For the next two weeks, motorists using the M0 motorway, the ring road around Budapest should expect lane closures due to warranty road surface and expansion joint repairs. The works will affect the stretch leading toward the M1 motorway, particularly on the Deák Ferenc Hárosi Duna Bridge, according to a statement from Magyar Közút Nonprofit Plc.
M0 motorway to see lane closures for 2 weeks
Drivers are advised to plan for potential delays, as the road is heavily trafficked, and longer travel times are likely during this period, Portfolio reports.
In addition to the repairs on the Deák Ferenc Bridge, further maintenance work is ongoing on other parts of the M0 motorway. On the section leading toward the M5 motorway, between kilometres 1 and 3 before the M7 junction, lane closures are in place due to a malfunction in the expansion joint structure, which may cause significant daytime traffic congestion.
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
Repairs are also being carried out in the eastern sector of the M0 motorway, between Vecsés and Gyál. Here, on the side heading toward the M5 motorway, the outer and emergency lanes are closed, with traffic moving on the inner lanes of both directions. Meanwhile, in the direction of the M3 motorway, only the outer and emergency lanes are available.
Magyar Közút encourages motorists, especially during peak hours, to check the latest traffic updates on their official Útinform website before setting out. Navigation apps or community-based driving tools can also help drivers find the best routes and avoid delays.
This weekend, the Keleti railway station will be the backdrop for a film shoot, leading to several temporary closures. Passengers are assigned diversion routes, which are indicated by signs.
Filming at Keleti railway station
As announced by MÁV (Hungarian State Railways) late Friday evening via MTI, the iconic Lotz Hall will be off-limits to passengers from 6 AM on Saturday, 19 October, until 8 PM on Sunday. Additionally, the platform for Track 6, from its end to the postal corridor, will be closed from 6 PM on Saturday until 4 AM on Sunday, Economx reports.
Passengers will need to follow clearly marked detour routes. The first five tracks can be accessed from Thököly Road through the hallway adjacent to the post office, according to the announcement. Tracks 6-9 in the main hall will remain accessible via the main entrance or through a passageway leading near the end of Track 6 from Thököly Road.
The Passenger Service Center will continue to operate as usual, reachable from the main entrance, the metro, and Kerepesi Road.
Detourst at Keleti railway station this weekend. Photo: MÁV
The Hungarian government promised to raise the number of officers on patrol and establish an independent police station in Budapest’s famous party district. Meanwhile, Budapest prosecutors are seeking prison sentences for four security guards who assaulted a group of Brazilian nationals at a party district club. One of the Brazilians was almost killed in the assault.
Elevated security level in Budapest party district
According to infostart.hu, Márton Nagy, Hungary’s National Economy Minister, talked about a new police station in Elizabethtown, Budapest’s 7th district, in a press conference of the Hungarian Tourism Agency this Monday. According to him, the government will increase the police presence in Budapest’s “party district”, raising the number of officers on patrol from 48 to 58.
Furthermore, they would like to establish an independent police station there. The aim is to guarantee the safety of the tourists and the locals in the so-called party district, a small area of Budapest’s 6th and 7th districts between the Small Ring Road (“Kiskörút”) and the Grand Boulevard (“Nagykörút”).
Photo: FB/Péter Niedermüller
Péter Niedermüller, the district’s mayor, said they did not receive details about how many police officers the government plans to redirect there or where the new station will be.
Foreigner almost killed in Budapest’s party district
Budapest prosecutors are seeking prison sentences for four security guards who assaulted a group of Brazilian nationals at a club last summer.
According to the Budapest Prosecutor’s Office, the three Brazilian men entered the 7th district club on the night of 4 June 2023. The security guards hired by the club told them to leave, but after they continued talking, one of the defendants assaulted them with a gas spray at around 3 AM.
Two of the Brazilian men left the scene, but one stayed and made a rude gesture at the security guards, after which one of the other guards sprayed him in the face.
Source: Prt Sc/YouTube/ PoliceHungary
After the victim continued to make gestures at the guards, they surrounded him, one of them put him in a chokehold from behind and slammed his head into the wall of a building before dropping him on the ground. One of the other victims tried to intervene but was sprayed again and hit in the back of the head with a telescopic stun baton.
Prosecutors say the man beaten by the security guards sustained life-threatening injuries. Three of the guards have been charged with causing bodily harm resulting in life-threatening injuries and one with attempted grievous bodily harm. Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences for them and asking the court to ban them from working as security guards in the future.
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Major raid in Budapest’s party district: increased police presence and focus – read more HERE
Hungarian aviation company Fly-coop Légi Szolgáltató Ltd and the University of Pécs are partnering on a project to develop a device that can pinpoint the location of culprits who shine lasers at aircraft, the company told MTI.
The partners have won HUF 597m in support from the National R+D+I Office for the project.
