The record traffic in early May was helped by the increased interest in two new ferries and catamarans.Continue reading
Balaton Shipping Company (BAHART) is expecting a busy peak season with outstanding traffic on the “Hungarian sea.” With more frequent services on its busiest routes, a new route will be added to its scheduled services, and numerous discounts for families and cyclists will be available during the summer peak season, revealed the company.
Passenger traffic in June exceeded the same period last year by seven percent, and the company’s ships transported five percent more bicycles. By the end of June, over 157,000 people had traveled on scheduled boats on Lake Balaton, 51,000 had boarded leisure boats, over 504,000 passengers had used ferries, and approximately 71,000 bicycles had been transported.
The “Tomaj” catamaran in Fonyód. Photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás
Based on the outstanding passenger and bicycle transport traffic in the pre-season, the company significantly expands boat services on the busiest routes during the peak season, starting on July 5. There are already ten daily services between Siófok (southern shore) and Balatonfüred (north). There are also more boats running between Balatonföldvár (south) and Tihany (north), and scheduled boats run between Fonyód (south) and Badacsony (north) in the evening hours.
A new feature is the introduction of direct, non-stop services between Révfülöp (north), Balatonboglár (south), and Balatonlelle (south).
From the northern shore, there are now two daily services from Balatonalmádi and Alsóörs to Tihany and Balatonfüred.
Ferries run every half hour between 7:00 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. from Szántód, and between 7:15 a.m. and 11:45 p.m. from Tihany, and more frequently during peak times.
BAHART’s announcement also mentions special discounts: children aged 6-11 who present their Kajla passport can travel free of charge on scheduled boats until the end of the summer break.
The price of family tickets has fallen by more than 10 percent compared to last year and can now be purchased even for one child, as well as for sightseeing boats and children’s boats.
The price of bicycle tickets has also fallen by 10 percent, and there are now more bicycle-friendly scheduled boats. In addition to ferries, people with disabilities can now travel free of charge on inter-municipal services.
Those who purchase tickets in advance online can win valuable prizes in BAHART’s prize draw.
Leisure boats depart from 15 ports and themed boats from nine ports until the end of August, and the Chill boat, returning this year, can now be boarded in Balatonfüred as well as Siófok.
Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Vasvári Tamás