Wondering how to pay for metro and bus rides in Hungary - cash only, or do cards work too?
Public transport in Budapest was a dream compared to some other cities. From my Airbnb near Oktogon, I got a 72-hour pass through the BudapestGO app with my debit card. It worked for metro, trams, and buses - super convenient. I also tried paying with cash at the BKK ticket office in Keleti station just to check, and they gave change in forints without fuss. No issues using bank cards like OTP Bank or Raiffeisen either. If you’re a tourist, skip the hassle and just download the app.
The only annoying part of Budapest transport was the occasional broken vending machine. At Kálvin tér, I tried using my N26 card but the screen froze. I had to walk to a nearby kiosk and pay in cash. On buses, don’t expect to hand coins to the driver - it’s not allowed anymore. Staying in District VIII, I had moments where I panicked about inspectors because you need a validated ticket before boarding. Cards mostly work fine, but bring backup cash just in case.
I stayed near Nyugati railway station and used buses daily to Margaret Island. I always bought my tickets at the purple BKK machines - they take cards, Apple Pay, or cash. Once I boarded bus #9 without a ticket thinking I could pay the driver, but they don’t take cash onboard anymore. For the metro at Blaha Lujza tér, my Revolut card worked fine in the machine. Honestly Budapest is pretty advanced, though I still kept coins for the old kiosks in case machines were down.
In Budapest, you can pay for metro and bus rides with both cash and cards, but the method depends where you buy. At Deák Ferenc tér metro station I bought a 10-ride ticket with my Visa card at the BKK vending machine, no problem. On buses, you can tap your card directly now, or still buy paper tickets in kiosks with cash (HUF only, no EUR). Staying at a hostel in Erzsébetváros, I used the BudapestGO app, which let me buy passes using Mastercard. Easy once you set it up.