUF for a large locker – the traveller has to carry around a sack of coins or forgo use. My wife eventually persuaded a currency exchange shop to exchange 2000 HUF for coins, but not without pleading for help. The Information office at Keleti provided no info. Keleti station left luggage facilities are currently a crap show, I’m afraid.” – Kyle
If you’re traveling by train in Eastern Europe and only stopping for a day in Budapest (which would be a pity!) then you might want to choose the Budapest-Keleti Train Station (Keleti Pályaudvar) as your luggage storage. The station is on the Pest side of Budapest and right upstairs from the M2 Metro line (Red Line) which can take you into the city center or even all the way across to Buda and the Southern Railway Station (Déli pályaudvar).
Special Note: If you are worried the baggage storage might be full during peak season or simply don’t want to leave it to chance, there is also a great luggage storage service similar to AirBNB that uses local businesses for your luggage. You can pre-pay and reserve storage before you even arrive. Check out Stasher to see locations in Budapest and compare prices as well.
As you walk in the front doors of the station (on the south side of the train terminal) approach the tracks and turn left. Aroom of lockers is located in between the Lotto and Mini ABC shop/Customer Service office. Also look for another location under the main stairs, but there is no change machine there.
Storage lockers in Budapest-Keleti Station come in a variety of sizes.
All are coin operated, with sizes to accommodate small soft bags, through medium- and large-sized suitcases and even a proper tall locker like you had in high school maybe. Prices are 400, 600, and 800 forint. Machines accept 50-, 100-, and 200-forint coins. [Small lockers are approximately 45x80x35 cm; the larger approximately 65x80x55 cm costs 600 HUF/24 hour.]
One nice bonus is that some of the lockers even take Euro coins (price is €3). There is a change machine at the entry, and an ATM nearby as well if you have nothing to change.
Pack your bags into an open locker, close the door, deposit the coins, turn the key to lock it, and keep that key carefully on your person. You now have 24 hours to explore Budapest. If you go over 24 hours (up to 72 hours, though I don’t think they are policing that like they do in say Munich train station luggage lockers) you will need to add money, according to the digitally displayed balance, in order to open the locker with that key.
From Budapest-Keleti train station you can walk outside and head down into the Metro system at Red Line Metro Station Keleti Pályaudvar.
Reminder about the Metro: Whatever you do, be sure that you purchase the correct ticket for the Metro and VALIDATE it before you descend to the platform. Warren Beatty, in Budapest once for filming a movie, famously failed to do so and was smacked with a fine. So fat chance you’ll be talking your way out of one.
Be aware that if you are going 3 stops or less on the same line, you can get a slightly reduced ticket at the ticket window.
Tickets also come in 10 packs making them equally lower in price as the 3-stop Metro ticket. There are also some day passes if you plan to use the Metro system and buses numerous times in a day. Buy them at the station ticket offices or at a newsstand.
ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
Ha! I’ve done this! Good times! Nice piece, cheers Emma (www.phileasfrench.com)
Thanks, Emma! Budapest is worth much more than a day though. 🙂
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Thanks for this post Kevin, very useful!
Just a note to say lockers have now moved down below the main steps at the front of the station, there are still numerous signs pointing to the old location.
Thanks for the update. Still the same sort of lockers, sizes?
Nice post Kevin and thanks for the update Russ. This will definitely come in handy when next I find myself at Budapest-Keleti Train Station
Just wanted to let everyone know that we used the small locker on Saturday – there are 2 sets of lockers, one under the stairs and one upstairs in between the Lotto and Mini ABC shop/Customer Service office.
There wasn’t a change machine on the lower levels but the one upstairs worked perfectly.
Do you need a place where you can leave your luggage?
Budapest Luggage Storage waiting for you, in the center of Budapest, next to Váci street!
budapestluggagestorage.com
While in Budapest I am planning to leave for a few days for a trip to Amsterdam and can only take my smaller piece of luggage. I will be gone for about 3 1/2 days. Can I leave my stuff in one of these lockers for more than 72 hours? What will happen after the 72 hours? Will my things be confiscated or anything?
