On this page you will find all the important information about the Budapest Card: What services does it offer and who is it suitable for? How long is it valid and where can you buy it?
You can get the City Card from our partner companies. We receive a small commission for the sale. Of course, the price does not change for you.
- 30+free attractions and services
- Free use of public transport
- Free guided tours of Buda and Pest
- Further discounts up to 50%
- Valid for 24-120 hours
- Pick up your Budapest Card in the city
- With the card you save money in Budapest!
How the Budapest Card works
The Budapest Card is the official city card of the Hungarian capital. It gives you free admission to more than 30 museums and sights. The Budapest Card is also a discount card for many museums, restaurants, city tours and boat trips. There is a discount of up to 50 % on all these offers.
The City Card also gives you unlimited use of the city's public transport. The Libegö chairlift and the Buda Mountain Bus are also included.
The Budapest Card can be purchased with a validity period of 24 to 120 hours and offers the following advantages, among others:
- Free admission to museums and sights
- Free use of public transport in Budapest
- Free guided tours of Buda and Pest
- Many more discounts up to 50%
For 96,-€, the 72-hour card is also available in the Plus version. It offers additional benefits to those of the standard card:
- Free airport transfer
- Free day trips on an excursion boat
- Free use of the funicular to Buda Castle
- Free admission to the Matthias Church
- Free Baumstriezel at Molnár's
The City Card can be purchased online. When booking, you receive a voucher that must be exchanged for a physical card on site. It can be collected at the Budapest Info Point Városháza Park and at some BKK customer service centres. After collection, the card is completed with the start date, start time and signature. The card is then activated and can be used for the selected period of validity.
Who is the Budapest Card suitable for?
The Budapest Card is worthwhile for all travellers who want to explore the city by public transport and are interested in museums and thermal baths.
The City Card makes visiting Budapest easier, as you only have to buy one card instead of many different tickets.
How much does the Budapest Card cost?
The price of the Budapest Card depends on the period of validity. The following prices are currently valid for persons over 18 years of age:
- 24 hours: 33,-€
- 48 hours: 49,-€
- 72 hours: 63,-€
- 96 hours: 77,-€
- 120 hours: 92,-€
The ticket is valid for one adult and one child up to 6 years. Unfortunately, there is no reduced price for children over 6 and young people. However, as children usually receive reduced or free admission to many attractions, it is recommended to purchase it for adults only.
All services of the Budapest Card
The Budapest Card gives you free admission to numerous museums and sights. You can also take advantage of many other offers at reduced prices. Of course, you can also use public transport for free.
You can find the current brochure with all services here: Budapest Card 2023/2024
Free Museums & Experiences
The Budapest Card gives you free admission to the following museums and attractions:
- Free entrance to the Lukács Bath
- Buda City Tour
- City tour Pest
- Pálinka Experience Museum
- Pál Völgyi Cave
- Hungarian National Museum
- Hungarian National Gallery
- Museum of Fine Arts
- Budapest History Museum
- St Stephen's Basilica
- Museum for Contemporary Art
- Art Gallery Budapest
- Memento Park
- …
For free admission, simply show your Budapest Card at the ticket office. You can also find more information about all included services here: Services Budapest Card
Discounts with the Budapest Card
In addition, the Budapest Card offers discounts for some museums, sights and tours. Here you will find a small selection:
- Rudas Spa and Swimming Pool (-20%)
- Lupa Beach (-20%)
- Rock Hospital Atomic Bunker Museum (-25%)
- Ethnographic Museum (-20%)
- Museum of Illusions (-10%)
- Kazinczy Street Synagogue (-10%)
- Holocaust Memorial (-10%)
- Light Art Museum (-10%)
- Various discounts on car rentals and airport transfers
- Hop-On/Hop-Off City Tour (-20%)
- Bicycle rental (-20%)
- Discounts in various bars and restaurants
- …
There are also discounts for some boat trips. You can find an overview of all offers here: Services Budapest Card
Public transport with the Budapest Card
With the Budapest Card you can use the public transport of the BKK transport company free of charge. The card is valid as a ticket for the entire period of validity of up to 120 hours.
