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Voykit pocket guide · Hungary
Zalaszentgrót
Go only as a spa-and-village stop: 1 night, 2 if you add the Kehida thermal bath. No train since 2007 — bus or car only.
Zalaszentgrót is a small Zala County town in the Zala river valley, first recorded in 1247 and a town only since 1984. Its main draw is the Szent Gróth thermal bath, open May 1–Oct 14, 09:00–19:00 (check) — outside that window the reason to come largely goes. A cluster of Baroque mansions, round churches and village sights sits within a 20 km radius. There is no local bus or taxi, so a car or a base near the bath decides your trip.
- Country
- Hungary
- Best months
- May–Sep (bath season); Apr–Oct for the countryside
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (bath closed, sights shut early, thin transport)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- HUF
- Money
- Currency is the Hungarian forint (HUF, Ft). Cards are widely accepted in Budapest.
- Daily spend
- Budget Ft 9,000–14,000 excl. bed (check) · Mid Ft 14,000–22,000 excl. bed (check) · High Ft 22,000+ excl. bed (check) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Yettel, Telekom and One (Vodafone) sell prepaid SIMs; passport needed.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112 · Ambulance 104 · Police 107 · Fire 105
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard continental two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurant without service charge: 10–15%, said as you pay.; Restaurant with szervízdíj: Nothing extra.; Taxi: Round up.; Bath masseur: HUF 1,000–2,000.
- Water
- Tap water is safe. Restaurants sell bottled water; ask for 'csapvíz'.
- Toilets
- Public toilets often charge HUF 200–400; carry coins.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or cake in a café | Ft 500–1,200 |
| Main dish at a local restaurant | Ft 1,500–2,500 |
| Lunch menu (héti menü) | Ft 990–1,550 |
| Pizza | Ft 1,350–1,700 |
| Draught beer | Ft 600–900 |
| Thermal bath day ticket | Ft 2,200–2,600 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BUD · Budapest Ferenc Liszt International
- About 3.5–4 h by road; bus from Budapest-Népliget takes about 4 h (check)
Typical fares
- Bus Budapest-Népliget → Zalaszentgrót
- about Ft 4,015–4,305, about 4 h (check)
- Bus Zalaegerszeg → Zalaszentgrót
- about Ft 650, about 1 h (check)
- Train Budapest-Déli → Zalabér-Batyk
- about Ft 4,000, about 3.5 h, then a weekday bus (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No local public transport and no taxi service in town. Regional Volánbusz buses link the villages, but timetables are thin; from Zalabér-Batyk station onward buses run on weekdays only. A car is the practical way to reach Kallósd, Türje, Kehidakustány and Kisgörbő; the sights sit 5–20 km (3.1–12 mi) apart on small roads.No local public transport and no taxi service in town. Regional Volánbusz buses link the villages, but timetables are thin; from Zalabér-Batyk station onward buses run on weekdays only. A car is the practical way to reach Kallósd, Türje, Kehidakustány and Kisgörbő; the sights sit 3.1–12 mi (5–20 km) apart on small roads.
See and do
Known for
- Szent Gróth Thermal Bath
- Batthyány Mansion
- Kallósd round church
- Kehida thermal spa and Deák memorial
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kehidakustány (Kehida thermal spa, Deák memorial) | Car or regional bus, about 10 km (6.2 mi) southCar or regional bus, about 6.2 mi (10 km) south | 20–30 min |
| Kallósd round church | Car on minor roads, about 10 km (6.2 mi) southCar on minor roads, about 6.2 mi (10 km) south | About 20 min |
| Türje (Norbertine monastery and Romanesque church) | Car or bus north, about 6 km (3.7 mi)Car or bus north, about 3.7 mi (6 km) | 15–25 min |
| Zalaegerszeg | Bus, about 1 h | About 1 h |
| Lake Balaton (Keszthely / Hévíz) | Car, about 40–50 km (25–31 mi)Car, about 25–31 mi (40–50 km) | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Zalaszentgrót centre (Batthyány Lajos utca / Eötvös Károly utca)
- Walk to the mansion, museum, church and the two main restaurants; Hotel Corvinus and Fiáker are here.
- Kehidakustány
- Best for the Kehida thermal spa and the Deák memorial; 10–15 min by car from Zalaszentgrót, guesthouses and apartments.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good day | Jó napotyoh NAH-pot |
| Thank you | KöszönömKUR-sur-nurm |
| How much is it? | Mennyibe kerül?MEN-nyee-beh KEH-rool |
| The bill, please | A számlát, kéremaw SAM-lat KEH-rem |
| Where is the thermal bath? | Hol van a termálfürdő?hol vun aw TER-mal-fur-dur |
| Can I pay by card? | Tudok kártyával fizetni?TOO-dok KAR-tyaa-val FEE-zet-nee |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Jó napot, handshake; avoid: First names with elders
- Names: Family name first when written; avoid: Assuming the second name is the surname
- Toasts: Eye contact; avoid: Clinking beer glasses with older people
- History: Listen; avoid: Joking about Trianon or 1956
- Home visit: Shoes off; flowers or wine; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly
Scams and watch-outs
- The town's passenger train service was cancelled in 2007; the nearest station is Zalabér-Batyk, and onward buses run on weekdays only.
- Szent Gróth Thermal Bath opens May 1–Oct 14, 09:00–19:00; outside that window the main reason to come is gone.
- Many village sights and restaurants keep short or seasonal hours: confirm before you drive out.
- Zero alcohol tolerance applies if you drive; roads outside towns need headlights on.
A quiet, low-crime rural town; the real risks are thin transport, unlit minor roads at night and driving after any drink — the limit is zero.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Zalaszentgrót yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Szent Gróth Thermal Bath
- Batthyány Mansion
- Kallósd round church
- Kehida thermal spa and Deák memorial
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Zalaszentgrót official site: zalaszentgrot.hu/
- Kehida Thermal Spa: kehidatermal.hu/en/
- Volánbusz (regional buses): www.volanbusz.hu/en
- MÁV-Start — Zalabér-Batyk station: www.mavcsoport.hu/mav-start/belfoldi-utazas/vasutallomas/zalaber-batyk
- Wikivoyage: Zalaszentgrót, revision 5244580 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5244580
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Zalaszentgrót
Erre a címre, kérem
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in town; the US, UK and most others are in Budapest. Canadian and Australian consulates are also in Budapest.
Print or screenshot this card: mobile signal is fine in town but patchy on the village roads.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/zalaszentgrot). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.