Record Number of Passengers on Lake Balaton Last Year

Over 2.3 million passengers traveled on Balaton Shipping Company’s (BAHART) routes in 2024, 178,000 more than last year’s record-breaking traffic, announced the shipping company.

The result was also helped by the fleet development funded by a HUF 6 billion (EUR 14.7 million) government grant, wrote the company. Thanks in part to two new ferries in service, 1.46 million passengers, 463,000 vehicles and 134,000 bicycles crossed Lake Balaton between Szántód (southern shore) and Tihany (northern shore) by ferry. The number of passengers on board the company’s passenger boats (also thanks to the two new catamarans) increased by almost 19% compared to the previous year, they added.

The newly inaugurated ferries in March 2024. Photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás

The shipping company also pointed out that passenger numbers have increased significantly on all scheduled routes.

The Fonyód-Badacsony route saw the highest number of passengers, 250,000, while the Balatonboglár-Révfülöp route saw the largest increase of almost 40 percent.

The new catamaran called “Tomaj” carried the most passengers. BAHART’s cruise boats carried 200,000 passengers, 36 percent more than a year earlier.

The newly inaugurated “Tomaj” catamaran in March 2024. Photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás

The state-majority-owned company also reported that interest in cruises remained strong in autumn and winter, especially during the holidays.

The colorful cavalcade of programs on Lake Balaton with the extended timetable, the more frequent ferry services and the ferry decorated with lights during the festive season attracted nearly 30,000 passengers.

Under the 2025 discounts, ferry travel will be free of charge from 1 January for under-14s, pensioners, over-65s and large families, and 50% discount for young people aged 14-25 and public servants.

The “Jókai” nostalgia boat, renovated last year. Photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás

The company will reduce the price of family tickets and extend the number of people who can take advantage of this offer on its passenger ships for the regular season starting at the end of March.

Parents with one child will be able to buy a family ticket, which will be valid on the children’s ferries in addition to the regular and cruise services.

The price of the bicycle ticket will be reduced – both on ferries and passenger boats – which will not only boost local transport but also active tourism on the Balaton shore, the company announced. In addition, the digital BAHART card will continue to offer discounted ferry travel. The ferry between Szántód and Tihany runs every 60 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends during the winter season.

Lake Balaton Increasingly Attractive during Off-season