You can use the following means of transport:
- Buses
- Trolleybuses
- Trams
- Subways
- Suburban trains (HÉV)
In addition, the card can be used to travel from the airport to the city centre. It is also valid as a ticket for the Buda Castle Bus and the Libegö Chairlift.
Depending on the period of validity of the Budapest Card, you can use public transport for up to 120 hours. To do so, you must carry the card with you when using public transport.
Is the Budapest Card worth it?
With the Budapest Card you have free admission to many popular museums, sights, city tours and some baths.
There is also reduced admission for many attractions.
The Budapest Card offers free admission to museums. Since you should plan enough time for a museum visit, we show how much you can save using the 72-hour card as an example. The prices have been partially converted from Hungarian forints to euros using the 8/2023 exchange rate.
| Attraction | Without Budapest Card | With Budapest Card |
|---|---|---|
| Budapest Card: 72h | – | 63,-€ |
| Public transport: 72h | approx. 14,-€ | Free of charge |
| Buda Castle Bus | approx. 14,-€ | Free of charge |
| Chairlift in Zugliget | approx. 8,-€ | Free of charge |
| St. Lukás Spa | approx. 13,-€ | Free of charge |
| National Museum | approx. 8,-€ | Free of charge |
| City tour Buda or Pest | 12,-€ | Free of charge |
| National Gallery | approx. 11,-€ | Free of charge |
| St Stephen's Basilica | approx. 5,-€ | Free of charge |
| Total | 85,00 € | 63,00 € |
If you take advantage of the services shown here, the saving in this case is 22,- €. The purchase of the Budapest Card is therefore worthwhile.
However, if you don't use public transport or are less interested in museums and thermal baths, you should check carefully whether buying the Budapest Card is really worth it.
Generally speaking, the more often you use the Budapest Card, the more it pays off for you!
Buy & Collect Budapest Card
The Budapest Card can be purchased from various suppliers on the internet, including GetYourGuide.com. You will receive a voucher after the purchase, which you must then exchange for a physical card on site. This is possible at the following locations:
- Budapest Info Point Városháza Park (daily 09:00-19:00)
- BKK Customer Service Centre Liszt Ferenc Airport Budapest Terminal 2A (daily 08:00-22:00)
- BKK Customer Service Centre Ferenc Budapest Airport Terminal 2B (daily 09:00-21:00)
- BKK Customer Service Centre Deák Ferenc tér M (daily 07:00-19:00)
After collection, the Budapest Card is marked with the desired start date, time and signature and activated. After that, it can be used for the booked validity period of 24 to 120 hours.
If your travel plans change, you can cancel or change your reservation until 23:59 the day before.
Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages of the Budapest Card
- Some sights and especially museums can be visited free of charge.
- The validity does not refer to calendar days, but to 24-hour units. So you can also start sightseeing later in the day.
- Discounts on many other attractions, restaurants and shops.
Disadvantages of the Budapest Card
- The card must be collected after your arrival in Budapest.
- The card does not give priority entry to the attractions.
- Some of the most popular sights such as the Dohány Synagogue or the Parliament Building are unfortunately not included in the services.
More offers in Budapest
If you don't opt for the Budapest Card, you can also book many attractions and tours individually. We present some of them here:
- City tour by hop-on/hop-off bus
- Ticket Dohány Synagogue
- Combined ticket Széchenyi Bath and Palinka Museum
- Ticket Budapest River Ride
- Ticket Great Synagogue
FAQ about the Budapest Card
How does the Budapest Card work?
You buy the Budapest Card online, receive a voucher and collect the card when you arrive in the city. It allows you to use public transport in Budapest for up to 120 hours. You also get free admission to many museums and sights. There are also discounts at many attractions, museums, guided tours and restaurants.
Can I use public transport with the Budapest Card?
Yes, with the Budapest Card you can use all public transport of the BKK transport company as well as the suburban trains (HÉV). The Buda Castle Railway and the Libegö chairlift can also be used free of charge.
Can I cancel the Budapest Card free of charge?
Yes, should your travel plans change, you can cancel the Budapest Card free of charge until 23:59 the night before your visit.
How is the Budapest Card activated?
After collecting the Budapest Card, the start date, start time and signature are added. From this point on, the card can be used according to its respective validity of up to 120 hours.
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