Fly-coop and the universityaim to produce a device, by the summer of 2026, that can be attached to aircraft, pinpoints the source of lasers and sends the location to local authorities within seconds.
Fly-coop had revenue of HUF 5.4bn in 2023, public records show.
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Recent government decisions on transportation infrastructure paint a sharp picture of Hungary’s priorities. While the country’s road network is set to receive a massive injection of funds, the railway system appears to be stagnating at best. According to a government resolution, Hungary plans to invest HUF 1,500 billion (EUR 3.7 billion) into railway infrastructure by 2035, a sum that may seem impressive at first glance. However, closer inspection reveals that these plans are more about survival than advancement.
The improvements will focus on fixing decaying infrastructure and marginally increasing the speed of trains on the 2,700 kilometres of main lines, with promises of reducing travel times from Budapest to major cities by 10-20 minutes, G7.hu reports. Yet, even after these repairs, Hungary’s railways will still lag far behind European standards, with serious deficiencies such as non-accessible stations and the gradual closure of secondary lines.
The 39-page government resolution covers state investments across many sectors, including transportation. The railway segment includes a HUF 800 billion (EUR 2 billion) plan recently announced by Minister of Construction and Transport János Lázár. Half of this funding will come from a loan by the European Investment Bank (EIB), aimed at restoring the technical standards of the 1980s rather than pushing for modernisation.
The document acknowledges that speed improvements will primarily be achieved on lines with permitted speeds of 100-120 km/h, falling short of the 160 km/h target speed the EU expects for major railway lines. Hungary’s efforts to implement the ETCS safety system to allow higher speeds have largely failed, even on tracks where significant EU funds were spent, such as the Kelenföld-Székesfehérvár and Szolnok-Debrecen sections.
Additionally, the government aims to avoid the costs of complying with EU requirements such as station rebuilding and accessibility improvements, cutting corners wherever possible. The focus, then, is not on development but on catching up with years of deferred maintenance, intending to make the network functional for the next 10-15 years.
Road investment dwarfs railway spending
Although the planned HUF 1,500 billion investment in railways is substantial, it pales in comparison to the amount allocated for road infrastructure. The government has earmarked a staggering HUF 9,000 billion (EUR 22.5 billion) for the construction of new expressways, a figure six times higher than the railway budget.
To put this into perspective, the road investment could fund the construction of 640 kilometres of high-speed railway tracks capable of supporting speeds of 250 km/h—enough to create a high-speed rail network across Hungary.
Yet, instead of modernising its railway system, the government has prioritised road expansion, allocating significant resources to new highways, despite the environmental and long-term mobility benefits rail investments could offer.
New trains, but the problems remain
One bright spot in the government’s railway plan is the acquisition of new rolling stock. The plan includes the purchase of 500 new vehicles, which will expand the MÁV-Start fleet by 398 units, G7.hu writes. These include 15 high-speed EuroCity trains, 29 domestic InterCity trains, and 95 regional electric multiple units (EMUs), among others. However, the inclusion of older diesel locomotives and the limited scope of vehicle replacements highlights a deeper issue: many of Hungary’s railway vehicles are nearing the end of their life cycle, with an average age of 49 years for diesel locomotives.
Furthermore, the ageing suburban HÉV network is notably absent from the government’s plans, Telex reports. While the replacement of these outdated vehicles was once considered a priority, it now seems sidelined, despite the recent service reductions caused by the poor condition of the rolling stock.
The future of Hungary’s railway network looks bleak for secondary lines, which are essential for connecting rural areas. The government’s plans all but confirm that the development of these lines has been abandoned. Instead of modernisation, these routes face a gradual phase-out, with some lines potentially being closed entirely. Even the planned acquisition of 68 battery-powered trains is unlikely to alleviate the problems on these tracks, as they remain too dilapidated to handle modern trains.
Conclusion: Roads over railways
In short, Hungary’s railway system appears to be stuck in a time warp. While road infrastructure is set to expand dramatically, the rail network remains underfunded and undersupported. Without significant changes, the dream of a modern, European-standard railway system seems increasingly out of reach, leaving Hungary’s railways on track for a future of slow progress and gradual decline.
The Hungarian budget airline, Wizz Air, is expected to announce new flights after they decided to halt their Tel Aviv flights until next January. Furthermore, TUI will launch a new flight connecting Birmingham with the Hungarian capital.
Wizz Air no longer flies to Tel Aviv
According to okosutas.hu, a Hungarian air travel news outlet, Wizz Air will announce new flights in days to utilise free capacities after their decision to halt flights to Tel Aviv due to the violent conflict in the Middle East. Wizz Air was the last budget airline to end service to the Israeli capital. Other low-cost competitors announced similar decisions months ago.
