In 2024,one of the convenient ways to use Budapest public transport is by getting public transport passes. These are also called Budapest transport pass as well as Budapest travel card.
These passes can be used on any transport vehicle, either buses, trams,trains and underground metros.(aside from Budapest Airport Shuttle,i.e.100E, and some legacy trams which operate only during summer season)
Budapest single and multiple day travel passes provide a hassle free way for tourists to use public transport of Budapest within a certain time limit. You should definitely bring comfortable shoes and light weight backpack or trolley bag if you plan to use Budapest public transport in Budapest.
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You can get on board and get off from any bus, trolley or underground metro, depending upon what pass you have bought.
On the other hand, Budapest taxis are hardly required if you are in the city center.
Budapest public transport passes are different from the single tickets and transfer tickets,which can be used only for single journeys.
Budapest transport pass types
If you are visiting Budapest for 1 to 7 days, buying a transport pass will be a better option compared to buying multiple single tickets,block of 10-tickets or transfer tickets.
Especially, if your plan is to explore the attractions in Budapest with frequent changes in transport routes and without using hop-on-hop off buses. You should definitely consider buying Budapest transport pass.
From the BKK ticket machines and online pass buying options in Budapest public transport app, there are multiple Budapest transport passes available.
However, for majority of Budapest visitors, the optimum Budapest travel passes are the following,which are way cheaper compared to Budapest Cards (Instead getting a Hop on hop off tour is still better). Keep in mind that there is no discount for any monument entry if you are buying any of the following Budapest travel passes.
- Budapest day travel pass
- Budapest 3 day travel pass
- Budapest-24-hour-group-travelcard
Here are the details of available passes and card in Budapest with prices.
Budapest travel pass vs Budapest card
It is important to know the difference between Budapest travel pass and Budapest card as both have different prices and benefits.
Both the Budapest travel pass/card and Budapest card have different appearance, although both are available for one to multiple days time limit.
Budapest card is specially designed for tourist. Budapest card will allow you to have unlimited journey within Budapest,and also allow you to visit many Budapest monuments with a discount.
With Budapest Card,you can explore major attractions via public transport for free and get entry to multiple monuments with discounts.You can purchase it here.
Budapest travel pass/Budapest travel card
Budapest travel pass allows you to use the public transport of Budapest for unlimited rides within the allowed time limit(24 hours/1 day,72 hours/3 days,168 hours/1 week) on your card.
With Budapest travel pass, you can use all the vehicles operated by BKK, Budapest night buses,Metros M1,M2,M3,M4, Trams 2,47,48,49 and many more. Check BudapestGO app for all the available vehicles operated by BKK.
However, Budapest travel pass does not give any additional benefits in terms of entry to any paid monument.
Keep in mind that, you cannot use any Budapest travel pass/Budapest travel card or Budapest Card for on boarding 100E bus.
Budapest Card
With a Budapest card,you can use unlimited rides on buses,trolleys,and metros within the time limit on the card.In addition, the Budapest Card will get you discounts when buying entry tickets for paid attractions in Budapest.
It is important to know the key difference is that in Budapest Card, there is no travel word.The Budapest card design is more fancy.
It is more expensive and you cannot buy it from BudapestGO app or BKK machines.
You can explore Budapest by your own with a Budapest Card,which allows you to use Public transport for free. Click here for buy it online.
Budapest day travel pass 2024
It is essential to know that the official name of Budapest day travel pass is “24-hour Budapest-travelcard”.
The name is the same whether you buy from the BKK machines or the BudapestGO app.
Budapest day travel passes can be called with many names.
If you are searching for any of these terms, then these belong to the same one day Budapest travel card.
- Budapest day pass
- Budapest one day travel card
- Budapest metro day pass
- Budapest one day pass
- Budapest 24 hour pass
- Budapest 24h ticket
Budapest one day travel card benefits
In 2024, following are some benefits of using one day Budapest travel card.
- Perfect for a Budapest solo tours for self guided quick tour of the city.
- In printed format, you do not need to validate anywhere.
- Can be used in Budapest buses,Night bus Budapest,sightseeing Budapest trams and Budapest Budapest.
- Unlimited bus,tram,metro and trolley rides within Budapest city within the 24 hours of validated time,print on the card.
- Hassle free ride in Budapest public transport system compared to using tickets, and complex ways of validating them.
- You can get from Budapest airport to city center by using 200E+M3 metro.
Budapest one day travel card where to buy?
You can buy Budapest one day Budapest travel cards from the BKK machines installed on various bus,tram and metro stations.
One day travel cards for Budapest can also be purchased from the BKK offices at the Budapest Airport, Keleti Railway station and other major metro stations.
The third option is to buy a one day Budapest travel card from the BudapestGO app.
