Validating digital tickets on Budapest’s public transport has become easier, as new QR-code stickers are now available inside vehicles across the city. Passengers using the BudapestGO app and other mobile ticket apps can scan their tickets after boarding, while several fines for travelling without a valid ticket have also increased.

The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) began installing the new stickers in the second half of October, and the rollout has now taken effect. Previously, passengers generally had to scan a QR code outside the vehicle before boarding. With the new system, they can also validate their digital tickets once they are on board.

The change is particularly useful for passengers who reach a bus, tram or trolleybus just before it departs and do not have time to validate their ticket at the stop.

Where can you find the new QR codes?

The stickers have been placed in different locations depending on the type of vehicle:

  • Buses and trolleybuses: on the ticket validation devices inside the vehicles.
  • Trams: next to every pair of doors. The existing stickers near the driver’s cab will remain available, too.
  • HÉV suburban railway services: next to the ticket validation devices at every pair of doors.

The new option is designed to make digital ticket validation quicker and more convenient, but it does not mean passengers can wait until a ticket inspector appears before validating their journey.

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Validate your ticket immediately after boarding

Passengers must still validate their digital tickets before starting their journey. If they cannot do so before boarding, they must scan the QR code inside the vehicle immediately after getting on.

There is also an important restriction: the QR codes inside vehicles are temporarily unavailable while ticket inspections are taking place. BudapestGO and other mobile ticket apps notify users when this happens.

In other words, the new system is intended to make life easier for passengers who have a valid ticket but need a little extra time to validate it. It is not a way to avoid paying for public transport or to validate a ticket only when an inspector appears.

Budapest raises several public transport fines

Alongside the QR-code rollout, several penalty fares increased on 2 November. The penalty for travelling without a valid ticket or pass, when paid on the spot or within two working days, has risen from HUF 12,000 to HUF 15,000 (approximately EUR 41).

Passengers who pay within 30 days now face a penalty of HUF 30,000 (approximately EUR 83) instead of HUF 25,000. The reduced penalty for passengers who buy a monthly pass on the day they are caught and present it within two working days has also increased, from HUF 6,000 to HUF 7,500 (approximately EUR 21).

The BKK reminds passengers to have a valid ticket or pass before starting their journey and to follow the relevant validation rules when using digital tickets.

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