Wondering if I need cash for taxis in Hungary or if I can just pay with card or app like in other countries?
From my experience in Hungary, card payments are widely accepted in taxis, especially in Budapest. I never had a failed transaction, but other travelers warned me some drivers try to avoid using the machine. Bolt was great for solving that because it automatically charged my card. Cash in forints still helps, especially if you’re leaving the capital or using taxis you flag on the street. In most cases, though, your card should be enough without issues.
My Hungary taxi rides were mostly by card. I stayed in Budapest, and every car I got into had a card reader. Contactless payments worked well, and drivers didn’t resist. The Bolt app was the easiest option-it handled the payment automatically and avoided any arguments. That said, I carried some forints anyway, because a couple of drivers in smaller areas outside Budapest clearly preferred cash. Within the capital, though, using your card is very normal.
Taxis in Hungary were surprisingly easy when it came to paying by card. In Budapest, all official taxis carried machines, and I used both chip-and-pin and contactless without trouble. The Bolt app was even more convenient since it processed everything digitally. The only time cash became useful was on a trip outside the city where a driver insisted his reader was broken. So my takeaway is: rely on cards in Budapest, but keep some cash just in case.
In Hungary, taxis are generally fine with cards, but it depends on the company. In Budapest, official taxis almost all have card readers, and I never had trouble paying with Visa or Mastercard. I did hear of some drivers pretending their machines didn’t work, so cash was still useful as a backup. Apps like Bolt are very popular and let you pay by card directly. Overall, Budapest taxis are modern, but don’t ditch cash entirely just in case.