Wizz Air did not make a final decision for days. They postponed many of their flights one after the other because of the security situation. Some planes arrived in Israel, others landed somewhere else. The management of the Hungarian company decided about the halt this week and said no Wizz Air flights would go to Tel Aviv until 14 January.
The Hungarian low-cost airline will continue to serve Jordan with two flights weekly. However, okosutas.hu believes there is a chance that they will cancel them just before departure, as they did in the case of their Tel Aviv flights. In the last few weeks, Wizz Air cancelled all their flights, but they plan to depart on Friday.
CEO József Váradi said in Warsaw before the Israel decision that provided they had to abandon the country, they would shift extra capacities to other routes. Wizz Air needs to utilise its seats as much as possible during the end-of-the-year peak, which lasts 2.5 weeks.
CEO József Váradi. Photo: Wizz Air
As a result, okosutas.hu expects Wizz Air to launch new flights and increase frequencies on popular routes. They added the changes might rewrite the airline’s winter schedule.
New TUI flight to Budapest
From 11 May 2025, TUI Airways plans to launch a new flight between Birmingham and Budapest. The planes will commute once a week on Mondays. TUIlaunched two new routes between Hungary and the United Kingdom this year. They carry passengers from Manchester and London Gatwick for the Danube boat cruises to Budapest. The two services will restart next April.
Photo: facebook.com/budflyer
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All Wizz Air flights cancelled to busy airport, new airlines may come to Budapest – read more HERE
The Sunexpress airline’s Antalya-Düsseldorf service had to make an emergency landing in Budapest on Wednesday as a passenger was taken fatally ill, Budapest Airport told MTI.
A unit of the Airport Medical Service rushed to resuscitate the 75-year-old man but their efforts have failed, it said.
Budapest Airport has expressed condolences to the man’s relatives.
The flight will soon depart to its original destination, BA said.
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All Wizz Air flights cancelledto busy airport, new airlines may come to Budapest
Wizz Air announced that they would not launch flights to Tel-Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport until next January because of the security situation in the Middle East. Meanwhile, a Kazakh airline may come to Budapest with additional routes to Munich, Riga, and Vienna.
According to airportal.hu, Wizz Air prolonged the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until 14 January 2025, due to the security situation in the Middle East. The Hungarian budget airline offers 100% refund for its passengers in credits or cash. Another option for passengers affected is to book a flight to a different destination. However, if passengers bought their tickets via a third party, they should enquire about compensation or rebooking at the seller.
No flights to Tel Aviv until January. Photo: FB/Wizz Air
Kazakh airlines may fly to Budapest
Meanwhile, a Kazakh airline is keen to come to Budapest Airport. According to Budflyer, a Hungarian travel news media outlet, the aviation authorities of Kazakhstan and the European Union are working to increase the number of flights between the EU and the Central Asian country in the medium term. The Kazakh civic aviation authority (CAC) talked about the negotiations and plans to press.
According to their statement, the new flights would commute from Kazakhstan to Budapest, Riga, Munich, and Vienna. However, they did not share an exact date or the name of the airlines interested in the project. In the region, SCAT Airlines returned to Prague with flights to and from Astana.
Astana, Kazakhstan. Source: Pixabay
Previously, a direct Wizz Air flight carried passengers between Astana and Budapest. However, it had to be closed due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the war following it.
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German Lufthansa denied 128 Jewish passengers boarding a plane from Frankfurt to Budapest because they treated them as a single group and some were allegedly misbehaving. Now, they will pay USD 4 million, the largest penalty ever issued against an airline for civil rights violations.
Lufthansa denied boarding Jewish passengers
According to Reuters, the incident happened in May 2022. The German airline denied 128 Jewish passengers wearing traditional Orthodox Jewish garments to board their connecting flight from Frankfurt to Budapest. The passengers came from New York, and some of them allegedly behaved inappropriately. Since Lufthansa treated them as a group, all were denied boarding the plane. However, most passengers did not know each other, and only a few did not follow crew instructions.
Now, Lufthansa will have to pay the highest penalty imposed on an airline for breaching civil rights in the United States. They will pay USD 2 million to the country’s transport ministry and another USD 2 million to compensate the passengers.
Lufthansa aircraft in Budapest. Photo: FB
“Unfortunate series of inaccurate communications”
Interestingly, Lufthansa did not admit any discrimination or violations and insisted that more than 60 Jewish men were disregarding crew instructions. However, they apologised for treating the individuals as a group. They said the incident “resulted from an unfortunate series of inaccurate communications, misinterpretations, and misjudgments throughout the decision-making process.”
Lufthansa said they cooperated with the Department of Transportation (USDOT) after 2022, partnered with the American Jewish Committee and began “a first-of-its-kind training program in the airline industry for our managers and employees to address antisemitism and discrimination.”
