Budapest Daytrips
Discover What Hungary Offers To you Outside the Capital

If you think you've had enough Budapest buzz, leave it behind for a while for day trips. We'll recommend you several excursions out of Budapest, starting with the nearest attractions. Within 50 km you'll find plenty of attractions and natural treasures.

Esztergom, Visegrád, Szentendre

The Basilica in Esztergom

One of the most spectacular and scenic part of our country is the Danube Bend, 40 km north of Budapest. In fact, it is the most beautiful stretch of the river's 3000 km course from the Black Forest to the Black Sea.

We regularly go for excursions to this wonderful area on weekends. Just after Esztergom the Danube turns sharply south before it reaches Budapest. This is where the Danube Bend starts.

The three small towns, Esztergom, Visegrád and Szentendre are like pearls on a string. Each are worth at least a half day visit. You can easily access them from Budapest by coach, train and even by boat.

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Budapest Daytrips

Getting to Esztergom, Visegrád, Szentendre

Hungary is a small country, and you can get to anywhere within a couple of hours by bus, train or by car. Travelling by train and bus in Hungary is cheap and the service is reliable.

I don't recommend driving for foreigners; it is very troublesome just to get out of Budapest on weekdays. Hungarian driving culture is not a thing we're proud of. Reckless overtaking, sudden changing between lines, exceeding speed limit, you don't need these to ruin your excursion.

Almost all major highways are under construction during summer. If you're still more comfortable to get to these destinations by car, you'll find several car rental services in Budapest.

By Bus

Buses depart to the three cities from Árpád Bridge (M3, blue metroline, Árpád Híd station). Take the bus that travels through a town called Dorog. To Esztergom the journey takes about 75 minutes.

Another option is to take a bus to Esztergom via Visegrád. This journey takes 2 hours and the ticket costs more.
In Hungary bus fares are determined by the kilometres of the route, and the bus route to Esztergom via Visegrad is longer than via Dorog.

You can purchase your ticket in advance at the Árpád Bridge Bus Station up until half an hour before the departure of your bus. You can buy ticket from the driver too when you board the bus.
Exact information about departures is on this website.

By Train

To Esztergom

About 25 trains depart to Esztergom daily from Budapest's Nyugati Railway Station (M3 metro line). The journey takes about 1,5 hour. The ticket costs 1 100 Ft. You can buy your train ticket at the ticket offices at the station.
For exact information on departures and ticket prices visit the official website of the Hungarian Railway Company.

To Szentendre

The best option is to take the suburban railway (HÉV in Hungarian) from Batthyány tér (M2 metro line, Batthyány tér station). Trains leave every 20 minutes or so every day.

The trip takes 40 minutes. A one-way ticket costs cc. 600-650 Ft. You have to buy your ticket in advance at the ticket office at the HÉV station. If you have a valid Budapest public transport pass you only have to pay for the distance between the boundary of Budapest and Szentendre.
For exact information on HÉV ticket prices and timetable visit the BKV's website.

There's no direct train service to Visegrád from Budapest. Alternatively you can take a train to Nagymaros from Nyugati Railway Station, and from Nagymaros a ferry (rév in Hungarian) will take you across the Danube to Visegrád. The ferry dock is a few minutes walk from the train station and a ferry leaves in every hour. The train trip to Nagymaros takes less than an hour.

By Boat

The most spectacular and enjoyable way to get to these three towns. Boats run between Budapest and the cities of the Danube bend from April to September. They depart from Vigadó tér in Pest between Erzsébet Bridge and Szabadság Bridge.
The travel time to Szentendre is about 2 hours, 3 and half an hour to Visegrád, and 5 hours to Esztergom.

For the exact information on schedule and ticket prices visit the boat operator's website.

By Car

If I haven't discouraged you from driving, Route 11 will take you to all three towns from Budapest.