Last Updated on 25 September 2026 by ZoliBP
Budapest Card: Classic, Plus & Flexi Compared
Types of Budapest Passes, Price, Buying Info
The Budapest Card is a nifty little travel pass available for 5 durations that can make your exploration of this stunning city a whole lot easier and more cost-effective.
With the Budapest Card in your pocket, you’ll have unlimited access to public transportation, like buses, trams, and the 4 metro lines. But that’s not all! It also grants you free or discounted entry to a wide range of museums, thermal baths, and attractions across the city.
💡 Local Tip: Buy the card online so that you’ll be well-prepared to begin your visit to Budapest! You can pick up your Card at Budapest Airport at the reception of Ibis Style Airport Hotel Budapest, all throughut the day, 0 – 24 h no matter what time your plane lands.
Table of Contents – Budapest Card
The city pass can come handy when you are visiting for a couple of days and will be doing lots of sightseeing, and museum hopping (free entry to 52 museums & galleries).
Included Are
- Free use of the public transport network,
- Free entry to 52 museums/galleries
- + 2 free walking tours – one in Buda and the other in the Pest side, and
- Many discounts make that easier and more budget friendly.
📋 Note: Each Classic card is valid for one person for 24, 48, 72 or 96 hours, starting from the time of first use. The 72-Hour Plus and 72-Hour Flexi cards are both valid for 72 hours, with their own extra perks.
What Is A Budapest Card?
The Budapest Card can save you a lot of money. This small plastic card entitles the card holder to benefit from its included services:
- Unlimited travel on public transport, including the Chairlift in Zugliget/Buda Hills (excl: Funicular in the Castle),
- 2 free walking tours and numerous discounted sightseeing tours,
- Discounts in certain restaurants, spas, shops, car rental, and numerous other places,
- Free or discounted entry to many museums and sights,
- Free mobile application with 12 thematic routes and audio guiding.
The card also comes with a pocket-sized brochure with maps of Buda and Pest, and the Budapest metro system.
The brochure tells you in details how to use the card and includes all the benefits you’re entitled to.
How Much Does a Budapest Card cost?
There are three types of Budapest Card, each with its own strengths: the Classic card (available for 24, 48, 72 or 96 hours), the 72-Hour Plus card with extra premium perks like a free airport transfer, and the 72-Hour Flexi card, which lets you pick 5 out of 7 free experiences to match your own itinerary. Each card is valid for one person, regardless of age.
Buy Online – Choose a Budapest Card That Most Suits Your Travel Needs
Current Prices (valid from 1 May 2026):
- Classic 24-Hour Card: ≈ €53
- Classic 48-Hour Card: ≈ €69
- Classic 72-Hour Card: ≈ €85
- Classic 96-Hour Card: ≈ €112
- 72-Hour Plus Card: ≈ €129
- 72-Hour Flexi Card: ≈ €82
Prices shown are approximate EUR equivalents of the official HUF prices set by BKK and may vary slightly with the exchange rate.
Free Services, Main Discounts with Each Card
- Free entry to the Lukács Thermal Bath, located in the Buda side in Frankel Leó utca.
- Free travel on public transportation in Budapest including the Chairlift/Libegő in Zugliget in the Buda Hills (excluding the Funicular in Buda Castle),
- no-entry fee to the Folk Arts Festival in Buda Castle (17-20. August)
- Two free guided walk tours in English: one in Buda the other in Pest. Tours depart daily rain or shine. See details below.
- Discounts on admission to many more sights, attractions, services.