Photo: Creative Commons
Why do Orthodox Jews come to Hungary?
Reuters did not write about why 128 Orthodox Jewish men decided to come to Hungary. We only assume they came because of an annual pilgrimage, so their final destination was not Budapest but Bodrogkeresztúr. The tiny Hungarian village is located near the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region and hosts the tomb of a so-called “miracle Rabbi”, Shaya’la, or Yeshaya Steiner, who died there in 1925.
In 2023, more than 70,000 Hasidic Jewish pilgrims visited the village. We wrotebefore that locals are concerned about the many tourists who drive up real estate prices in the settlement. Furthermore, Rabbi Rubin, the grandson of the “miracle Rabbi” thinks many Jews are considering moving back to Bodrogkeresztúr.
“It will be like going back to the past, going back to the days before the Holocaust when many Jews were living in the villages in the area. I think I’m too old to see that, but my sons will be here soon to take my place,” said Rabbi Rubin.
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The world is filled with stunning yet lesser-known cities that hold hidden treasures for travellers. One of these gems is Eger, a historic town in northern Hungary, which has now made its way into the spotlight thanks to Architectural Digest. The magazine’s latest compilation highlights the world’s most exciting travel destinations, with Eger featured for its medieval castle and baroque architecture.
Discover hidden gems worldwide
The world is brimming with beautiful but under-the-radar cities, waiting to be explored by curious travellers, Pénzcentrum writes. In a recent feature, Architectural Digest presented 13 such places, from medieval Hungarian towns to vibrant Italian islands, and even ancient Incan settlements. These destinations, though often overlooked, are worth the extra attention they are now receiving.
In this collection, Eger stands out as the first mentioned “hidden treasure”. The northern Hungarian town is praised for its medieval castle and baroque buildings. In the 18th century, it was often referred to as the “Hungarian Rome” due to its many religious structures. Below the city, an impressive 60-mile tunnel system was historically used for wine cellars and is still in use today.
Affordable accommodations in Eger
Eger offers a range of accommodation options for two people, depending on the chosen stay. Here are a few examples to provide an idea of what to expect:
1552 Boutique Hotel: Around HUF 30,000 (EUR 75) per night, including breakfast, with excellent reviews.
Imola Hotel Platán: Approximately HUF 32,000 (EUR 80) per night, offering wellness services such as pools and saunas.
Excalibur miniHotel: Roughly HUF 24,000 (EUR 60) per night, including breakfast, close to the city centre.
Prices, of course, can fluctuate based on the season and the number of bookings, so early planning is recommended.
Must-see attractions in Eger
Eger boasts a variety of sights to explore. The Eger Castle is a top tourist attraction, presenting significant local historical events. After exploring the castle, the Turkish Bath offers a unique experience, where visitors can try a traditional Turkish steam bath. The Eger Basilica, Hungary’s second-largest church, is another must-see, especially for its stunning baroque architecture.
Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Apostle. Photo: Wikimedia Commons – Thaler Tamás
In the city centre, Dobó Square serves as a popular meeting spot for visitors, with restaurants and cafes lining the area. Often, cultural events are held here, making it a lively hub of activity. For those interested in astronomy, the Eger Planetarium provides fascinating programs. With its rich cultural heritage and stunning architecture, Eger is the perfect place for relaxation and exploration.
Other featured cities: Goslar and Deia
Another town on the list is Goslar, a charming city in Germany’s Harz Mountains, known for its remarkable 13th-16th century buildings. Founded in 922, it was once a favored residence of early Holy Roman Emperors.
Meanwhile, the quiet town of Deia on the Spanish island of Mallorca attracts many Hollywood celebrities and artists. According to a local restaurant owner, “Actors, politicians, musicians, and designers come here because no one cares who you are.” This laid-back atmosphere is part of the town’s charm.
In Deia, autumn accommodation prices vary depending on the type of stay. For example, the La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel in the city center ranges from EUR 350 to 700 per night, offering stunning views and amenities like a wellness center and pool.
For more budget-conscious travelers, various apartments and villas are available for between EUR 150 and 400 per night. These options provide a well-equipped and comfortable alternative, especially for couples.
The 2024 summer season exceeded all expectations in Hungarian tourism, largely boosted by the increased number of foreign tourists. Between June and August, Hungary saw a 14 percent increase in the number of foreign visitors, with more than 3 million international tourists spending nearly 8 million nights in Hungarian accommodations.
As reported by Lelépő, more than 1.7 million tourists visited the Hungarian capital, Budapest, in the summer of 2024. To put this number into perspective: more than half of of all overnight stays booked by foreign tourists have been registered in Budapest which made the capital stand out not only in terms of the number of visitors but also in terms of total revenue. International visitors produced the overwhelming majority of hotel revenues: 90 percent, or almost HUF 103 billion (more than EUR 256 million).
