Budapest is one of Europe's most accessible metropolises. You can take advantage of connections by plane, train, bus, and it is also convenient to travel by car.
By air
The fastest way to get there is of course by plane, even from relatively close destinations such as Prague, Belgrade, Krakow or Munich.
Flights from Europe and the surrounding area
Hungary's capital city has a single international airport , Budapest BUD. Wizz Air and Ryanair have one of their most important bases here, flying in from literally every corner of Europe.
Wizz Air also operates low-cost flights to the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan and Egypt.
Thanks to the high competition from low-cost airlines, flights to Budapest from European destinations are very cheap. One-way flights are often available from 20 eur.
In addition to Ryanair or Wizz Air, you can also buy tickets to Budapest with the following airlines:
For example, you can compare all flights via Skyscanner. We recommend that you always click directly on the airline's website and avoid unknown sellers, which Skyscanner also includes in its selections.
Compare prices for flights to Budapest
Long-haul flights
Direct long-haul flights are mainly to Asian destinations such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Dubai or Seoul.
Flights to other continents can only be purchased with a connection at a major airport, typically via Frankfurt, Vienna, London, Paris or Istanbul.
By car to Budapest
Getting to Budapest is easy, as there are motorways from all directions into the Hungarian capital. The only exception is the connection from Poland, which is lengthy and takes you through the not-so-fast roads of central Slovakia.
Distances to Budapest from selected cities
- Prague - 525 km / 5 and a quarter hours
- Vienna - 243 km / 2.5 hours
- Bratislava - 200 km / 2 hours
- Brno - 326 km / 3.5 hours
- Ostrava - 488 km / 5 hours
- Belgrade - 379 km / 4 hours
- Timisoara - 316 km / 3.5 hours
- Zagreb - 343 km / 3.5 hours
- Ljubljana - 462 km / 5 hours
- Uzhgorod - 331 km / 4 hours
- Košice - 262 km / 3 hours
- Krakow - 395 km / 6 hours
Petrol prices are on average more expensive than in neighbouring countries and it is usually cheaper to fill up before the border.
Motorway tolls on the way
On the way to Budapest, you will be charged for a motorway toll on all motorways in Hungary. If you were thinking of bypassing Slovakia via Austria, there is a vignette charge there too.
Prices for cars on motorways in Hungary are as follows:
- 1-day - 5 150 huf
- 10-day - 6 400 huf
You can only buy a vignette electronically via the official website ematrica.nemzetiutdij.hu or at petrol stations near the border, even in neighbouring countries.
Entrance fee to Budapest
Budapest does not charge for cars and you can therefore enter the city centre for free and without major restrictions.
Parking in Budapest
On-street parking is charged throughout Budapest on weekdays between 8:00 and 16:00, or 18:00 in the city centre. So if you arrive in Budapest for the weekend on Friday evening and leave on Sunday evening, you can park for free anywhere on the street.
If you don't want to leave your car on the street, the cheapest option is to use Budapest's P+R car parks.
P+R car parks
These car parks are located on the outskirts of the city centre near major metro and train stations. At the ones that are free, you don't need a barrier or turnstile, just park and leave the car. The paid car parks are fenced, monitored by cameras and have a barrier for entry and exit. You usually pay 350 huf per day.
For a detailed list of all P+R car parks with prices and opening hours, visit: budapestkozut.hu/parkolas.
Choose a hotel in the centre of Budapest
What are the best P+Rs? Click on the name of the car park to see it on the map. In the description we only list public transport lines suitable for transport to the centre.
