If you’re driving in Hungary by car —whether it’s a rental or your own—this guide is for you. Packed with useful information, it covers parking, traffic rules, fines, and toll roads. You’ll find personal experiences, tips, and insights—even things you might not have considered but could encounter on Hungarian roads.
Parking in Hungary and Budapest
In Hungary, paid parking is required in all cities, not just Budapest. In city centers, you’ll find paid parking almost everywhere. Free parking spots are more common on the outskirts and in residential areas, but they are in the minority.
Tip:
If you’re traveling by car, check whether your accommodation provides free parking for guests when booking. For more details on Hungarian housing and booking tips, check out the link.
Key Things to Know About Parking in Hungary:
- Every city has multiple parking zones with different rates. Always check the signs at the parking location for exact pricing.
- The average cost of parking ranges from 350 to 600 HUF per hour (approximately €0.9 – €1.6), but some zones are more expensive.
- 95% of parking payments are made through parking meters, which are located everywhere.
- Paid parking hours are usually Monday to Friday, from 8 AM to 6 PM. On Saturdays and Sundays, parking is free. However, in certain areas—such as Budapest city center and major tourist attractions—parking fees apply seven days a week, sometimes even at night or until 10 PM.
- If you plan to park for more than 3-4 hours, buying a daily ticket is often more cost-effective. Prices vary, but the average is €5-7 per day. However, always check the signs—some areas only allow hourly payments, and long-term parking might not be possible.
“munkanap” – meaning weekdays (Monday to Friday).
Paid parking hours: 8 AM – 10 PM.
Maximum parking duration: 3 hours.
Rate: 600 HUF (€1.6) per hour.
Payment options: SMS or parking meter.
If you see a small scale icon in the bottom left corner, that’s the symbol for a parking meter.
Paid parking only on weekdays, from 8 AM to 5 PM.
Rate: 300 HUF per hour (€0.8).
Fine: 12,300 HUF (€35), but if paid within 15 days, it’s reduced to €10 (3,600 HUF).
Some signs include English translations, but most are only in Hungarian.
Tip:
If you don’t pay for parking, they will clamp your wheel—even if you have foreign license plates. So, it’s always best to pay!
How to Pay for Parking
Parking meters are everywhere, but they vary in type:
- Some are old models that only accept coins.
- Newer ones accept cards and banknotes.
- Some require you to enter your license plate number, while others don’t.
- In some, you insert coins first, and it shows how much time you’ve paid for.
- Others require you to select the time first and then pay the exact amount.
The interface is usually intuitive, but the menu is often in Hungarian. If possible, switch to English.
At the end of the process, you’ll receive a printed ticket—place it on your dashboard so it’s visible.
In central Budapest, a camera-equipped vehicle scans license plates and issues fines automatically for unpaid parking. In most other areas, parking attendants manually check and issue fines.
Checking and Paying Parking Fines: You can check and pay fines via the iCsekk app.
In some cases, you can pay via SMS, but only with a local SIM card. The cost of the SMS equals 1 hour of parking. Everything about sim cards and the Internet in Hungary for tourists.
Time until which parking is paid.
If required, license plate number (as shown on the receipt).
Important Reminder: Always carry coins, as all meters accept them, but not all accept cards or banknotes.
Hungarian Police: What You Need to Know
This section is brief, as there aren’t many complications for tourists. Here’s what you should know:
- There aren’t many police officers on the roads.
- They occasionally use speed cameras and monitor toll roads to catch those driving without a vignette.
- They don’t stop vehicles randomly.
- They don’t scam tourists for money. Hungarian police are generally polite and helpful. The downside? They don’t speak much English—but this is common in Hungary.
Traffic Rules and Fines in Hungary
When it comes to traffic rules, there are no major differences compared to most European regulations. All road signs are either identical or intuitively understandable to any driver. Here are the key points:
- Speed limits:
- In urban areas: 50 km/h
- Outside urban areas: 90 km/h
- On highways and toll roads: 110 or 130 km/h, depending on the sign (see photo below for clarification).
- Headlights:
- Low beam headlights must be on at all times outside urban areas.
- Within urban areas, headlights are not required during daylight hours, but I personally always keep them on for safety.
- Seat belts: All passengers, including those in the back seat, must wear seat belts.
- Mobile phones: Talking on the phone is only allowed with a hands-free system or loudspeaker.
- Fog lights: Using fog lights when there is no fog is punishable by a fine, so don’t forget to turn them off when not needed.
- Driving side: Right-hand traffic, as in most of Europe.
