The BKK's website now has a good feature. You select that you are an adult or others, and it will recommend you tickets.

Single ticket (Vonaljegy)

Single ticket is 450 HUF, 600 HUF, if you buy it from the driver on board (vehicle like bus, or tram). It is valid for one uninterrupted trip. It is also available in block of 10 for 4000 HUF. With this ticket, you can buy suburban railway extension ticket from the ticket inspector, but only when you came from Budapest. (For example you travel from Szentendre to Batthyány tér, you must to have pre-purchased ticket). Read more

Travelcards

These are the best options for you, if you have come to Budapest for a few days. You can use them for unlimited trip until they are valid. It does not require validation before travel. The best travelcards are 24-hour, and 72-hour Budapest-travelcard. You can buy Budapest 24-hour group travelcard, which good up to 5 passengers travelling together in the same vehicle (in case of trains in the same carriage). You can buy a non-transferable, personalized Budapest Cards too. These travelcards are not the same as Budapest travelcards. In addition to free public transport, several other services are offered through Budapest cards, such as free and discounted entry to museums and thermal baths as well as discounted meals and cultural events. You can read more here.
Read more about travelcards.

Time based tickets

These tickets are only available in the mobile apps. You can choose between the 30-minute and 90-minute ticket. You have to scan the QR codes each time, when you board a vehicle. You can use it for an unlimited number of transfers and trip interruptions, in addition you can finish your trip beyond the time limit until you reach your destination within Budapest. With the first validation, the timer starts. Read more

Monthly passes

Best option for longer stay. It is valid for 1 month from midnight on the indicated day. Read more

Read more about all tickets and passes

Major tickets and their prices:

Ticket name: Ticket price (HUF):
Single tickets (Vonaljegy) 450
Airport shuttle bus single ticket 2200
Travelcards 24 hours 2500
72 hours 5500
7 days 6500
Time based tickets 30 minutes 530
90 minutes 750
Monthly passes prices

County and country passes

They are valid for 30 days, like the normal passes. The county pass costs for 9450 HUF, the country costs double that price, 18900 HUF. With student discount 945 HUF and 1890 HUF. Student discount is only available with hungarian student ID, but full priced passes are also available for foreigners. They are not valid on the 100E Airport Express buses, but you can use it on other lines. You can travel on trains too, but maybe you need to pay seat reservation. They are valid on suburban railways (HÉV) too, and also outside the administrative boundaries of Budapest, so you do not need to buy a Suburban railway extension ticket. If you have hungarian student ID, this is absolutely worth it for you. If you are an adult and you will not travel outside the administrative boundaries of Budapest, maybe an other type of ticket is better for you.

Where are they valid?

  • On 2nd class trains which do not requires seat reservation
  • On HÉV lines outside the administrative boundaries of Budapest
  • On "blue buses" outside the administrative boundaries of Budapest
  • On Volánbusz ("yellow buses") lines and on Weekendbus Zrt.'s (Budapest-Csömör; Csömör-Pécel) buses

Where are they invalid?

  • On 1st class and trains which requires sear reservation
  • On HÉV lines within the administrative boundaries of Budapest
  • On "blue buses" within the administrative boundaries of Budapest
  • On domestic city services

How to buy tickets

You will find Ticket Offices in larger centers like Batthyány tér (link for all Ticket Office).

Side note: Most cashiers only speak Hungarian

Easier and faster way is the ticket vending machine. These machines work with touchscreens, and accept cash and cards too. You can choose between Hungarian, English, German, France, Chinese, Slovakian, Romanian, Spanish and Russian languages. In the main menu, you can find the most popular ticket types and passes. If you pay with cash, the machine defines the banknotes to be accepted based on the total value of the purchase. The machine gives back changes, and accepts 35 coins and 15 bank notes per transaction. The machine can gives invoice.

Side note: You can find vending machines payment by card only. A sticker alert you, to the purchase method.

