E-ticketing system comes to Budapest, Pay+GO service will also be expanded to all metro lines

The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) on Wednesday said it is set to launch a city-wide e-ticketing system by 2028, after the Budapest metropolitan assembly approved plans to begin procurement for the scheme.

BKK’s contactless Pay+GO service, currently available on the 100E airport express and the M1 metro line, will expand to all metro lines by mid-April, the authority told MTI. The system allows passengers to pay and validate tickets in one step using a bank card or smartphone, meaning that no registration, app download, or paper ticket is required.

Building on pilot results and international best practices, BKK has finalised its e-ticketing concept, which the city assembly endorsed on Wednesday. The full system, set for a phased introduction from early 2028, will cover Budapest and its surrounding area, offering flexible fare options, including daily or weekly spending caps, for both regular commuters and occasional travellers, they said.

Pay&GO electronic ticketing to roll out across all Budapest lines

Parallel to this, the transport organiser has devised a concept for Budapest’s electronic ticketing system, drawing on pilot experiences, analysing foreign best practices, and accounting for the peculiarities of the capital’s public transport.

The Budapest General Assembly endorsed the BKK Pay&GO electronic ticketing concept—and the launch of the necessary procurement process—at its meeting on 25 February. According to the company’s plans, the Budapest Pay&GO system will offer solutions for the widest possible range of customer needs, enabling both regular commuters and occasional travellers to select the most advantageous ticket type for them.

Moreover, the service will allow spending limits—such as daily or weekly caps—to be set for casual journeys, ensuring customers always receive the most favourable fare matching their requirements. BKK calculations indicate that Pay&GO-style card payments could appear in phases across the entire public transport network of Budapest and its agglomeration from the first half of 2028.

“The aim of BKK is not merely to introduce a new technology, but to create a system that is straightforward and convenient for everyone, making use of Budapest’s public transport even easier,” said Ágnes Diószegi, BKK’s deputy chief executive for customer relations and sales. She added that the success of the Pay&GO pilot demonstrates customers’ openness to simple, swift solutions, on which BKK is now building as it advances towards a fully fledged, city-wide electronic ticketing system.

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