Budapest Card - Is It Worth It in 2023?

The short answer to whether the Budapest Card is worth it: it depends.

If you are meticulous about planning your trip to maximize discounts, you may save $10 to $30 on a three-day journey, as illustrated by my 3-day itinerary example.

On the flip side, the card's coverage does not include Budapest's top attractions like the Hungarian Parliament, the House of Terror, ruin bars, sky bars, or popular restaurants.

The Budapest Card's goal seems to be to promote lesser-known establishments in the city while combating over-tourism.

That said, the Budapest Card does offer the benefit of convenience and reduced decision fatigue. If you follow my itinerary, you can have a fulfilling experience in the city.

If the Budapest Card is worth it to you, you can buy it here:

Alternatively, if you're keen on experiences like walking tours and river cruises —activities I've researched and personally vetted — you can book these directly (aka not through the card) for a hassle-free adventure.

Update: The price of Budapest Card was raised on May 1, 2023.

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The Budapest card is advertised as an unskippable deal for tourists visiting Budapest. It's supposed to be a one-stop-shop card that's convenient and saves you money.

The Budapest card has 6 different types:

• 24h card — 33€
• 48h card — 49€
• 72h card — 63€
• 72h Plus card — 96€
• 4-day card — 77€
• 5-day card — 92€

💡 The 72h Plus card covers more places and activities than its regular counterpart.

The benefits of the Budapest card include the following:

• Free public transport.
• Free or discounted access to Budapest's thermal baths and beaches.
• Access to more than 70 discounted services and activities.
• Free entry to +30 museums.

But is it true?

Do you save money with the Budapest card?

Let's find out.

💡 Tip: The best way to go about deciding if the Budapest card is worth it is to plan your dream itinerary first, then calculate how much you could save via the card.

I've created an example 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors staying from Friday to Sunday, based on the Budapest card 72h Plus card's discounts.

Assumptions

• You arrive at Liszt Ferenc International Airport on Friday at 7 am and leave on Sunday at 6 pm.
• You travel solo or with your partner, with one suitcase each.
• The goal is to see the most popular Budapest attractions, taste unique Hungarian food, and try the famous nightlife. All in three short days.

💡 Good to know: Hotel check-in is usually from 2-3 pm, while check-out is at 10-11 am. Luggage storage or early check-in may have additional costs.

Day 1: Pest Central (5th, 6th, and 7th District)

• 07:00 - Arrive at the airport.
• 08:00 - Arrive at the city center hotel via a free Minibud transfer. Leave luggage in storage at the hotel. You save $10.50.
• 09:00 - Have breakfast at a brunch place or bakery.
• 10:00 - Attend the free CityRama Pest guided tour and grab a free chimney cake at Molnar's. You save $11.00 and $5.00.
• 13:00 - Have the best Lángos of your life at Retro Lángos.
• 14:00 - Have a coffee near St. Stephens Basilica, buy a ticket and go up. You save $1.50.
• 15:30 - Have your free Danube river cruise with Legenda. You save $13.50.
• 16:45 - You visit the Dohany Street Synagogue. You save $2.00.
• 18:00 - Visit the House of Terror Museum.
• 20:00 - Have dinner at Mazel Tov.
• 22:00 - Visit Szimpla ruin bar.

💵 Total saved (with public transport pass): $57.00

Day 2: Buda Castle District

• 08:00 - Wake up and have breakfast.
• 09:30 - Visit the Hungarian Parliament.
• 11:00 - Walk around in the center or along the Danube.
• 12:30 - Cross Széchenyi Chain Bridge and take the free Budapest Castle Bus up the hill. You save $10.00.
• 13:00 - Visit the Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion. You save $5.50.
• 14:00 - Attend the free Cityrama Buda guided tour. You save $11.00.
• 16:00 - Lunch for two at Halászbástya restaurant. You spend 40$. You save $8.00.
• 17.30 - Visit the Hungarian National Gallery. You save $8.50.
• 19.00 - Go down via the Castle Hill Funicular. You save $7.50.
• 20:00 - Dinner at Gettó Gulyás.
• 22:00 - Drinks at 360 rooftop bar.