- P+R KÖKI Terminal
- 350 huf For the whole period from 6:00 to 22:00 and 105 huf/hour between 22:00 and 6:00, the parking fee for 24 hours will therefore cost 1 190 huf
- Covered garages (part of the shopping centre parking spaces are allocated for P+R)
- Suitable for travel from the south-southeast (Belgrade, Szeged, Debrecen, Oradea, Arad, Timisoara, Bucharest)
- Metro M3 (station Kőbánya-Kispest); bus 200E towards the airport
- P+R Kelenföld
- 350 huf for the whole period from 6:00 to 22:00 and 105 huf/hour in the period 22:00 to 6:00, the parking fee for 24 hours will therefore cost 1 190 huf
- The largest car park in Budapest with plenty of parking spaces
- Metro M4 (Kelenföld vasútállomás) and trams 1, 19, 49
- P+R Kőbánya-Kispest
- 350 huf for the whole period from 6:00 to 22:00 and 105 huf/hour between 22:00 and 6:00, so the parking fee for 24 hours will cost 1 190 huf
- Outdoor parking
- Suitable for journeys from the south-southeast (Belgrade, Szeged, Debrecen, Oradea, Arad, Timisoara, Bucharest)
- Metro M3; bus 200E towards the airport
- P+R Etele tér
- 350 huf for the whole period from 6:00 to 22:00 and 105 huf/hour between 22:00 and 6:00, so parking for 24 hours will cost 1 190 huf
- Outdoor parking
- Suitable for travel from the west and south-west (Vienna, Bratislava, Prague, Munich, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Graz, Balaton)
- At the metro and train station Kelenföld vasútállomás
- Metro M4; tram 1, 19, 49; bus 58
- P+R Őrmező
- 350 huf for the whole period from 6:00 to 22:00 and 105 huf/hour between 22:00 and 6:00, the parking fee for 24 hours will therefore cost 1 190 huf
- Outdoor parking
- Suitable for travel from the west and south-west (Vienna, Bratislava, Prague, Munich, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Graz, Balaton)
- At the metro and train station Kelenföld vasútállomás
- Metro M4; tram 1, 19, 49; bus 58
- P+R Mexikói utca
- Free
- In the north-east of the city
- Metro M1, trams 3 + 69
- P+R Örs vezér tere
- 350 huf for the whole period from 6:00 to 22:00 and 105 huf/hour between 22:00 and 6:00, so parking for 24 hours will cost 1 190 huf
- Outdoor parking
- Suitable for travel from the east and north (Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Košice, Zvolen, Krakow, Uzhhorod, Satu Mare)
- Metro M2; tram 3, 62, 62A; bus 32
- P+R Pillangó utca
- 350 huf for the whole period from 6:00 to 22:00 and 105 huf/hour in the period 22:00 to 6:00, so the parking fee for 24 hours will cost 1 190 huf
- Outdoor parking
- Suitable for travel from the east and north (Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Košice, Banská Bystrica, Krakow, Uzhhorod, Satu Mare)
- Metro M2
- P+R Csepel
- Free
- Outdoor parking
- Suitable for travel from the south (Pécs, Kecskemét, Osijek, Sarajevo)
- Urban railway H7; buses 35, 36, 148, 151
- P+R Újpest-Városkapu
- 350 huf For the whole period from 6:00 to 22:00 and 105 huf/hour between 22:00 and 6:00, so parking for 24 hours will cost 1 190 huf
- Outdoor parking
- Suitable for trips from the north (Vác, Banská Bystrica, Krakow, Lučenec)
- Metro M3; urban railway S72
- P+R Kaszásdűlő
- Free
- Outdoor parking
- Suitable for trips from the north (Ostrihom, Nové Zámky, Nitra, Levice)
- Urban railway H5; buses 34, 106 metro direction
Secure garages in the centre of Budapest
If you want to park right in the centre, there are several secure car parks to choose from.
- Star Park Üllői utca 27
- outdoor secure parking right in the city centre
- Price per day - 7 000 huf
- Location of the car park on the map
- Official website
- Garage Star Park Vígszínház utca 3
- indoor garage right in the centre by Nyugati station
- Price per day - 7 000 huf
- Location of the car park on the map
- Official website
- Garage Care Park Liliom utca 43-45
- Covered garage on the southern edge of the centre
- Price per day - 14 440 huf
- Location of the car park on the map
- Official website
- Garage Care Park Akácfa utca 43-45
- Covered garage right in the centre
- Price per day - 12 000 huf
- Location of the car park on the map
- Official website
Street parking
You can park for free on the street in the outskirts of the city, especially in housing estates.
The closer you are to the centre, the more expensive on-street parking will be. Prices are high and range from 200 huf to 650 huf for 1 hour. Discounted all-day parking is not available.
For an overview map of the paid parking zones, visit: bkk.hu/parking.
You can park for free outside the marked zones.
Bus to Budapest
Buses are usually the cheapest way to get to Budapest from neighbouring countries such as Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic or Austria.
However, on many routes (especially Prague, Brno, Bratislava) the train can be cheaper.
For detailed information, ticket booking links and bus station maps, see the chapter Bus to Budapest.
Train to Budapest
Rail transport is probably the most common and convenient form of transport from the surrounding countries. Very frequent connections run to Vienna, Linz and Munich and then along the Bratislava - Brno - Prague - Dresden - Berlin axis.
International trains from/to Budapest also run to Belgrade, Zagreb and Bucharest.
Detailed information, links to ticket booking and bus station maps can be found in the chapter By train to Budapest.
With a stop in Ezstergom
When travelling in the direction of Bratislava, Prague, Vienna or Brno, it is advisable to combine a trip to Budapest with a short stop of a few hours or even a full day in the beautiful historic town of Esztergom with Hungary's largest basilica.
A stop in Ezstergom is ideal especially when travelling by train, when you can get off in Štúrovo, Slovakia, which is located on the other side of the Danube from Ostřihom and where international trains from Prague, Brno, Dresden or Berlin also stop.
From Ezstergom you can take a busy commuter train to Budapest within an hour.
For more information, see the separate Ezstergom guide.