- Driver’s license: A standard plastic driver’s license with English translations is sufficient for renting a car in Hungary.
When it comes to fines, the situation is completely different, and there are some important things you should know.
Useful to know:
Until mid-2023, Hungary had one of the most lenient speeding policies in the EU. Officially, drivers could exceed the limit by +15 km/h without consequences. Speed cameras only issued fines for violations over +21 km/h. However, a new law took effect in mid-2023, instantly making Hungary one of the strictest countries in the EU regarding speeding.
Currently, not all speed cameras have been reprogrammed to reflect the new law, but the transition is in progress. I strongly advise against speeding. You will notice that Hungarian drivers are extremely calm, slow, and law-abiding—sometimes frustratingly so!
Officially:
- Exceeding the speed limit by just 1 km/h is now considered a violation and is recorded by speed cameras.
- The minimum fine for exceeding the speed limit by 1 km/h is €90.
- Repeat offenders within a year can face fines of €200 or even €500.
- Parking fines range from €10 to €100. If paid within the first two weeks, significant discounts may apply. However, this does not apply to speeding violations.
My advice: Just don’t speed.
Yes, driving exactly 50 km/h in an empty city might be frustrating, but €100 is still €100.
There are two types of speed cameras:
- Overhead gantries with separate cameras for each lane.
- Fixed cameras on poles along the roadside (similar to those in other countries).
Warning:
- There are not always warning signs before speed cameras.
- When present, the signs are small and easy to miss.
Toll Roads and Free Roads in Hungary
Hungary has excellent road quality—driving here is a pleasure. Even in remote areas, you won’t find potholes or damaged asphalt.
Free vs. Toll Roads
Hungarian roads are divided into two categories:
- Free roads
- Toll roads (require a prepaid electronic vignette)
💡 Important: When you purchase a vignette, it takes 30-60 minutes for your license plate to be added to the system. Buy it in advance!
Key Points about Free and Toll Roads:
- You can reach any part of Hungary using free roads, but it’s challenging. Villages appear every few kilometers, and the average speed rarely exceeds 60 km/h.
- All toll roads bypass urban areas and have speed limits of 110 or 130 km/h.
- Vignettes are available for 10 days, one month, or one year. If you’re transiting through Hungary in six hours, you’ll need a one-day vignette. Learn more about driving through Hungary here.
- The official website for toll rates and vignette purchases is: https://toll-charge.hu/en (select e-vignette; e-toll is for trucks).
- Standard passenger cars fall under Category D1.
- You can select an activation date when purchasing the vignette.
- The vignette is electronic—no need to stick anything on your windshield.
How Toll Roads Work in Hungary:
- There are no toll booths on Hungarian highways.
- Instead, a warning sign indicates that the road is for vignette holders only.
- Fines for driving without a vignette start at €100.
- Cameras that check vignette payments are frequent—approximately every 10 km.
- All vehicles, regardless of license plate origin, require a vignette.
Important:
If you rent a car from a major rental company in Hungary, the vehicle will usually come with a yearly vignette. No additional toll payment is required—this is a significant advantage. Learn more about car rentals in Hungary, personal experiences, pitfalls, where to rent, pros, and cons.
Driving in Hungary: Final Thoughts
I hope this guide clarifies everything! The main takeaway is:
- Follow the rules—violations are expensive.
- Plan for parking in advance—it can be tricky in some areas.
- Enjoy Hungary! The roads are excellent, drivers are polite, and there are no reckless drivers or major traffic jams (compared to cities like London). Traffic laws are similar to those in other countries, and Hungary is a safe and pleasant place to drive. Everything you need to know about traveling in Hungary and current travel trends.
Most importantly, having a car allows you to see much more beyond Budapest. Hungary is full of castles, palaces, thermal baths, lakes, and beautiful towns waiting to be explored!
IMPORTANT: Below are useful links that will help organize your trip to Hungary and Budapest:
- Flight: WayAway – compares prices for flights among 30+ airlines flying to Budapest.
- Tours and excursions:
- Viator and GetYourGuide – the best services for finding tours in Budapest and Hungary with the largest database of activities in Hungary. They offer river cruises on the Danube, tickets to baths, and 1000+ tours (available in different languages).
- Accommodation, apartments, hotels, hostels:
- TripAdvisor – compares the prices among dozens of other booking services and offer the best price
- Trip.com – the most popular booking platform
- Car rental: DiscoverCars and LocalRent – the leading and largest car rental services in Hungary.
- Travel Insurance: EKTA.
- eSIM – Airalo virtual SIM card in Hungary.
- Taxi and airport transfers: Intui.Travel