Is the Budapest Card Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes for 48 hours or more, if you'll ride trams and the metro, use the free Lukács bath and join the free walking tours.
- Skip itNo if Széchenyi is your bath. Only the St Lukács bath is included.
- Skip itNo for a 24-hour stay on foot. You won't use enough of it.
- From €44 (24h)
- Public transport
- Free Lukács bath
What is The Budapest Card?
The Budapest Card is the city's official card: unlimited public transport, one free visit to the St Lukács bath, free entry to several museums, two free walking tours and discounts at 100+ places, for 24 to 120 hours.
Budapest is split by the Danube, so trams across the bridges, the Castle Hill buses and the HÉV make transport genuinely useful.
By our maths, you can save about 11,500 HUF of entries (the Lukács bath and National Museum), before transport compared with buying each ticket separately. Realistic for 48 hours or more with the bath and transport.
- Length
- 24-120 hours
- Price
- From €44
- Transport
- Unlimited
- Bath
- St Lukács, once
How to get the most value out of The Budapest Card
Two days of trams and the free Lukács bath usually cover the 48-hour card on their own.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Plan a Széchenyi day on the card | Széchenyi isn't included (about HUF 13,200-14,800 a day). Use the card's free visit at St Lukács instead. |
| Miss the free walking tours | Two English walking tours are included: Pest at 10 am from Deák Ferenc Square, Buda at 2 pm from the Trinity Statue. |
| Buy the standard card if you're arriving by plane | Only the 72-hour Plus version adds the airport shuttle. Compare its price with a separate airport ticket. |
| Ride the Castle Hill funicular at midday | Queues are long. Take bus 16 up, covered by the card. |
| Go to Lukács at the weekend | Weekday mornings are quietest. |
| Head to Fisherman's Bastion without checking how busy it is | Check Fisherman's Bastion's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another Budapest sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for Fisherman's Bastion, check how busy it is right now on beatthecrowd.co. An hour in a queue is an hour of your pass gone.
Check live crowds in Budapest →Who The Budapest Card is for
Good fit
- 2-4 day visitors using public transport
- You'll try a thermal bath and some museums
- You like free walking tours
Skip it if
- Széchenyi is the only bath you want
- You'll walk everywhere in a day
- From €44 (24h)
- Public transport
- Free Lukács bath
What the pass covers
The card gives unlimited public transport, one St Lukács bath visit, free entry to several museums, two walking tours and discounts at 100+ places.
- Transport includes buses, trams, metro, trolleybuses, the suburban HÉV trains and the Zugliget Chairlift.
- The 72-hour Plus version adds the miniBUD airport shuttle and more extras.
The big sights
- St Lukács Thermal BathIncludedOne visit; 7,000 HUF on weekdays, 8,000 HUF Friday to Sunday on its own.
- Széchenyi Thermal BathNot includedFrom about HUF 13,200 on weekdays.
- Hungarian National MuseumIncludedPermanent exhibitions free (3,500 HUF on their own); 20% off temporary shows.
- Hungarian Parliament tourExtra costA paid guided tour, booked separately.
- St Stephen's BasilicaExtra cost2,600 HUF for the church; not free on the card.
The standard card doesn't include the airport bus. The 72-hour Plus version adds the miniBUD shuttle (€96).
- From €44 (24h)
- Public transport
- Free Lukács bath
Pass vs individual tickets
Add up your transport, the Lukács bath and the museums you'll visit. With the bath and two days of trams it usually covers a 48-hour card (€56).
Card prices
| Card | Adult price |
|---|---|
| 24 hours | €44 |
| 48 hours | €56 |
| 72 hours | €72 |
| 72 hours Plus (with airport shuttle) | €96 |
| 96 hours | €90 |
| 120 hours | €100 |
- From €44 (24h)
- Public transport
- Free Lukács bath
Fine print
- Activation
- Starts at first use.
- Transport
- Buses, trams, metro, trolleybuses, HÉV trains, Zugliget Chairlift.
- Bath
- One visit to the St Lukács bath.
- Walking tours
- Pest 10 am (Deák Ferenc Square), Buda 2 pm (Trinity Statue).
- Refunds
- BKK, the city transport company, issues the card and sets the refund rules in its official terms. Read them before buying if your dates might change.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: The Budapest Card is official, from Budapest's tourist board.
- Reassuring: Refunds: BKK, the city transport company, issues the card and sets the refund rules in its official terms. Read them before buying if your dates might change.
- Watch out: The airport shuttle is only on the 72-hour Plus.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Pay for Széchenyi expecting it's on the card | Only Lukács is included. |
| Buy the Plus if you're not flying in | The Plus extra is the airport shuttle. |
| Queue at Fisherman's Bastion at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for Fisherman's Bastion's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in Budapest. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with Fisherman's Bastion.
Check live crowds in Budapest →- From €44 (24h)
- Public transport
- Free Lukács bath
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy Budapest’s attractions are right now →
- From €44 (24h)
- Public transport
- Free Lukács bath
FAQs
Is the Budapest Card worth it?
+
Yes for 48 hours or more if you'll use public transport, the free St Lukács bath and some museums. For a day on foot, it usually isn't.
Does the Budapest Card include Széchenyi baths?
+
No. It includes one visit to the St Lukács bath.
Does it include the airport bus?
+
Only the 72-hour Plus version, which adds the miniBUD shuttle.
How much is the Budapest Card?
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From €44 for 24 hours, €56 for 48 hours and €72 for 72 hours.