Free Entry to the permanent exhibitions of 52 Budapest Museums and Art Galleries
Museums and Galleries
- Hungarian National Museum – FREE
- Hungarian National Gallery – FREE
- Budapest History Museum – Castle Museum – FREE
- Saint Stephen’s Hall – FREE
- Citadella – The Bastion of Freedom – FREE
- Museum of Fine Arts – FREE
- Kunsthalle Budapest – FREE
- Budapest History Museum – Aquincum Museum – FREE
- Budapest History Museum – Kiscell Museum – FREE
- Budapest History Museum – Budapest Gallery – FREE
- Budapest History Museum – Medieval Jewish Prayer House – FREE
- Budapest History Museum – Varga Imre Collection – FREE
- Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center – FREE
- House of the Hungarian Photographers – Mai Manó House – FREE
- Vasarely Museum Budapest – FREE
- Memento Park – The Statue Park – FREE
- Ludwig Museum – Museum of Contemporary Art – FREE
- Hungarian Museum of Trade and Tourism – FREE
- Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts – FREE
- Underground Railway Museum – FREE
- Museum of Óbuda – FREE
- Goldberger Textile Collection – Óbuda Museum – FREE
- Margaret Island Water Tower and Panoramic Lookout Tower – FREE
- Pál-völgyi Cave – FREE
- MOL Campus Skydeck – FREE
📋 Note: Please keep in mind that most museums are closed on Monday.
When Is It Worth Buying a Budapest Card?
If you come for 2-3 or more days and plan to
- see lots of attractions,
- enjoy the thermal baths,
- travel a lot on public transport services, the City Card is good value for you.
Where Can You Buy a Budapest Card?
The most convenient way is to get it online through our secure webshop. Just select which type of card you need.
You can use all major credit cards for paying through the secure online system. Your city card will be delivered to your hotel or apartment for free.
Offline Purchase Options:
The City Card is also available at many places in the city:
- at major metro’s BKK Custmer Service Center , (e.g. Keleti Train Station – M4 Underground, Kelenföld M station – Őrmező exit, Déli Train Station – M station),
- Liszt Ferenc Airport: at the BKK Customer centers in terminal 2A: opening hours: every day: 8.00-20.00, terminal 2B: open: every day: 10.00-22.00
- Budapestinfo Tourist Information Centre – Városháza Park Hütte
- BKK Customer Service Centre, Deák Ferenc tér M
How to Use? – Validity of the Budapest Cards
Please write the starting date on the back of the card: month, day and hour. Please sign the card!
Only cards with the starting date and the owner’s signature are valid.
The card expires after 24, 48 or 72 hours from the precise time you validated the card.
💡 Local Tip: In case of discounts to restaurants and cafes that are part of the card’s current discount system, not only the card holder but other guests (family members, friends) in her/his company are entitled to the lower prices.
Please show your card to the waiter when you select form the menu and make your order.
Discounts/Free Services With the Budapest Card
Note: the list isn’t complete – for the most up-to-date information on discounts please visit the card’s official website.
21 Free Services, and further 10 – 50% discounts on tickets to museums, baths, sightseeing, activities, and restaurants.
Public Transport
You can travel on all public transport services free of charge within the boundaries of Budapest.
📋 Note: Traveling on the Funicular up and down to Buda Castle is not included in this discount.
When an inspector asks you to show your ticket, present her/him your Card.
📋 Note: citizens of European Union countries aged 65 and up can use all public transport lines for free in Budapest (they have to show a valid ID to verify age and EU member nationality if asked by a ticket inspector.
Find out more about Getting Around Budapest.
Sightseeing and Sights- Budapest Card Discounts
- BKK Public Transportation – FREE
- Historic Vehicles – FREE
- Official Budapest Castle Bus – FREE
- Danube River Cruise – FREE*
- BKV Riverboat Service – FREE*
- Sightseeing Cruise – FREE*
- Duna Bella Daytime Cruises – FREE*
- Zugliget Chairlift – FREE
- Walking Tour Buda – FREE
- Walking Tour Pest – FREE
- Brick – charge on-the-go, wherever you are – FREE
- Legenda City Cruises – -25%
- Door-to-door Airport Transfer – miniBUD – -20%
- BKV evening Riverboat Service – -20%
- Jewish Heritage Tours – -10%
More Resoureces To Plan Your Trip
See a roundup of top Budapest attractions and browse recommended Budapest City Tours.
