Float up to the highest spot in Budapest on the Zugliget Libegő

Departing from Zugliget, in the 12th district of Budapest, the Libegő glides up the János Hill, one of the iconic heights of the Buda hills, which is just a few minutes’ walk from the highest spot in the capital, the Elizabeth lookout. Trust us, this fascinating sight is worth the effort.

• The Libegő in numbers:
• This was the first passenger chairlift in Hungary and has been operational since 1970.
• The route of the Libegő is 1,040 metres long.
• The chairs cover this distance in 12-15 minutes.
• The difference of altitude between the two terminals is 262 metres.

If you decide to give it a go, you’ll travel high up, but you’ll still feel safe. Safety has been top priority for the operators from the very beginning. The Libegő moves slower than the escalators in Budapest’s metro stations (only 4 kph), which makes it easy to take a seat on the moving chairs. Additionally, helpful staff look out for the safety of older people and small children.

The Zugliget Libegő was inaugurated in 1970, but the idea (including the plans) came about at least 40 years earlier. The plans for the cableway were presented by István Hantos Jr., a Hungarian engineer, in the 1930s. His aim was to provide tourists with a comfortable way of getting to the spectacular János Hill. His plans were positively received, but due to World War II and its aftermath the idea of building the cableway was off the table for decades. Construction finally started in 1969, after the political situation had calmed down. The name “János Hill Cableway” didn’t prove appealing enough, though, so a tender was announced for naming the new chair lift. Countless suggestions were submitted, such as Hillicopter, János Hill Hummer, Space Bus or To-and-Fro, until, luckily, the name Libegő (“Floater”) emerged victorious.

Make sure to try this special mode of transport and the experience of gliding above Budapest in a comfortable seat, while enjoying the panorama below