Summer travel in Hungary can bring more than sunshine and holidays. As temperatures rise, delays and disruptions on the country’s railway network can also become a familiar part of the journey.
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Everything passengers need to know about ticket refunds, season tickets and compensation for railway delays
Whether the cause is extreme weather, the condition of railway infrastructure or rolling stock, an unexpected delay can quickly derail travel plans. A missed connection, cancelled programme or journey home that takes several hours longer than expected can also turn into a financial headache.
For passengers using Hungarian State Railways (Magyar Államvasutak, MÁV), however, several forms of reimbursement and compensation may be available. Crucially, they do not all apply in the same circumstances. Here is what passengers need to know in 2026 about MÁV ticket refunds, service-related refunds, delay compensation, season tickets and day tickets.
Ticket refund or compensation: what is the difference?
According to Pénzcentrum, when a train is delayed or cancelled, many passengers’ first thought is whether they can get their ticket money back. But Hungarian railway rules distinguish between several different situations. In practice, three cases are particularly important:
- Voluntary ticket refund: when a passenger decides not to travel and returns their unused ticket before the journey.
- Refund because of a railway service failure: when a delay, cancellation or other railway-related problem means the passenger cannot travel as originally planned.
- Delay compensation: when the passenger completes the journey but arrives at their destination at least 20 minutes late.
The distinction matters because different procedures and compensation rules apply to each situation.
Returning a train ticket before departure
A standard ticket refund applies when a passenger decides not to use their ticket before starting the journey. This is not compensation for a delay; it is simply a decision not to travel. Timing is therefore crucial. For tickets bought at a railway ticket office or ticket machine, the refund can generally be requested at any station ticket office before the ticket’s validity begins.
Once the validity period has started, the refund can only be requested at the departure station, provided the passenger has not yet started their journey. For tickets purchased online or through the MÁV app, the refund must be initiated electronically before the ticket becomes valid.
The same deadline applies to Vármegye24 and Magyarország24 day tickets, as well as county and national season tickets: they must be returned before their validity begins. Passengers should also be aware that a voluntary refund does not necessarily mean receiving the entire purchase price. A handling fee may be deducted, depending on how and where the ticket was purchased.
How to return a MÁV ticket
The procedure depends on the method of purchase:
- Ticket office: return the original paper ticket at a ticket office.
- Ticket machine: the paper ticket must likewise be taken to a ticket office.
- Online purchase by a registered user: select the relevant ticket from the previous purchases section of the MÁV online platform.
- MÁV app: open the relevant ticket and select the refund option from its menu.
- Online purchase without registration: the refund request must be submitted by email or telephone before the ticket becomes valid.
Once a ticket has been submitted for a refund, it can no longer be used for travel. For online purchases, the refunded amount is not paid in cash. Instead, it is returned to the bank account associated with the card used for the purchase.
What happens if the railway is at fault?
A different type of refund may apply when a passenger cannot make their planned journey because of a railway service failure. This could happen if a train is cancelled, delayed or otherwise disrupted for a reason attributable to the railway service.
This is different from voluntarily returning a ticket. In a service-related case, the passenger has not simply changed their mind about travelling; the railway disruption has prevented the journey from going ahead as planned. The distinction can also affect the amount refunded. While a voluntary refund may be subject to a handling fee, a refund resulting from a railway service failure may be made without such a deduction.
Passengers should obtain evidence of the disruption where possible. On a train, this can be requested from the ticket inspector; at a station, passengers can ask the staff member on duty. A delay certificate can also be requested through MÁV’s online system.
Once the necessary documentation has been obtained, passengers can submit their refund request through MÁV’s customer service channels or at a ticket office. Because service-related refunds may require central assessment, passengers should not necessarily expect the money to be returned immediately at the station.
Railway delay compensation in 2026: when does it apply?
The MÁV delay compensation scheme is designed for a different situation again: the passenger completes their journey, but their train arrives at the destination at least 20 minutes late. For domestic intercity and other eligible services, a delay of 20 minutes or more at the destination can trigger compensation.
For a single-journey ticket, this can mean a cash refund. For certain season tickets and day tickets, compensation takes the form of a credit that can be used towards a subsequent purchase.
