Is the Budapest Card worth it? The break-even in forints
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The 24-hour card costs HUF 17,280. After deducting a public transport ticket, free admissions on the same day must be worth at least HUF 14,530. We work through the four standard options with documented single prices and show when the card does not pay off.
What we calculate with
The Budapest Card is issued by BKK, the city's transport authority. It includes public transport in Budapest, free admissions and some discounts. All prices are in forints (HUF). The card prices are the prices at the ticket provider Tiqets, through which you can book. Tiqets bills in euros; the forint amounts are Tiqets' own figures. You pay admissions and public transport in forints, so we calculate in forints throughout.
Only benefits with a documented single price are included. The two free walking tours through Pest and Buda are missing because we have no price for them. The Pál-völgyi Cave is missing too: in its overview BKK states a 25% discount, while the detail page says free admission. Until that is clarified, we do not include it. The full list is on the Budapest Card attractions page.
The break-even for each option
Break-even here means: your free admissions have to be worth this much for the card to be cheaper than a public transport ticket plus single admissions. For 48 hours we calculate with two 24-hour tickets, for 96 hours with a 72-hour ticket plus a 24-hour ticket, because these are the cheapest documented combinations.
| Option | Card price | Public transport separately | Admissions needed from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | HUF 17,280 | HUF 2,750 | HUF 14,530 |
| 48 hours | HUF 22,496 | HUF 5,500 | HUF 16,996 |
| 72 hours | HUF 27,712 | HUF 5,750 | HUF 21,962 |
| 96 hours | HUF 36,515 | HUF 8,500 | HUF 28,015 |
The free admissions with a documented price
| Attraction | Single price, adult |
|---|---|
| Szent Lukács Gyógyfürdő (Lukács Baths, Monday to Thursday) | HUF 7,000 |
| Budapest Castle Bus (one full round) | HUF 6,500 |
| Szépművészeti Múzeum (permanent exhibitions) | HUF 5,800 |
| Magyar Nemzeti Galéria (permanent exhibitions) | HUF 5,800 |
| Robert Capa Kortárs Fotográfiai Központ | HUF 5,000 |
| Citadella (exhibition and rooftop terrace) | HUF 4,900 |
| Vármúzeum (Budapesti Történeti Múzeum) | HUF 3,800 |
| Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum (permanent exhibitions) | HUF 3,500 |
| Ludwig Múzeum (permanent exhibitions) | HUF 3,300 |
| MOL Campus SkyDeck | HUF 3,200 |
| Aquincumi Múzeum | HUF 3,000 |
| Zugligeti Libegő (up and down) | HUF 3,000 |
| Memento Park | HUF 3,000 |
| Danube boat trip (one trip, price of the BKV line) | HUF 3,000 |
Together that comes to HUF 60,800. Lukács Baths are the biggest single item. From Friday to Sunday and on public holidays they cost HUF 8,000 instead of HUF 7,000. According to BKK, entry is only from age 14. For the Castle Bus, the card covers one full round, which is also what the single ticket for HUF 6,500 covers. At the Citadella the park is free; the ticket covers the exhibition and rooftop terrace. For the Danube boat trip, the card includes one trip from four offers, and the price is that of the BKV line. According to BKK, the BKV line is currently suspended because of low water.
Discounts add little
Széchenyi and Rudas Baths are not free; the card gives a 20% discount. Admission prices depend on the day of the week and the season. At Széchenyi Baths you save HUF 2,640, HUF 2,960 or HUF 3,160, depending on day and season. At Rudas Baths it is HUF 2,400, HUF 3,000 or HUF 3,200. That alone does not make a card worthwhile.
Four worked examples
- A weekday with Lukács Baths, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Buda Castle History Museum: HUF 16,600 in admissions plus HUF 2,750 for public transport, HUF 19,350 in total. With the 24-hour card you save HUF 2,070 on that weekday. From Friday to Sunday Lukács Baths cost HUF 8,000 on their own, and then the card saves you HUF 3,070.
- Three days with a full programme: day 1 Lukács Baths and the Museum of Fine Arts, day 2 the Buda Castle History Museum, Castle Bus and Citadella, day 3 the National Museum and Memento Park. HUF 34,500 separately plus HUF 5,750 for public transport, HUF 40,250 in total. The 72-hour card saves HUF 12,538. Here it is also HUF 4,034 cheaper than the 48-hour card plus single tickets on the third day.
- A day with just two museums, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Buda Castle History Museum: HUF 12,350 including public transport. With the 24-hour card you pay HUF 4,930 more.
- Three days with one museum each, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Buda Castle History Museum and the National Museum: HUF 18,850 with a 72-hour ticket. With the 72-hour card you pay HUF 8,862 more.
When the card does not pay off
- If you mostly ride trains and buses. On the 24-hour card, public transport alone covers only HUF 2,750 of HUF 17,280.
- If your programme consists mainly of Széchenyi or Rudas Baths. They only get a 20% discount.
- If you only manage one admission a day. No documented single price reaches the 24-hour card's break-even on its own.
A note for families: Lukács Baths only admit visitors from age 14. With younger children, the biggest free admission drops out.
For the 24-hour card you need three of the bigger free admissions in one day; two are not enough even among the most expensive. For 72 hours you need an average of HUF 7,321 per day. If your programme comes in below that, a public transport ticket plus single admissions is cheaper. You can find these options under alternatives to the Budapest Card.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Budapest Card cost?
At the ticket provider Tiqets, through which you can book: HUF 17,280 for 24, HUF 22,496 for 48, HUF 27,712 for 72 and HUF 36,515 for 96 hours. As of 10 Nov 2026.
From what amount does the 24-hour Budapest Card pay off?
The card costs HUF 17,280. Once you deduct a 24-hour public transport ticket (HUF 2,750), free admissions must be worth at least HUF 14,530. As of 10 Nov 2026.
Is the Budapest Card worth it for Széchenyi Baths?
Hardly. The bath is not free; the card gives a 20% discount. Depending on day and season, that is HUF 2,640 to HUF 3,160. As of 25 Oct 2026.
Sources
- Card prices at Tiqets (our prices page with source and history), checked on 10 Nov 2026
- BKK prices: single journey, 24-hour and 72-hour ticket, checked on 25 Oct 2026
- Budapest Card benefits (BKK, places of acceptance), checked on 25 Oct 2026
- Budapest Castle Bus with the Budapest Card, checked on 25 Oct 2026
- Admission to Lukács Baths, checked on 25 Oct 2026
- Admission to Széchenyi Baths, checked on 25 Oct 2026
- Admission to Rudas Baths, checked on 25 Oct 2026
- Admission to the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum), checked on 25 Oct 2026
- Admission to the Buda Castle History Museum, checked on 25 Oct 2026
- Admission to the Hungarian National Museum, checked on 25 Oct 2026
- Admission to the Citadella, checked on 25 Oct 2026
Prices can change. Admission and card prices change, sometimes at short notice. We check admission prices at the official source and card prices with the ticket provider you book through. We show the date for every price and check all prices again once a month. The price shown to you at checkout is always the one that applies. If you spot an outdated price, let us know at info@citycardcheck.com.
Data source: Card prices at the ticket provider Tiqets, through which you can book (Tiqets bills in euros, forint amounts as stated by Tiqets), as of 10 Nov 2026. Single prices of 14 freely included and 2 discounted attractions on the operators' websites; card benefits and public transport (single journey, 24-hour and 72-hour ticket) at BKK, checked on 25 Oct 2026. Price of the Danube boat trip as of 24 Sep 2026. All prices in forints.
Photo: Niklas Stumpf / Unsplash