Traveling by car to Hungary in 2024,comes with a question, whether you should buy a vignette for Hungarian Highways or not.
The same applies to someone who bought a car for the first time in Hungary and plans to visit any other city in Hungary or plans to go to other countries by car. They come up with multiple questions about Hungarian Vignette and toll.
Some common questions in car travelers in Hungary are the following.
Where to buy Hungarian vignette?How to buy vignette Hungary? How much is vignette in Hungary?How to pay tolls in Hungary?What is a vignette road in Hungary?
Difference between road toll and Hungarian Vignette
A road toll is a terminology used worldwide when a car on its journey has to use a specific road,bridge,highway or a tunnel. And just to use that specific path between certain points,or a specific distance, you have to pay certain amount of fees just to use it once.
In Hungary, instead of toll, Vignette is used. Price of Hungarian vignette is based upon the time for which the road can be used,instead of distance.
Either you are coming for a few hours or multiple days,you will need a highway pass/e-vignette for Hungary.Finding a good parking spot is a big challenge. You can check our Budapest Guide for car travelers for all the necessary info for e-vignette buying and all other info that car visitors would need in Budapest.
Hungary Toll Vignette
As of 2024, all vehicles which are passing through motorways and express highways inside Hungary are required to have a vignette. Concept of toll is not used in Hungary,but the terminology is used interchangeably with Vignette. Although some official websites in Hungarian use default translation of certain vignette words to toll.
We can say that vignette and toll terminologies are interchangeably used,though technically vignette is the correct term for Hungarian highways. In this post,we will also use toll and vignette interchangeably.
What is a vignette road in Hungary?
Majority of the highways in Hungary starting with letter M require a vignette. Some examples of Hungarian vignette Highways include M0,M1,M2,M3,M5,M19,M76,M7,M86.
Although some patches of roads starting with letter M, may be used without vignette.However, these kind of patches are mostly found near the cities outskirts.
You can check the different highway sections for vignette related information.
Buy vignette Hungary
Vignette for Hungarian Highways can be bought from fuel stations and online websites.
If you prefer buying Hungary Vignette from the physical stores, the best option is to buy from fuel stations before the Hungarian border.You can buy Hungary vignette from fuel stations just before entering Hungary on arrival.
For expats living in Budapest and traveling out of Budapest city by car, the Hungarian Highway vignettes can be purchased from any fuel station within Budapest.
If you have not purchased vignette when going out of Budapest, you have to be careful to identify the last fuel station, or when you are around 10 to 20 km away from Hungarian border.
The best option to buy Hungarian highway vignette is through the online website.
Parking in Budapest city is very tricky, many cars are clamped due to wrong parking. Do not get caught for such traps. We have prepared a detailed guide for car visitors. Buy your Budapest travel guide,if you are coming by car.
Hungary Highway toll price
Generally speaking, you should not get confused by terms like M1 toll price, M2 toll price or M7 toll price in Hungary. If you buy a standard 10 day e-vignette you are pretty good to have a Hungary trip by car for 10 days. Using the 10 day Hungarian toll ticket for 15 Euros you can travel at a speed of 130kph on majority of these motorways.
No doubt, cost of 15 Euros for Hungary highways is pretty high compared to any other EU country. Despite the high price of the e-vignette, it is still worth to buy a vignette as some normal roads in Hungary are not in good shape and have a maximum speed of 70 kph to 80kph.
How does Hungarian Vignette looks like?
In 2024,either you buy Hungarian vignette from a fuel station or online, there is no physical sticker given.Hence, there is no possibility to use a Hungarian vignette sticker on your car.
When buying vignette from the fuel station, you need to ensure to save the receipt you get from the fuel station. The receipt of the vignette from the petrol station will mention the starting date and ending date of your Vignette as well as the number plate of your car.
If you purchase Hungarian Vignette online, the proof of payment and Hungarian Vignette will arrive by email.
The vignette is digitally connected to your vehicle number,and can be monitored by cameras on Hungarian highways.Hence, you need to ensure you have a printed proof of purchase of Hungarian Vignette in case of buying from a fuel station.
It should mention your vehicle number plate,time and date of purchasing.
Hungary Vignette validity
You can buy vignette in Hungary with various validity times.
As of 2024, the minimum validity for a Hungarian Vignette is 10 days which is suitable to majority of tourists coming to Budapest.
If you buy the Hungarian Vignette from the fuel station, you can tell the operator about the starting date and time.In the receipt received from the fuel station, the details of the car number plate,starting and ending time of vignette is mentioned.
Other possibility of Hungarian Vignette duration is of 30 days,while it is possible to buy the vignette in Hungary for a year,as well.
What is the shortest duration of Vignette in Hungary?
The shortest vignette in Hungary can be purchased for 10 days.
This is true for all the applicable categories of vehicles. Although prices will vary depending up on the type of vehicles.
Hungary vignette fine
If you are using the Hungarian toll roads without vignette, you can be fined a hefty amount.
For D1 and D2 category vehicles, Hungary Vignette fine is 16222 Huf. If converted to Euros, the fine for driving on Highways without a Hungarian vignette is around 40 Euros,if paid within 60 days.
If you are paying the fine after 60 days, it will 64850 Huf which is 160 Euros for D1,D2 category vehicles.
For B category vehicles the fine starts at 66,925 Huf .i.e 179 Euros, (if paid within 60 days) and 267700 Huf.i.e.715 Euros (If paid after 60 days).
Do you plan to visit Budapest this year by car? Make sure to buy Hungarian Vignette as well as book the following top hotels in Budapest city center to get the full out of Budapest.