Importantly, passengers cannot receive both a ticket refund and delay compensation for the same journey. If the fare has already been refunded, the same journey cannot also generate compensation under the delay scheme.
Single-journey tickets: 50 per cent back after a 20-minute delay
For an eligible single-journey ticket, a train arriving at least 20 minutes late can entitle the passenger to 50 per cent of the ticket price under the delay compensation scheme. The passenger must have actually made the journey, and the ticket price must not already have been refunded.
For tickets purchased online or through the MÁV app, the compensation is processed automatically. Passengers can check the relevant information in the Previous purchases section of the online platform or app.
Tickets purchased at a ticket office, from a machine or on board require a separate claim. In these cases, passengers can submit their delay compensation request through MÁV’s online system, either as a registered user or as a guest. The ticket details and payment information required to process the compensation must be provided.
What about MÁV season tickets and day tickets?
Season tickets and day tickets work somewhat differently. For county and national season tickets, as well as Vármegye24 and Magyarország24 day tickets, eligible delays can result in a 10 per cent credit towards the purchase of another product of the same type.
This is therefore not normally a cash payment into the passenger’s bank account. Instead, it functions as a credit or voucher for a future purchase. The number of qualifying delays required depends on the type of ticket.
Vármegye24 and Magyarország24 day tickets
A single delay of at least 20 minutes during the validity of the day ticket can qualify the passenger for compensation. The credit is equivalent to 10 per cent of the price of the day ticket and can be used towards the purchase of another day ticket of the same type.
County and national season tickets
For a county season ticket or national season ticket, passengers generally need to accumulate at least five delays of 20 minutes or more during the ticket’s validity period. Once the threshold has been reached, the passenger can receive a credit equivalent to 10 per cent of the price of the relevant season ticket.
How is delay compensation recorded?
The process depends on whether the passenger uses a digital or paper ticket. For digital season tickets and day tickets, passengers should select the service they actually travelled on in the MÁV+ app. If that service arrives at least 20 minutes late, the delay can be recorded against the ticket.
Once the required number of qualifying delays has been accumulated, an electronic voucher is issued. This can then be used when purchasing another product of the same type. Passengers travelling with paper season tickets or day tickets cannot rely on the app to record their delays.
Instead, they should request a delay certificate for every qualifying journey and keep the original season ticket or day ticket. The relevant credit can subsequently be claimed when purchasing another product of the same type at a ticket office, with the certificates presented as evidence.
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Lump-sum compensation for delayed trains
There is another form of compensation that passengers may be entitled to in certain circumstances: lump-sum compensation. This applies to eligible domestic trains that require a supplement or seat reservation, provided the passenger has a valid ticket and reservation. The amount depends on the length of the delay:
- 30–119 minutes: 25 per cent of the relevant fare.
- 120 minutes or more: 50 per cent.
If the calculated compensation is HUF 1,000 or less, it is not paid out on its own. However, several smaller claims can be combined.
For tickets bought at a ticket office or ticket machine, passengers can claim lump-sum compensation at any station ticket office within 14 days. For electronic tickets, or where the 14-day period for making the claim at a ticket office has passed, passengers should submit their claim through MÁV’s customer service channels.
The claim requires sufficient information to identify the ticket. For electronic tickets, passengers may need to provide the PDF ticket or purchase details. Bank account or postal details may also be required for payment.
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What should passengers do when a train is delayed?
The most important thing is not to treat every disruption as a simple ticket refund. Before making a claim, passengers should establish which situation applies:
- Did you decide not to travel before departure? This is a voluntary ticket refund.
- Could you not travel because of a railway-related disruption? You may be entitled to a service-related refund.
- Did you complete your journey but arrive at least 20 minutes late? Delay compensation may apply.
Passengers should also obtain and retain any relevant documentation as soon as possible. This is particularly important for paper tickets and season tickets, where delay certificates may be needed to support a later claim.
For digital tickets and passes, using the appropriate MÁV app functions can make the process considerably easier, as eligible delays can be recorded electronically. With several different compensation mechanisms now available, knowing which one applies can make the difference between successfully recovering money or missing out on compensation after a disrupted journey.
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