Rural hotels and other accommodation providers also performed well, especially in spa towns and around Lake Balaton. 1.4 million foreign tourists visited Hungary outside the capital, generating nearly 4 million overnight stays and HUF 67 billion (almost EUR 167 million) of revenue, which is a 13 percent increase outside Budapest and 15 percent around Lake Balaton.
Swans in Lake Balaton near Siófok, Hungary. Photo: depositphotos.com
Most tourists came from Germany, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. The number of British and Slovakian tourists increased by 9 percent each compared to the previous year, while the number of Chinese visitors doubled in the same period.
The successful summer season underlines the importance of tourism in the economy of Hungary, as revenues generated by the sector account for 12 percent of the country’s GDP. According to Olivér Csendes, CEO of Visit Hungary, the successful summer season is significant not only in terms of immediate results but also in terms of annual tourism turnover, as almost 37 percent of annual foreign overnight stays are generated in the summer period.
These were the most popular destinations among foreign tourists
Outside the capital, Lake Balaton, Bük-Sárvár, and the Mátra-Bükk regions, Debrecen (the second largest city in Hungary), Siófok, Hajdúszoboszló, and Hévíz (three of the most popular towns by Lake Balaton) attracted the most visitors.
Starting next spring, travellers from the European Union, including Hungarians, will be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom without a visa. The UK Home Office announced that this new regulation will be implemented on 2 April 2025, affecting all EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals who previously could travel visa-free.
Application details and costs
The ETA is an online document that visitors can apply for beginning 5 March 2025, and will cost GBP 10. This authorisation will be valid for two years or until the applicant’s passport expires, allowing unlimited entries into the UK for stays of up to six months at a time, Portfolio reported.
The Home Office explained that the ETA would be digitally linked to travellers’ passports, enabling enhanced security checks before their journey, which aims to prevent abuse of the UK’s immigration system. The British government had previously piloted the ETA system for travellers from Qatar and has expanded it to include citizens from other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The ETA will also apply to non-visa nationals from countries outside Europe starting 8 January 2025, Travelo wrote.
Application process
Travellers will need to fill out an online application, which will be reviewed before approval. Similar procedures are already standard practice in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia. This requirement extends to all visa-exempt nationals travelling to the UK, whether arriving by air, train, or ferry.
Exemptions for certain groups
Notably, EU citizens who have settled in the UK before the end of 2020 and hold indefinite leave to remain (EU Settled Status) are exempt from this requirement, as are Irish citizens.
Duration of stay and visa requirements
Once the ETA application is approved, travellers can stay in the UK for up to six months for tourism or business purposes. A visa will be required to stay longer than this. The process is designed to facilitate travel while enhancing border security, making it easier for approved travellers to enter without undergoing extensive checks.
How to apply for the ETA
Travellers can apply for the ETA online at the UK government website or through a dedicated mobile app. They will need a biometric passport, a valid email address, and a debit or credit card for payment. Applications are typically processed within 48 to 72 hours, and applicants are advised to apply a few days prior to their intended travel date to avoid complications.
Broader strategy for border control
This move is part of the UK’s broader strategy to digitise border controls, enhancing security and efficiency in managing travellers. Similar systems are expected to be introduced by the EU for visa-exempt visitors by early 2025, which will also require British citizens to obtain permission before visiting EU countries.
Impact on transit passengers
Additionally, the ETA will also be mandatory for transit passengers, meaning those merely passing through UK airports will also need to secure this authorisation. While this may create some additional workload and costs for travellers, it reflects ongoing efforts to tighten border controls and improve the safety and integrity of the immigration system.
An airport shuttle driver confused the planes and took passengers to the Tirana flight instead of the Dubai plane. Later, they had to leave the plane but boarding the new passengers would have taken too much time. As a result, Wizz Air delayed the plane, so they could not fly home with hundreds of passengers from Dubai while hundreds of people remained stuck at Budapest Airport. According to one of the passengers in Dubai, they did not get any help from the Hungarian budget airline. Wizz Air denies the allegations.
Two hundred passengers stuck in Dubai and Budapest Airport
According to Blikk, more than two hundred passengers waited for their plane in Dubai, but Wizz Air informed them on Friday afternoon that their aircraft would only take off on Saturday afternoon.
That is because an airport shuttle driver confused the planes at Budapest Airportand took the passengers of the Dubai flight to the Tirana plane. Thankfully, the crew and the passengers discovered the problem, but disembarking them and boarding the new passengers would have taken too much time. Furthermore, since the plane had to land in Larnaca due to the violent conflict in the Middle East, the crew would have run out of authorised work time.
Photo: FB/BpAirport
Wizz Air denies
As a result, Wizz Air decided to cancel their Friday Dubai flight and postpone it to Saturday. However, according to passengers waiting for the pink-blue plane in Dubai, they did not offer help for them. Therefore, one passenger had to book a nearby hotel for Friday night.
