We traveled to Budapest specifically to experience Elevenpark after seeing it on Paramount Plus in a show called “The Ex Wife,” which I highly recommend. While watching the series, I noticed a fantastic soft play scene, assuming it was in the UK. However, upon researching the film locations, I discovered that despite being a British TV series set in London, much of it was actually filmed in Budapest.
I googled “Budapest soft play” without success until I realized they might not use that term. Switching to “Budapest indoor playground,” I found it almost immediately.
We flew from Stansted airport, and we flew with Ryanair. Flights were £44 each return.
Elevenpark is just over 20 minutes from the airport, so I knew this would be good for a day trip, although I am eager to spend longer in Budapest at some point.
These were the flight schedules and the reason I was confident we could manage it in a day:
London to Budapest
Departure: 05:55
Arrival: 09:20
Budapest to London
Departure: 21:15
Arrival: 22:50
Traveling without luggage makes navigating airports incredibly easy. Security and passport control were smooth on both ends.
Visit Elevenpark’s website for pricing and opening hours. Keep in mind that online prebooking isn’t available, as they only accommodate walk-ins. We took a risk, but it paid off—we were admitted smoothly. Once inside, you can stay as long as you want, but reentry isn’t allowed after leaving. It’s worth mentioning the presence of Clip ‘n Climb with no additional cost. Our entry fee was approximately £14.
We had a great time at Elevenpark for a couple of hours, then briefly explored Budapest. It’s truly a beautiful city with friendly people.
Budapest Airport is excellent. We noticed two kids’ play areas, a great bonus. The perfect way to tire them out before a flight.
Is it a bit crazy to travel to a different country just for soft play? Definitely. Did we thoroughly enjoy exploring a new destination? Absolutely. Would we return to Budapest? Without a doubt! There’s more to explore, and next time, we plan to stay for a couple of days to see it all.
I’ve been asked a few times for a cost breakdown of this trip, but really, the crucial expense is the flight, which I’ve already shared. I strongly recommend opting for public transport. While I may have spent more on taxis yesterday due to the cold and my laziness, it’s not my usual advice. When abroad, public transport is consistently the most economical choice. For the airport to Elevenpark route, I paid around £21. Taxis are available outside the airport, and you can also use the Bolt app for a taxi, as Uber doesn’t operate in Budapest. Additionally, for affordable transfers in the UK, I always suggest National Express; it’s consistently cheaper than a taxi.
See more in our TikTok 🙂
A little disclaimer: I’m not encouraging anyone to take day trips abroad. With that being said, the flight has been scheduled, and it’s going ahead, whether or not you’re on it.
