Celebrating a monumental 180th anniversary, the Balaton Shipping Company, known locally as Bahart, is rolling out peak-season services that run through the entire month of August.

With a refreshed schedule featuring more frequent departures, popular themed cruises, and streamlined water routes, the company seamlessly connects 17 towns across the lake, making regional exploration remarkably straightforward.

According to reporting from industry journal turizmus.com, Bahart’s scheduled ferry services tie 16 lakeside towns together with daily departures throughout the height of summer, ensuring effortless transit between the northern and southern shores.

This seasonal network provides an excellent opportunity for residents and visitors to step ashore and explore newly renovated marinas, such as those in Fonyód and Balatonfüred.

On the lake’s highest-demand routes — specifically the crossing between Fonyód and Badacsony, as well as the busy triangle linking Siófok, Balatonfüred, and Tihany — the timetable has been expanded to include 10 departures in each direction every day.

To accommodate those looking to enjoy dinner or a sunset on the opposite shore, late-evening return trips are available from Thursday through Sunday.

Building on the success of last year's routes, the ferry connection between Révfülöp and Balatonboglár, a particular favorite for cycling enthusiasts looking to cross the water with their bikes, has been extended to include Balatonlelle.

Furthermore, travelers can take advantage of two daily round trips operating on the Balatonalmádi–Alsóörs–Tihany line, while operations across all other standard routes continue to run on their well-established, reliable schedules.

For those interested in leisurely sightseeing rather than point-to-point transit, Bahart has increased the frequency of its scenic cruises from late May through mid-September. Balatonfüred and Keszthely are each deploying two vintage vessels dedicated solely to these excursions.

In total, sightseeing boats are casting off from 15 different ports around the lake this summer.

Among the fleet, history buffs will appreciate the lake's three oldest preserved heritage boats: the Kelén operating out of Siófok, the Jókai based in Balatonfüred, and the Helka in Keszthely.

These majestic vintage ships provide a slower, more classical way to experience the water, with evening itineraries routinely timed so passengers can watch the sunset over the hills with a glass of champagne.

The seasonal lineup also caters heavily to families and younger crowds with several specialized cruise formats.

Alongside the standard Kids’ Boat departing from eight ports and the lively Party Boat available at nine locations, the relaxed evening Chill Boat makes a return to the waters of Siófok and Balatonfüred.

Additionally, the Kalap Jakab concert boat, a major hit for entertaining toddlers and young children, has expanded its reach to three southern shore ports, including first-time stops in Balatonboglár and Fonyód.

Looking ahead to the national holiday weekend around August 20, Bahart is organizing special event boats designed to give passengers front-row seats on the water for the spectacular evening fireworks displays.

To encourage more people to experience the lake from the water, the shipping company maintains a varied selection of discount programs. Families can benefit from a streamlined family fare structure that offers greater savings than in previous years.

To avoid queues at the docks, these family tickets are now available for advance purchase online through the company's dedicated ticketing platform at jegy.bahart.hu, covering scheduled routes, sightseeing tours, and children's programs alike.
 

Active expats will find that cyclists continue to receive discounted rates on numerous bike-friendly transit routes across the lake.

For those with school-aged children, elementary students who present their official Hungarian Kajla Pass can ride the scheduled ferry boats completely free of charge until the end of the summer school holidays.

The appeal of traveling across Lake Balaton by boat expands year after year. This upward trend is being propelled by a thoughtful combination of carefully maintained heritage vessels and the introduction of modern, state-of-the-art ferries and catamarans. Together, this diverse fleet now accommodates more than one million passengers annually.

Data from the first six months of this year underscores this growing popularity, showing that Bahart’s ships carried 730,000 passengers between January and June, outperforming the record-breaking figures of the previous year by roughly one to two percent.

Major spring holiday weekends, including Easter, the May 1 long weekend, and Pentecost, yielded exceptionally high turnout. However, the company noted that occasional periods of windy spring weather and the intense heatwaves of early June slightly softened daytime travel numbers.

For those planning logistics, the core car ferry service between the southern and northern shores remains highly frequent.

Ferries depart from Szántódrév on the south shore between 7:00 a.m. and 11:30 p.m., while return services leave Tihanyrév on the north shore from 7:15 a.m. until 11:45 p.m.

During peak weekend traffic spikes, these vessels shift away from the fixed timetable and run continuously to prevent wait times.

Passengers should also note that while extensive renovation work is currently being carried out at the main ferry terminals, the construction is being managed tightly and does not interfere with scheduled departures or vehicle traffic.

Photos: Bahart.hu

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