Wizz Air denied those allegations. In their official statement concerning the issue, they did not mention the driver’s error at the airport, but acknowledged that the boarding process took too much time in Budapest. The crew’s authorised working time would have ended before they reached Larnaca, so they decided to postpone the flight’s take-off.
Photo: FB
Wizz Air added that they provided help for their passengers stuck in Budapest and Dubai. The company also apologised for the inconvenience.
Since Blikk wrote nothing more about the delayed flight, we assume the passengers came home yesterday afternoon.
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Budapest is a perfect choice either in the summer or in the winter even if you have weeks to spend here or just three days. The Hungarian capital offers a selection of magnificent architecture, beautiful art, rich history, and unforgettable memories. Gamintraveler collected a list of must-visit places you should include in your 72-hour-long journey. Here’s their “3 days in Budapest” tour guide.
3 days in Budapest
Have you ever planned to visit a European city for just 72 hours? That is a long weekend provided your plane lands early on the first day and departs late evening on the last day.
Gamintraveler compileda list of must-see places you can easily include in your three days without making your schedule too busy. In addition, even the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) can help you with a special pass. The 72-hour Budapest travelcard allows you to embark on an unlimited number of trips on the city’s extensive network of buses, trams, trolley buses and metros. You can even use the trains of MÁVin 2nd class and suburban VOLÁNBUSZbuses within the boundaries of Budapest.
Source: BKK
Unfortunately, the travelcard is invalid on the 100E airport shuttle bus connecting Budapest Airport with the city centre. HEREyou may read more about the travelcard.
1st day: Buda Castle and the Heart of Pest
Gamintravel wrote that you should spend your first day in Budapest in the city’s heart: the Buda Castle District and the Medieval core of Pest. In the morning, they recommend the Castle District. You may travel there by bus nr 16A. You can embark at Deák Ferenc Square station or the Széchenyi Chain Bridge station.
The key sites are the Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion. You will recognise the church from its colourful tile roof and Gothic spires. Two Hungarian kings were crowned there: Franz Joseph in 1867 and Charles IV in 1916. If you are there, you can see the Carmelite Monastery, the office of the prime minister, and the Sándor Palace, the seat of the President of Hungary. There are multiple palaces under reconstruction in the Buda Castle District, but walking around the multiple-hundred-year-old buildings may be a memorable experience for everybody.
The slim Gothic spire of the Matthias Church in the Buda Castle. Photo: Daily News Hungary
Traditional Hungary dishes for dinner
You can spend your afternoon in the centre of Pest where you may visit the Hungarian Parliament (built between 1885 and 1904), the Chain Bridge (built by the Greatest Hungarian, Count István Széchenyi) and walk on the Danube Promenade, which offers a magnificent view of the Buda side and the Castle District.
Already hungry? The Hungarian gastronomy awaits you in the downtown. We recommend Ráday Street, where you can find traditional Hungarian cuisine with goulash, lángos, chimney cake, and hortobágyi meat pancake. After your dinner, you can have a drink in one of the famous ruin pubs of the 7th district. It takes 15-20 minutes to walk from Ráday Street to the 7th district, but your journey would go through the Palace District, and you may check out even the commanding 19th-century building of the Hungarian National Museum.
Source: pixabay
2nd day: Heroes’ Square and baths
On day 2, Gamintravel recommends the Jewish Quarter in the 7th district with the Dohány Street Synagogue, Europe’s largest. If you plan to buy souvenirs or taste traditional dishes and foods, go to the Great Market Hall at the end of Váci Street and the Pest side of the Elizabeth Bridge, one of the most beautiful Budapest bridges. On the Buda side of the bridge, you may have a look at the Gellért Hotel and Spa.
In the afternoon, you may continue your discoveries in Budapest in the Heroes’ Square and visit the Museum of Fine Arts. Do not get worried, if you cannot see Budapest’s guardian angel, Gabriel, on the top of the square’s central column because it has been removed for restoration. If you want to go on a walk, you can go to the City Park, where you can find the Vajdahunyad Castle and the Hungarian National Gallery.
The Andrássy Avenue from from the Heroes’ Square. Source: https://www.facebook.com/spiceofeurope/[Andrássy Street]You may spend the evening in the Széchenyi Baths. But if you want to have an original Budapest bath experience for less money and with no crowd, we recommend the Rudas or the Lukács Baths.
Margaret Island and ruin pubs for day 3
On day 3, Gamintravel recommends visiting Budapest’s pearl, Margaret Island. The island is easily accessible with trams 4 and 6. There, you may go for a run on the scenic jogging path, relax at the Musical Fountain or check out the Medieval ruins of the Dominican Convent.