On the other hand Budapest Card can be booked online,while it has to be picked up in the Budapest from specific locations. For purchasing Budapest Card, check availability here.
We recommend that tourists should buy Budapest hop on hop off bus tickets, instead of getting a Budapest Card as it is very expansive and not worth the money.
Budapest one day travel pass Price
The cost of a Budapest one day travel pass is 2500 HUF.
The price for a day pass in Budapest in British pounds is around 5.5 GBP, while in dollars it is $6.7 USD and in Euros around 6.3 EUR.The price for a one day travel card is the same whether you buy from the BKK office, BKK machines or from the BudapestGO app.
Keep in mind that you can purchase a one day pass with a visa/master card at any of these locations,hence, no need for money exchange in Budapest.
This is because BKK ticket machines and BKK offices accept master/visa cards for payments.
Buying Budapest one day travel card online
You can purchase a Budapest one day travel card online with the BudapestGO app.
It is essential to note that you must create an account before online purchase of the one day card.
Also you need to activate the card before starting to use it, and this will require internet connection.
If your mobile does not have an internet connection, despite purchasing the card, it will be not a valid one and hence, you may be fined if caught without activating the card.
Budapest one day travel card Validity
As evident from the name, the validity of a one day travel card is exactly 24-hours from the starting time.
For a BKK ticket machine printed 24 hr Budapest travel card, the start time/date and finish time and date are printed on the card.
You can choose the card starting time on the BKK machine and it will automatically adjust the validity time on the printed paper card with details.
For a one day travel card for Budapest ,in printed form, bought from the BKK office, the validity time of the card may be written manually by the clerk in the office,instead of a printed date, and it should also be fine to use.
If you bought the Budapest one day travel card from BudapestGO app, you must ensure to activate it before using it. As it is in digital format, make sure to have internet, when you plan to use it.
Can you use Budapest one day travel card on 100E
Budapest one day travel cards cannot be used on 100E.
You have to buy a separate ticket costing 2200 HUF (6.5 USD/GBP/EUR)to board the 100E bus in one direction.
However, with a Budapest one day travel card,you can use the 200E bus Budapest from airport and then M3 metro from Kobanya kispest to reach the city center.
Can you buy Budapest day pass from airport
Yes, you can buy a Budapest one day pass from the airport after arriving from the BKK ticket office.
Also you can buy it from the ticket machines installed right next to the bus stop, 2 mins walk from the airport.
The ticket machines have multiple languages available to select.
Identification number for Budapest one day travel pass
When asked about a document number for a Budapest one day travel pass, you have to enter the number of any valid document,which contains your photo.
This could be your EU ID card, Passport, Driving license.
In case you are checked by ticket checkers, they will compare your id card number with the number on the one day pass.
Do you need to validate the Budapest one day pass
For a 24-hour Budapest pass bought from the BKK ticket machine or the BKK office, there is no need to validate it anywhere.
Unlike the Budapest public transport tickets,and transfer ticket Budapest which have to be validated in machines in respective ways of transport(bus,tram,metro). Check How to validate ticket Budapest?
You can just show the one day travel pass, if a ticket checker asks in the blue bus,trams,or trolleys during random check.
You may need to show it to the driver when on boarding a red bus, or to the ticket checkers when entering the escalators of underground metro.
Sometimes you may be checked when going out of the metro station,and showing a valid one day pass will let you come out of the metro station.
Vehicles not allowed with Budapest one day travel card
You cannot onboard Budapest 100E bus with a one day travel card.
You will be fined if caught by ticket checkers.
Additionally, keep in mind that hop on hop off buses are also not allowed with the 24-hour travel card.
During the summer time,there is a retro tram which has a unique appearance and only operates around the city center.
This tram cannot be boarded with the 24 hour Budapest card.
Important vehicles with Budapest 24hr ticket
In 2024,All the famous monuments within the city of Budapest can be reached with public transportation covered by 24 hour Budapest pass.
M1,M2,M3, and M4 can take you to any famous monument within 30 mins, and these are covered in a 24 hr ticket.
You can explore the majority of the city with tram 6-4,47,48,49 also covered in the 24 hr ticket.
For exploring the river side of Budapest, tram 2,41 are covered in the 24 hour ticket.
All the buses from Keleti Railway station towards the city center are covered in a 24 hour Budapest pass.
On a weekday, some ferry rides operated by BKK are also covered by a 24 hour ticket,while on weekends it is not.
Bus 15 can take you to the castle district from the city center, also covered by a 24 hour ticket.
Budapest one day pass discounts
There is no such option to have a discount on Budapest 24 hour travel card as of 2024.
Either you are a student or belong to any other category, the price of 24 hour travel pass in Budapest is fixed,i.e. 2500 HUF.
