No. Gellért Bath has been closed since 1 October 2025 for a renovation, and the operator expects it to reopen in 2028. Press reports suggest the outdoor part may take longer, and as of May 2026 the funding was still waiting on a government decision. The closest open historic bath is Rudas, at the foot of the same Gellért Hill, and Széchenyi and Lukács cover the rest of what people came to Gellért for.
Budapest: Rudas Turkish Bath or Spa Day Pass & 3-Course Meal
What happened to Gellért
The last day of bathing at Gellért, at Kelenhegyi út 2 in District XI, was 30 September 2025. Since then the bath’s own website has carried a closure notice with an expected opening of 2028 and a note directing visitors to the operator’s other baths.
The renovation is a large project, reported at 20 billion HUF. The timeline depends on the money, and that part is unsettled:
- Before Christmas 2025, the government rejected the city’s loan request for the work.
- In May 2026, the operator, Budapest Spas, said a new application was with the government.
- The plan reported in the Hungarian press puts the indoor part at the end of 2028 and the outdoor part in 2029 at the earliest.
The operator’s own date is 2028. The press reports point to a later finish for the outdoor pools. Until funding is confirmed, treat any reopening date as a forecast. If you see Gellért tickets for sale for 2026 or 2027, they are not for bathing at Gellért.
Which other historic baths are closed
Gellért is not the only famous name you cannot visit right now.
| Bath | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Gellért | Closed since 1 October 2025; operator expects 2028 |
| Király | Closed for an indefinite period |
| Rác | Closed; press reports a 2027 reopening, not confirmed |
| Rudas | Open daily |
| Széchenyi | Open daily |
| Lukács | Open daily; Finnish sauna and private bath closed for renovation |
Older guidebooks and blog posts still list Király and Rác as places to visit. Both are closed, so if your list came from one of those, cross them off. The open historic baths are Rudas, Széchenyi and Lukács, and our best thermal baths in Budapest page ranks every open option.
The best alternative depends on what you wanted
People booked Gellért for different reasons. Here is where to go instead, depending on which one was yours.
| If you wanted | Go to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A grand historic building and a long soak | Széchenyi | Neo-Baroque bath palace built in 1913, outdoor pools at 26-38 °C |
| Gellért Hill and the Buda riverside | Rudas | Same hill, Buda end of Elisabeth Bridge, historic Turkish bath |
| A quieter, local-feeling bath | Lukács | Lower prices, a calmer feel, open to 22:00 on Tuesdays |
| Art Nouveau on a budget | Dandár | Listed as a restored Art Nouveau building, about $25 on our dates |
Rudas: the same hill and a historic Turkish bath
If you had planned Gellért because of where it is, Rudas is the answer. It sits at Döbrentei tér 9, at the Buda end of Elisabeth (Erzsébet) Bridge, at the foot of Gellért Hill, the same hillside as Gellért. The operator names it as the nearest operating historic bath.
The centerpiece is the Turkish bath: six pools from 16 to 42 °C, with a suggested 20 minutes at a time. Around it are a 29 °C swimming pool, wellness pools and a 36 °C panorama pool that the operator lists with a view of the Danube. Rudas also opens late on Friday and Saturday nights, from 22:00 to 3:00, with online-only tickets at 15,000 HUF.
Plan around one catch. The Turkish bath is men-only on Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings and all day Wednesday, and women-only all day Tuesday. Mixed groups can use it on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 11:00 and all weekend. Our Rudas men, women and mixed days guide has the full table.
The Rudas day pass with a 3-course meal at Rudas Bistro is rated 4.2 from 1,397 reviews. On dates we checked in late October 2026, the weekday option with the Turkish bath, wellness, the meal and a coffee cost about $90. The cheaper Wellness option, about $84, does not include the Turkish bath. See our Rudas day pass review and Rudas tickets.
Széchenyi: the grand historic soak
If what drew you to Gellért was the scale and the setting, Széchenyi in City Park is the bath to book. The GetYourGuide listing describes a Neo-Baroque complex built in 1913, and it has three outdoor pools: a 36-38 °C thermal pool, a 32-34 °C leisure pool and a 26-28 °C swimming pool, plus indoor medical pools. It opens daily, Monday to Thursday 7:00-20:00, Friday to 22:00 and weekends 8:00-20:00.
The Széchenyi day ticket, rated 4.3 from 28,758 reviews, cost from about $52 on a weekday on our dates, with a morning ticket for entry before 9:00 at about $44. It is on the Pest side, reached by the M1 metro to Széchenyi fürdő. Our Széchenyi vs Rudas comparison helps if you are choosing between the two.
Lukács: the quieter local bath
If you liked Gellért for a calmer soak, Lukács, on the Buda side at Frankel Leó út 25-29 in District II, is the low-key choice. Adult tickets cost 7,000 HUF Monday to Thursday and 8,000 HUF Friday to Sunday on the 2026 price list, well below Széchenyi and Rudas. It opens 7:00-19:00, and to 22:00 on Tuesdays.
Two things to know: the wellness Finnish sauna and the private bath service are closed for renovation, and like the other big baths, Lukács does not admit under-14s. The Lukács full-day ticket cost about $37 on our dates. Read our Lukács ticket review or the Széchenyi vs Lukács guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gellért Bath open in 2026?
No. Gellért has been closed since 1 October 2025 and stays closed through 2026. The operator expects it to reopen in 2028.
When will Gellért Baths reopen?
The operator says 2028. Press reports describe a plan with the indoor part ready at the end of 2028 and the outdoor part in 2029 at the earliest, and the funding was still waiting on government approval in May 2026.
What is the closest bath to Gellért?
Rudas, at the Buda end of Elisabeth Bridge at the foot of Gellért Hill. It is the nearest operating historic bath and has a Turkish bath, a swimming pool and a panorama pool.
Is Király Bath open instead?
No. Király is closed for an indefinite period, and Rác is also closed. The historic baths open in October 2026 are Rudas, Széchenyi and Lukács.
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