Margaret Island. Photo: Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
In the afternoon, you may visit Váci Street, Budapest’s famous shopping street and search for some local artisan shops. Or you may relax in your hotel room and prepare for the unique experience of visiting Budapest’s ruin pubs in the 7th district. The most recommended ones are the Instant-Fogas or Mazel Tov. Want to find a good eatery? You may walk around the Kazinczy or Király streets.
When do you plan to arrive?
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Good news for sightseeing enthusiasts: in a recent study, Compare the Market assessed the cost of food, transport, and accommodation in several popular destinations and compiled a list of the most affordable destinations in Europe to visit this autumn. Budapest, the Hungarian capital, has made it onto this list as one of the best budget-friendly destinations for a quick city break.
Although the end of the year is fast approaching, it’s not too late to plan a short European getaway this autumn, offering a chance to unwind before the busy holiday season. While last-minute bookings can often be pricier, as Travelo points out in their report, choosing the right destination can help save a great deal.
Before compiling the list of the top affordable destinations, Compare the Market analysed key factors such as the cost of a meal per person, local transport, the price of an Airbnb stay, and the number of Instagram posts, to identify the best affordable cities for a quick European break.
This year, Compare the Market named Istanbul, the bustling Turkish capital, as the top value destination. It’s hardly surprising, with the average meal costing just £7.31 (€8.73), a one-way transport ticket priced at 43p (€0.51), and an Airbnb averaging £68 (€81.23) per night.
It’s worth noting that the list of the most affordable destinations also includes some notoriously expensive cities, which are probably ranked higher because of the number of Instagram posts they have attracted. These include Vienna, the capital of Austria (14th), and Paris (15th), Timeout reports.
These are the best affordable destinations for autumn 2024
Istanbul
Warsaw
Budapest
Krakow
Prague
Heraklion
Oporto
Athens
Tallinn
Madrid
Seville
Lyon
Lisbon
Vienna
Paris
Budapest also ranked among the friendliest European destinations
In a recent survey, Condé Nast Traveler asked its readers to vote for the friendliest European cities in their experience. The list of the ten best destinations in this regard included cities everywhere from Eastern Europe to the Mediterranean, with Stockholm, Sweden’s capital at the top, scoring 94.07 points.
Budapest claimed second place, with a score of 91.88 points, despite not making the top 10 last year. Valencia, Spain, secured third place with 91 points.
The report highlighted Budapest’s reputation as the “City of Spas,” with over 100 natural springs feeding its thermal baths. It also praised the city’s stunning and diverse architecture, as well as the pride locals take in their city and their eagerness to share it with visitors. You can read our full report on Condé Nast Traveler’s ranking here.
Discover the must-visit attractions in Istanbul, the top-ranked city on the list:
…and Budapest, our bronze medalist with just as many captivating sights to explore:
Due to extensive flood damage, the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has announced that international rail travel is changing crucially due to the rail line between Vienna and Salzburg requiring months of repairs, significantly altering international train schedules starting from 10 October, according to Mávinform.
Rail travel beyond Vienna impossible
Trains that typically run beyond Vienna to destinations such as Salzburg, Munich, and Zurich will now terminate in Vienna. As a result, direct rail travel beyond the Austrian capital is no longer possible, and passengers will need to transfer to other trains to reach their final destinations., Mávinform reports. Due to flood-related damage in the area between Vienna and Sankt Pölten, restrictions have been imposed, and the timetable has undergone substantial modifications.
Flood disrupts international rail travel significantly. Photo: FB/MÁV
Travellers from Budapest should expect changes
From Budapest, all Railjet trains will operate only as far as Vienna, and Railjets from destinations beyond Vienna will depart from there when heading towards Budapest. Despite this, hourly Railjet services will continue between Vienna and Salzburg, but travellers can expect an additional travel time of 30–60 minutes due to transfers and schedule changes.
The Kálmán Imre EuroNight train will continue to operate its full route without requiring transfers (except on 12th and 19th October). The train departs Keleti station at 19:40, one hour earlier than usual, en route to Salzburg. Meanwhile, the Railjet service, which normally departs Keleti at 19:40 for Vienna, will depart one hour later, at 20:40. For the return journey, the Kálmán Imre EuroNight will depart Salzburg at 7:40 instead of the usual 6:40, arriving at Keleti station at 10:19 (except on 13th and 20th October). The morning Railjet from Vienna will leave one hour earlier, at 6:40, and arrive at Keleti station at 9:19.
Temporary timetable to remain for quite a while
The temporary ÖBB schedule, which includes these restrictions, will remain in place from 10th October until 14th December. On certain days, international train services may operate with additional schedule or route changes. Detailed timetable changes for Hungarian-Austrian long-distance trains can be accessed via this PDF file, and ÖBB provides further information about the modified service on its website.
