A Complete Guide to Visiting the Budapest Parliament

Being the 5th most visited tourist attraction in Europe and 10th in the world - the Hungarian Parliament is a must-visit!

So how do you get started with visiting my beloved country's number #1 attraction?

I personally visited the Parliament and created this guide to provide you with everything you need to know.

Let's jump in!

Budapest became Hungary's capital city in 1873 when Pest, Buda, and Óbuda (Old Buda) were unified.

As a budding superpower, we naturally wanted our own building of power and prestige.

So we had a competition, and the best design was created by a talented chap called Imre Steindl.

He built the Parliament in a neo-gothic style, with a baroque floor plan and mass composition. It's the third-largest Parliament in the world.

Construction began in 1885 and lasted until 1904. The building was inaugurated in 1894. Our government had its first parliamentary session in 1896 - in celebration of the 1000th year of existence of the Hungarian state.

🕒 Parliament opening hours: Monday-Sunday, 8AM–4PM.

The following days are national holidays in Hungary (2023): 

• January 1 (New Year's Eve)
• March 15 (Memorial Day of the 1848 Revolution)
• April 9-10 (East Sunday and Monday)
• May 1 (Worker's Day)
• August 20 (State Foundation Day)
• October 23 (1956 Revolution)
• November 1 (All Saints' Day)
• Dec 24-26 (Christmas)

The Parliament may be fully or partially closed off to visitors on these dates.

Conversely, they may hold an open day with free entry, which causes endless queues and crowds.  I recommend planning ahead and avoiding booking on these dates.

📍 Hungarian Parliament Location: Budapest, Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3, 1055 (map).

The Parliament is located in the dead center of Budapest, so getting there is a breeze.

The top 3 ways of getting there are:

• #1: I recommend taking Tram 2, so you can marvel at the scenic view of the Danube river while getting there.
• #2: The second best option is simply walking there since you can visit and see many sights nearby.
• #3: If you're a bit further away at Deak Square or Astoria, you can take the M2 metro or the Bus 70/78.

💡 Tip: Public transportation in Budapest is efficient and affordable. Download BudapestGo (public transport app) to buy tickets or passes. Or consider purchasing the Budapest card (free pass included).

I've created a snapshot of the various ways of getting to the Hungarian Parliament:

‍Ticket prices and discounts depend on two things:

• whether you're an EEA citizen
• whether you're an adult, child, or student

💡 EEA = European Economic Area. It includes every EU country, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, except Switzerland.

Ticket Prices (2022)

For EEA Citizens:

• Ticket for EEA citizens: 4200Ft‍
• Student ticket for EEA citizens (aged 6-24): 2100Ft‍

• Family ticket for EEA citizens (adults, max. 2): 3000Ft‍
• Family ticket for EEA citizens (children aged 6-14, max. 3): 1500Ft
  

For Non-EEA Citizens:

• Ticket for non-EEA citizens: 8400Ft‍
• Student ticket for non-EEA citizens (aged 6-24): 4200Ft

• Family ticket for non-EEA citizens (adults, max. 2): 6800Ft‍
• Family ticket for non-EEA citizens (children aged 6-14, max. 3): 3400Ft

Family tickets can be purchased for at least one child (aged 0-14) and one – but at most two – adults accompanying the child.

💡 Visiting the Parliament is free for children aged 0-6. You can claim family tickets by writing to tourist.office@parlament.hu.

Where to Buy Tickets

You can either buy them online or in person at the Visitor Center. However, I don't recommend buying the tickets in person because tickets do sell out.

So unless you like living dangerously, I recommend buying the guided tour tickets in advance at jegymester.hu.

💡 Jegymester.hu is the official distributor of Parliament guided tour tickets. DO NOT BUY tickets from any other website, as they're resellers who overcharge you by 200-400%.

You will receive your ticket(s) via email, and it will look like this:

Remember to print out your ticket. If you forget or lose your ticket, you can ask a cashier to print out a new one.

Visitor Center

💡 You can only enter the Parliament as part of a guided tour group. 

The visitor center has the following points of interest:

• A café
• Souvenir shop
• A free museum (1000 Years of Hungarian Legislation)

Available Languages

The guided tours last 45 minutes and are available in 7 languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and Hungarian.

Audio guides are also available in Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Romanian, Ukrainian, and Slovenian.

The guided tours start at fixed slots between 9:30 and 15:15. Arriving 5-10 minutes early to get into the queue is fine.

Security Check

Good to know before entering:

• Leave your weapons, C4 explosives, and knives at home (okay, Rambo?).
• Only tasteless and odorless liquids in 0,5L plastic bottles are allowed (except for medications or baby food).
• You can take photos and videos, except in the Holy Crown room (the most photogenic location of the building! Bummer!)
• People with disability can enter but must be accompanied by someone - employees at the visitor center are available as escorts.
• Toilets are available outside, to the right of the entrance.
• Guide dogs can enter.
• Bring documents that identify nationality (e.g., passport, ID card, etc.) and proof of eligibility for discounts (e.g., student ID cards)

Once the tour starts, you're going to pass through the following areas in the Parliament:

• The City Side Staircase XVII
• The Grand Stairway
• The Dome Hall
• The Lounge of the Chamber of Peers
• Chamber of Peers
• The Béla Neÿ hall

💡 Tip: Check out the Parlament's gallery page for some stunning images.

Can I purchase the tickets in advance?

Yes, you can purchase it 3-6 months in advance.

How long does the guided tour last?

It lasts 45 minutes, including the security check.

Are people with mental or physical disabilities able to enter?

Yes, but they need to be accompanied. There are special assistance employees available upon request.

Are pets allowed?

No, with the exception of guide animals.

Can I take photos or videos inside?

Yes, with the exception of the Great Hall of the Cupola. This is where the Holy Crown is located. A huge pity, since this is the prettiest area in the entire Parliament.