Vending machine instruction video.

How to validate your ticket

You must validate your ticket before your journey.
You can validate your ticket with validating machines.
On metro lines:
At the metro station entrances you can see orange or yellow boxes. If you insert your ticket with the number grid, the machine will stamp a time and date on the ticket. On newer single tickets you will find a narrow instead of the number grid.
On other vehicles:
On board, you will see orange or yellow boxes, like on metro lines. On HÉV lines, you will see the same boxes next to the doors, but they are not automatic. Insert the ticket with the side marked by an arrow and pull the black top of the box towards you. You made it well, if you hear a click sound, because it punch it. Read more about ticket validation (includes a video).

Side note: At the top of the escalator ticket inspectors will most likely stop you to check whether you have validated your ticket.
If you need to transfer to a replacement vehicle (e.g. in the event of cancellation, breakdown, track closure), you can continue your journey with the ticket already validated, but you must re-validate the ticket by stamping its end without the number grid with the validator of the replacement vehicle.

BudapestGO / Online tickets

With this app, you can buy tickets online. You can check the changes in traffic, and plan your sightseeing trip in Budapest with real-time data, so you will alwys know when you will arrive to your destination.

The available tickets are:

  • Single ticket
  • 30-minute ticket
  • 90-minute ticket
  • Airport shuttle bus single ticket
  • 24-hour Budapest-travelcard
  • 72-hour Budapest-travelcard
  • And lot of passes
How to validate your online ticket?
First of all you need network access. After that buy your ticket, scan the QR code which are on the outside of the doors, and show the moving animation to the ticket inspector or to the driver.
You can read more about BudapestGO.

Side note: BudapestGO is only available in Hungarian and English.

Alternative BPGO. I use Menetrend.app instead of BudapestGO. I have no idea, why, but i love it better. It is available on English, German, and Italian languages.

Penalty fares

If you do not have valid ticket and the ticket inspector catch you, you must pay penalty fares. The basic penalty fare is 25 000 HUF. If you pay on the spot, it is 12 000 HUF. If you pay it within 2 working days, then the penalty fare is also 12 000 HUF. You can pay with bank transfer, or in BKK Costumer Service Centres.

Important! If you have valid pass that you have already bought, and you can present it at a BKK Costumer Service Centre within 2 working days, then you need to pay 2 000 HUF only. If you have annual, semester or quarterly pass, then it is 1 000 HUF.

If you buy non-refundable annual pass on the day when you got penalty fare, and you present it at a BKK Costumer Service Centre within 2 working days, your penalty fare is only 1 000 HUF. With quaterly and semester passes, this price is 3 000 HUF, and woth montly pass, it is 6 000 HUF.

Side note: Most ticket inspectors do not speak english.

Metros

Budapest has 4 metro lines.

M1:

M1 (yellow line) runs between Vörösmarty tér and Mexikói út. It is continental Europe's oldest underground railroad.

Major stops and major facilities:

M2:

M2 (red line) runs between Déli pályaudvar (Southern Railway Station) and Örs vezér tere.

Major stops and major facilities:

M3:

M3 (blue line) runs between Újpest városközpont and Kőbány-Kispest.

Major stops and major facilities:

M4:

M4 (green line) runs between Kelenföld vasútállomás (Kelenföld Railway Station) and Keleti Pályaudvar (Keleti Railway Station). M4 metros do not have drivers, they are full automatics.

Major stops and major facilities:

Trams

Budapest has around 30 tram lines. Travelling by tram is slower but more spectacular than by metro, but well-developed. The yellow vehicles are emblematic of Budapest.

Side note: Do not forget to press the buttons around the doors in time to signal that you want to get off at the next stop. If nobody stands at the station, and you did not press the button, then the tram will not stop.

Buses

Budapest's bus network, comprising over 200 separate routes and criss-crossing the entire city can bring you almost anywhere within the capital. Buses often get stuck in traffic jams in rush hours, and at such times they are crowded.