Budapest is set to introduce a new type of bus service, responding directly to passenger needs by offering flexible routes. The Budapest Transport Company (BKK) will be the first in Hungary to create and test a demand-driven, dynamic transit system.
BKK to introduce a flexible bus service
The innovation behind the proposed Telebus service lies in its lack of a fixed route. Instead, passengers will specify their pick-up and drop-off locations when booking, and the bus’s route will be optimised in real-time using software to meet these requests.
BKK will be the first in Hungary to create and test a demand-driven, dynamic transit system. Photo: depositphotos.com
According to BKK, this new Telebus line is expected to launch in 2025 under the number 274, Pénzcentrum writes. It will follow a scheduled departure from Cinkota HÉV station, continuing along Ostoros Street and Bóbitás Street, before transitioning into a flexible-route area. If a request is made, the bus will pass through Menyhért Street, Monoki Street, and Muzsika Street, stopping at the Muzsika Street bus stop, served by the 31 bus. Within the flexible area, the bus won’t follow a predetermined route but will instead adjust to demand, serving key streets based on requests for pick-up or drop-off.
First of its kind
The first year of operation will serve as a test phase, with buses running at approximately 30-minute intervals. The service will connect to the H8 and H9 HÉV trains at Cinkota and to the 31 bus at Muzsika Street.
The 274 bus will not travel along a fixed route within the designated area but will instead navigate the streets pre-selected for potential stops, based on passenger demand. These pick-up and drop-off points won’t be traditional bus stops but will be marked locations along streets or at intersections, allowing passengers to board or alight from buses arriving from any direction.
BKK has initiated a public consultation process regarding the proposed 274 bus route and is seeking feedback from local residents and stakeholders through an online survey, available on their public consultation website.
The MÁV-VOLÁN Group is continuing its efforts to simplify public transportation in Hungary, not only through the introduction of new fare reforms and the implementation of county and national passes but also by significantly increasing the number of ticket machines for both rail and bus services. As part of this initiative, 110 new machines will be installed across the country, with a total investment of HUF 1.1 billion (EUR 2.75 million). These include 93 machines for the Volánbusz network, 11 for HÉV lines, and 6 for MÁV-START, enhancing the existing infrastructure.
Number of ticket machines to increase
With this new deployment, the total number of ticket machines nationwide will rise to 658, reflecting a growing trend among passengers who prefer to purchase their tickets and passes through self-service platforms, either online or at ticket machines, Economx reportsbased on MÁV’s statement.
Photo: FB/MÁV
The installation of the new machines began on 7 October along the H5 and H8 HÉV lines. By mid-October, all 11 machines planned for these routes will be operational at key locations including Budakalász, Pomáz, and Gödöllő, among others. This will allow passengers to buy tickets at all suburban stops on these lines. In addition, county and national passes, which are valid on both HÉV and BKK services in Budapest, will also be available at these machines.
A notable change set to take effect from 15 October is that passengers on the Szentendre and Gödöllő HÉV lines will be required to have a valid ticket before beginning their journey. In the initial phase, passengers who board without a ticket will be warned until the end of November, after which they will be subject to a surcharge unless they purchase their ticket from a conductor.
Many ticket machines will only accept card payments
By the end of 2024, 70 of the planned 110 machines are expected to be operational, with the remaining units being installed by mid-2025 at Volánbusz and MÁV-START stations. Of the 93 machines set to be placed at Volánbusz stations, 30 will only accept card payments, while the others will accept both cash and card. The machines will be distributed across different regions, with 49 units going to the central region, including Pest and Fejér counties, 15 to the western region, and 29 to the eastern region, covering major bus stations in larger cities.
Photo: MÁV
The machines will offer a variety of tickets, including intercity tickets for MÁV-START, MÁV-HÉV, and Volánbusz services, as well as county and national passes. Discounted versions of these passes, such as the Vármegye24 and Hungary24 day tickets, will also be available. Additionally, Budapest transport passes and BKK day tickets can be purchased.
However, passengers travelling within Budapest on the HÉV lines will not be able to buy single-journey tickets for the city from these machines. Instead, they can purchase tickets to the city boundary (e.g., Békásmegyer on H5 or Ilonatelep on H8), and then complete their journey by purchasing a Budapest ticket from a conductor without a surcharge.
As of 2023, MÁV-START has reported a significant improvement in the availability of these machines, with a near 97% operational rate. The percentage of passengers using ticket machines has also seen a rise. In 2019, only 12% of passengers bought tickets from vending machines, whereas by 2023, this figure had increased to 22.7%, with nearly every fourth traveller opting for self-service options. This reflects the growing demand for convenient, automated services across the transport network.
With this investment, the total number of ticket machines managed by MÁV-START will increase to 658, further enhancing the quality of service for passengers and making public transportation more accessible and efficient across the country.