💵 Total saved: $50.50.

Day 3: Széchenyi Bath + Central Market Hall

• 07:00 - You wake up, have breakfast, and check out. You leave your luggage in storage at Kálvin Square.
• 09:00 - You go to Széchenyi Thermal bath. You save $4.00.
• 13:00 - You return to the center and have lunch at Belvárosi disznótoros. You visit the Great Marketplace, Váci utca, and Liberty bridge.
• 15:00 - You grab your luggage and leave for the airport with Minibud Transfer to arrive 2 hours before departure. You save $10.50.
• 18:00 - Your plane departs. Your vacation is over!

💵 Total saved: $14.50

Based on the reasonable itinerary above, I calculated your savings below.

Budapest Card: 72h Plus

• Total savings in 3 days with 72h Plus Card: $122.00.
• Cost of Budapest Card 72h Plus: $96.00
• You've spent $26.00 less than without the card.

Budapest Card: 72h Normal

• Total savings in 3 days with 72h Card: $72.10
• Cost of Budapest Card 72h: $63.00
• You've spent $9.10 less than without the card.

So the answer to the question, "Is the Budapest Card Worth it?" is technically yes. But as you can see, it's not a mind-blowing deal.

Whether you should buy it depends on your personal situation, what interests you and how much you prefer convenience.

Ultimately, the best way to go about it is to plan your dream itinerary first, then calculate how much you could save with the BP card.

💡 Tip: I recommend a whole week to explore Budapest comfortably.

You can buy the Budapest card online or in person at Liszt Ferenc Airport, Budapest Info Points, or metro stations.

In the former case, remember to bring your voucher and an ID with you to any of the following locations to receive your Budapest card:

• Budapest Info Point, Liszt Ferenc Budapest Airport Terminal 2A - Open: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM.
• Budapest Info Point, Liszt Ferenc Budapest Airport Terminal 2B - Open: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
• Budapest Info Point Városháza Park, Városháza park, Károly krt., 1052 Hungary - Open: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM.

It's best to ask for it at the airport to take advantage of the complimentary airport transfer.

Even though I just proved that the Budapest card could produce a positive return on investment, there are some things you should know.

Transportation

• The city is very walkable, so you likely won't make your money's worth back on the public transport pass.
• The Minibud transfer is a high-value add service, but it's included only in the 72 Plus pass. Other popular ways of getting from the airport to the city center are the 100E bus and Bolt ridesharing.

Museums, Galleries, and Culture

• Museums are over-represented in the list of acceptable places, even though most people would view the top 1-2 museums at best.
• The most famous museum - the House of Terror - is excluded from the list.
• Otherwise, this card is the "master card" for museum lovers.

Restaurants, Food, and Drinks

• There are only tourist traps on the list.
• The best restaurants in Budapest aren't on the list.
• The ruin, rooftop, or sky bars aren't on the list - bad news if you came for the nightlife.

Thermal Baths

• Budapest's top thermal baths are Széchenyi, Gellért és Rudas bath. For some reason, Gellért bath is excluded from the list.
• Lukács is a "lesser" thermal bath - I recommend visiting it after going to the former three baths first.

Attractions, Sightseeing, and Guided Tours

• Budapest's most famous attraction - the Hungarian Parliament - is excluded from the coverage list.
• You won't have time to visit Gellért Hill, Margaret Island, or the People's Park area - they each would take half to a full day to explore.
• The Buda castle funicular is an overpriced elevator ($8) that lasts 2-3 minutes. It used to be reasonably priced, but now it's extortionate. But since it's free with the Budapest card, you might as well use it.
• Some items on the list are unfeasible to visit due to bad location and time constraints, e.g. Danube Bend cruises, cave exploration, etc.