I am so sorry I don’t have the answer to that question!
Thanks for the information !
I would like to ask that are the lockers there large enough for a luggage sized 48 cm x 71 cm x 28 cm , like the picture in http://global.rakuten.com/zh-tw/store/ookawabag/item/29018/ ?
Thank you!
well, I can’t say that I have actually measured the spaces (something I will think to do with future posts), but I must say that the tall blue one pictured, appears to be tall enough for that bag, and 48 cm is not terribly wide. My best guess (and it is a guess) is that your bag should fit.
Also, the lockers seem wider than their doors, and judging from the size of my camera bag in the photo next to the blue locker, you might be cutting it close with the 28 cm width of the bag. I’d still wager it fits, but with that hard shell, there won’t be much wiggle room to force it.
Hi guys, i would like to know how tall are the lockers, because i have a 25 kg luggage, it is like a usual luggage for plane. here i can’t see in cm-s the lockers and it woul be great help if anybody could answer.
Thanks a lot.
Annett
The tall blue lockers are about 12 cm off the ground and in the photo the top of the door still comes to my chin. I’m 1.8m tall. Should be fine. I’d wonder more about how deep the luggage is. That door might be roughly 30cm wide. I am sorry I cannot be more exact!
Hi, I found a cool place in the center of Budapest (near Andrassy street). You can store your luggage (short and long term), take a shower, drink a coffee or charge your phone.
Koffer Luggage & Chill Services
www.bpkoffer.com
Paulay Ede utca 56., Budapest 1061
July 2021 – Update
Koffer Luggage & Chill Services
www.bpkoffer.com
Paulay Ede utca 56., Budapest 1061
** Temporarily closed **
Hey!
Im coming to budapest train station, and i have 2 big “oversize” bags and i would like to storge it for some hours ,where can i find a storgelocker that can fit my bags in the train station?
If they don’t fit in the lockers in the photos, I can’t say with certainty. I have an inquiry out to the Hungarian train service. I hear there is a staffed baggage storage open during business hours. I will let you know if I discover anything.
Dear Travellers!
We opened first luggage storage in Budapest at 2015.
You can find us in the absolutely center: Régiposta utca 9., next to Váci utca (3min Deák tér)
Prices are simple. 1 hour – 1 luggage – 1 euro.
We are opened all days of the year.
Visit us, drop your luggages and enjoy your stay in Budapest – hassle-free. Done with sightseeing? Come back, pick up your stuff. It’s that easy.
BLS Team
Just been there.
The lockers as described are excellent service.
We leave two big backpack for a few hours before continue to the airport with the 100E line.
Hello Kevin
Having just passed through Budapest Keleti station today, I’m afraid the helpful left luggage locker facilities you described back in 2013-15 no longer exist.
The upstairs credit card operated lockers were all out of order, the sign referring customers downstairs.
There are 3 or 4 card operated lockers downstairs, out of perhaps 30-40 lockers. All were occupied, unsurprisingly.
Neither upstairs nor downstairs coin operated lockers accept Euros.
There is NO change machine in Keleti, (nor anywhere nearby) and given no shop / kiosk is willing to part with coins – upto 2000HUF for a large locker – the traveller has to carry around a sack of coins or forgo use. My wife eventually persuaded a currency exchange shop to exchange 2000 HUF for coins, but not without pleading for help. The Information office at Keleti provided no info.
Keleti station left luggage facilities are currently a crap show, I’m afraid.
Hi
The lockers exists. Downstairs ( right Side of the stairs). You can Pay by Card or with coins. I m standing directly in front of them 🙂
Today we stored our luggage at Keleti station. You don’t need change anymore and are able to pay with any kind of creditcard. Just make sure you have the right number pad as there are ‘a’s and b’s’
Hi! The lockers are well and thriving in 2024, I’m there now, and there are ~150 lockers upstairs on the right side, and another maybe 200 downstairs to the left of the stairs. The vast majority are occupied, or overdue for pickup, but there are a good bunch available. The price for the big lockers is 1800HUF. Card and coin payment possible on all lockers, you just type in the locker number.
Thanks for the update!