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๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡บ Hungary

Hungary is no. 28 in our list of the 50 most visited destinations, with 13.2 million international arrivals in 2024. Below: visa rules for every passport, cash limits at customs and the tourist traps official travel advice warns about.

Rank 28 of 50 by international arrivals (13.2 million, 2024) ยท Source: UN Tourism

Check your visa route for Hungary

Pick your passport and where you live โ€” Hungary is already filled in.

Visas or permits I hold (optional)

Visa rules for your passport โ†“

Explore Hungary: things to do, shopping, food and getting around

Budapest, from Visit Hungary, the BKK transport authority and the Szรฉchenyi Thermal Bath.

Things to do

Places to visit

Cheap ways to get around

  • Tickets and travelcards

    Budapest

    A single ticket costs HUF 500 and is valid for one journey, though you can change between metro lines. 30- and 90-minute app tickets (HUF 600/850) allow unlimited transfers, but scan at each change. A 24-hour travelcard is HUF 2,750 and a 72-hour one HUF 5,750. Everything is sold in the BudapestGO app.

    Source: BKK (Budapest transport) โ€“ Visitor ticket leaflet (PDF)

  • Airport bus 100E

    Budapest

    The 100E Airport Express runs between the airport and Deรกk Ferenc tรฉr for HUF 2,500. You can buy and validate on board with a bank card.

    Source: BKK (Budapest transport) โ€“ Visitor ticket leaflet (PDF)

Nightlife

General tips

Summarised in our own words from the linked pages, official tourism boards and transport authorities first; items marked "Not official" come from other guides. Prices and opening times change, so check the source before you go. Last checked 24 Oct 2026.

Common tourist traps and how to avoid them

Scams and risky spots named in official travel advice for Hungary, plus a few reported in public visitor reviews (labelled), in our own words.

  1. Bar and restaurant bill scams

    How it works: Some venues charge huge amounts and walk tourists to cash machines to pay.

    How to avoid it: Ask for a priced menu before ordering and check the bill.

  2. Taxi drivers and street "invitations"

    How it works: Some drivers earn commission for bringing customers to these venues; people on the street also invite you in.

    How to avoid it: Be wary of recommendations and use reputable taxi firms.

  3. Card skimming and street exchange

    How it works: Card details are stolen at tampered ATMs; street money-changers cheat.

    How to avoid it: Use ATMs inside banks and never change money on the street.

  4. Drink spiking in Budapest

    How it works: Drinks have been spiked in Budapest bars.

    How to avoid it: Buy your own drinks and keep sight of them.

  5. Train luggage theft

    How it works: Bags are stolen as trains pull into stations.

    How to avoid it: Watch your luggage when arriving.

  6. Huge bills after street invitations on Vรกci utca

    How it works: Visitors report being approached by friendly women, or simply touted, into bars and restaurants on and around Vรกci utca, then presented with grossly inflated bills. In 2017 police found one pub had overcharged at least 19 foreign tourists, including 250,000 forints for two goulash soups and drinks.

    How to avoid it: Turn down street invitations, check menu prices before you order, and eat away from Vรกci utca.

    From visitor reviews, not official Vรกci utca, Budapest. Sources: reddit.com ยท reddit.com ยท hvg.hu. Researched 23 Oct 2026; there is no official page to re-check, so this date is not updated automatically.

Official advice: FCDO: no areas advised against.

Emergency numbers in Hungary

Other traps paraphrased from official travel advice: FCDO travel advice โ€“ Safety and security ยท FCDO travel advice โ€“ Warnings and insurance ยท FCDO travel advice โ€“ Getting help (emergency numbers) ยท FCDO page updated 23 Sept 2026 ยท Last checked 2 Nov 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Cash you can bring in and take out

Customs rules for banknotes and other cash when you enter or leave Hungary.

EU external border (Reg. 2018/1672)

Bringing cash in
Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent) when arriving from outside the EU.
Taking cash out
Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent) when leaving to a country outside the EU.
Local currency (HUF) in
No limit (declaration only).
Local currency (HUF) out
No limit (declaration only).
Foreign currency
No limit (declaration only).
  • EU rule (Regulation (EU) 2018/1672): anyone entering or leaving the EU with EUR 10,000 or more in cash (banknotes, coins, bearer-negotiable instruments such as traveller's cheques, and gold coins/bullion of high purity) must declare it to customs at the point of entry/exit, using the EU cash declaration form. The threshold is per person, also for families/groups.
  • Customs can act on lower amounts if there are signs of criminal activity; undeclared cash can be detained and fined.
  • Local currency (HUF) is not limited; the same EUR 10,000-equivalent declaration rule applies to it.

Official source: taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu ยท eur-lex.europa.eu ยท europa.eu ยท Last checked 4 Oct 2026

Hungary visa rules by passport

The general rule for each passport, from official sources. Open a passport to see conditions and options that depend on where you live.

Free movement (EU/EEA/Swiss)30 passports
Visa-free63 passports
Embassy visa105 passports

Verified rules for Hungary: 197 of 198 passports; awaiting verification: 1; not yet covered: 0. A rule that is awaiting verification or not yet covered is not a negative visa decision: it only means we haven't confirmed it on an official source yet.

โš  Unofficial sources: 1 rule for Hungary is not from an official Hungary government source (based on other governments' travel advice or secondary research). They are labelled on each page, are not counted as verified above, and should be confirmed with the embassy before travel.

Requirements for all visitors to Hungary

These apply on top of the visa rules above, whatever your passport, unless an item says otherwise.

  • Proof of fundsProof of means of subsistence: EUR 40 per day of planned stay

    Applies to: non-EU/EEA/Swiss visitors at the external Schengen border, on request.

    Official source: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu ยท Last checked 2 Nov 2026

Nearby destinations

Official travel advice

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Plan your trip to Hungary

Verify with the embassy before you book. Visa rules change without notice. We link every rule to its official source and last checked it on 2 Nov 2026, but the embassy, official e-visa portal and your airline have the final say. MyVisaPort is not a visa agent and is not affiliated with any government.