Learn more about Biking in Budapest.
Find what concerts are on in Budapest, and browse our Events calendar page for other interesting programs throughout the year!
Thermal Baths, Swimming Pools, Outdoor Baths & Lidos*
- St. Lukács Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool – FREE
- Lupa Beach – FREE
- Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool – -20%
- Rudas Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool – -20%
- Palatinus Thermal Bath, Public and Wave Pool – -20%
- Római Bath – -20%
* The discount is always on the full-price entry ticket with cabin rental.
💡 Local Tip: Here’s more information about Budapest Baths & Spas, including entry fees, opening hours, what to bring etc.
Other Attractions, Programs, Special Budapest Experiences
- Landventure Outdoor Escape Room – -25%
- House of Music Hungary – -20%
- Vörös Neon Culture Brigade – -20%
- St. Stephen’s Basilica – -20%
- Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden – -20%
- House of Unicum – -20%
- Madame Tussauds Budapest – -20%
- City Park Boating Lake – -20%
- Ferris Wheel of Budapest with champagne – -20%
- Inner City Parish Church Budapest – -20%
- Indoor Skydiving, flying in the wind tunnel – -20%
- Museum of Illusion – -15%
- IKONO Budapest – -15%
- Hospital in the Rock – Nuclear Bunker Museum – -10%
- Synagogue in Kazinczy utca – -10%
- Dohány street Synagogue – -10%
- Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archives – -10%
- Organ Concert in St. Stephen’s Basilica – -10%
Other Pages Related to Entertainment in Budapest:
- Cultural Venues in Budapest
- Budapest Cinemas
- Budapest Nightclubs
- Children Activities in Budapest
- Budapest Parks
- City Park
- Budapest City Centre
Restaurants – Eat & Drink For 10 % – 50 % Less With Your Budapest Card At The following Places
- Folklore Show at Gastrocellar – FREE
- Time Out Market Budapest – FREE
- LÁNGOS in the heart of the city! – -20%
- Molnár’s Kürtőskalács (Váci utca) – -20%
- Parisi Passage Restaurant Experience – -20%
- Zsolnay Café – -20%
- Yellow Bistro & Bar – -20%
- Café Astoria & Restaurant – -20%
- Láng Restaurant – -20%
- Halászbástya Restaurant – -15%
- Eggscuse Me? Brunch & Bistro – -10%
💡 Local Tip: Find out more about Budapest Restaurants in general, see our selection of Best Restaurants in Budapest and browse our hand-picked Hungarian Restaurants in Budapest.
See also recommended places for Wine Tasting in Budapest.
72-Hour Plus Budapest Card: What’s Included
On top of everything the regular 72-hour Classic card offers, the Plus card adds:
- 100E Airport Express, roundtrip transfer between the airport and the city centre – FREE
- Buda Castle Funicular – 1 FREE Ride
- Lángos in the heart of the city – FREE
- Molnár’s Kürtőskalács – FREE
72-Hour Flexi Budapest Card: Pick 5 of 7 Free Experiences
The Flexi card works differently: alongside unlimited public transport, you choose any 5 out of the following 7 experiences, free of charge:
- 100E Airport Express, roundtrip transfer
- Admission to the Szent Lukács Thermal Bath
- A guided walking tour in Pest and/or Buda
- Folklore Show with a welcome drink and a bowl of goulash soup at the GastroCellar
- A trip on the Castle Bus
- One sightseeing boat trip of your choice: BKV boat trip, Sightseeing Cruise, Duna Bella daytime cruise, or a Historical City Sightseeing daytime/evening cruise
- Free entry to one popular attraction of your choice: Budapest History Museum – Castle Museum & St. Stephen’s Hall, Hungarian National Gallery, Hungarian National Museum, or MOL Campus SkyDeck
Like the other cards, the Flexi card also gives you 10–25% discounts at a wide range of other attractions, museums, baths and restaurants around the city.