Airport buses: 100E and 200E

Airport shuttle bus 100E Airport Express runs between Liszt Ferenc International Airport and Deák Ferenc Tér in 24/7. Travel time: C. 30 minutes.
Stations:
Astoria:

  • To Deák Ferenc Tér, this stop is used for passenger drop-off only
  • To Liszt Ferenc International Airport, buses serve this stop only between 00:12 and 04:32
Kálvin Tér:
  • To Deák Ferenc Tér, this stop is used for passenger drop-off only

Side note: You need to buy a special ticket (Airport shuttle bus single ticket) for this line, which costs 2200 HUF. It can be obtained from anywhere including the mobile application too.

Bus line 200E operates day and night between Liszt Ferenc International Airport and Kőbánya-Kispest. Single ticket, travelcard or pass required on this line. Airport shuttle bus single ticket is not accepted.

Night buses:

Night buses are marked between 900-999. Night bus stops are marked with a black and white owl symbol.

Side note: Do not forget to press the buttons around the doors in time to signal that you want to get off at the next stop. If nobody stands at the stop, and you did not press the button, then the bus will not stop.

Boats

Ferry line D14 operates between Csepel-Királyerdő and Soroksár, Molnár-sziget.

Full-fare ferry ticket costs 170 HUF, pupil ferry ticket and pensioner ferry ticket costs 110 HUF. Travelcards and passes are also accepted.

Suburban railways (HÉV)

Budapest has 4 suburban railway line: H5 (Batthyány tér - Szentendre), H6 (Közvágóhíd - Ráckeve), H7 (Boráros tér - Csepel) and H8-H9 (Örs vezér tere - Gödöllő/Csömör).

The H5 might be interesting for tourists. Szentendre is a charming town right on the Danube bank. Highly recommended to visit it for one day.

Side note: You need to buy a special ticket outside the administrative boundaries of Budapest, named "Suburban railway extension ticket". You can buy these ticket from the ticket inspectors, but only when you travel from Budapest and have valid ticket or pass. Ticket purchase on board is also possible if you board at a stop where there is no ticket office or ticket vending machine available (E.g. Budakalász stop). These ticket does not require any kind of validation; ticket inspectors validate it.

The full priced "Suburban railway extension ticket" costs 450 HUF, if you travel from Budapest to Szentendre. Check the other ticket's price

Newest Suburban railway tickets:

With "Suburban railway tour ticket" maximum 10 people can travel together outside the administrative boundaries of Budapest for an unlimited number of trips. It costs 6200 HUF and available on H5 or on H8,H9.

Side note: Notice that it is not valid within the administrative boundaries of Budapest.

Bikes on board

A validated single ticket or a cycle pass (540 HUF for one month) is required for bike transporting. The single ticket validated for the bicycle is valid on the full length of the suburban railway lines.

Side note: You have to have one valid ticket or pass for your bike, and one for yourself.

The transportation of bicycles is allowed only aboard vehicles marked with a bike pictogram, and one passenger can transport only one bike at a time.

On which lines can you transport bike?

On workdays: At weekends and on public holidays:
HÉV: H5; H6; H7; H8; H9 H5; H6; H7; H8; H9
Trams: 1; 1M; 12; 14; 17; 19; 41; 56; 56A; 59; 59A; 59B; 60; 61 12; 14; 28; 28A; 37A; 41; 56A; 59; 59A; 60; 61
Buses:

11; 21; 21A; 57; 65; 65A; 91; 102; 110; 111; 112; 128; 129; 137; 155; 156; 165; 212; 212A; 212B; 221; 237; 257; 291

11; 21; 57; 65; 65A; 91; 102; 110; 112; 128 129; 137; 155; 156; 165; 212; 221; 237; 257; 291

Trolley Bus: 77 77
Ferry: 14 14

Dogs on public transport

Dogs on public transport