Parking Budapest – Expert tips and tricks to avoid fines in the city center! (2025 updates)

If you are surfing one of the many Budapest forums (and if you are lucky enough), you can learn about the parking in the city with many great possibilities to avoid parking fees. We would like to help you with these detailed guidelines. We will reveal the best parking lots near the city and in the city center as well!

Parking in the capital of Hungary, Budapest  can be tricky even for local hungarian people, and even more so for tourists visiting the city. If you just arrived at the airport and want to rent a car (Budapest by car offers marvelous sightseeing) and you are looking for secure parking, this article is just for You! In this article, I would like to show the options and give tips and advice on how to avoid fines.

In Budapest, there are four different places where you can park:

1. On the street.
2. In a paid underground garage or parking lot.
3. In a Park and Ride (P+R) parking lot.
4. In a private garage (for example, if you’re staying in an apartment that comes with a garage).

Parking Budapest  – street parking

In Budapest, you have to pay for parking on most streets. The areas where you need to pay for street parking are marked on the map below.

In the area marked with colors, every passenger car, motorhome, or commercial vehicle lighter than 3.5 tons, as well as three or four-wheeled motorcycles, must pay.

Free parking in the city center?

Yes! In the areas not marked with colors on the map, street parking is free!

The colored areas marked on the map are divided into four zones. Each zone sign shows the mandatory parking period, the maximum allowed duration for paid parking, and most importantly, the hourly rate.

Prices for the zones as of June 2025

• A zone: 660 HUF/hour, 8:00-22:00, max 3 hours
• B zone: 520 HUF/hour, 8:00-20:00, max 3 hours
• C zone: 360 HUF/hour, 8:00-18:00, max 3 hours
• D zone: 300 HUF/hour, 8:00-18:00, no time limit

The fee must be paid by purchasing a parking ticket from parking meters (coin-operated), or you can also buy your ticket electronically (which may be complicated for foreigners).

Parking meters may vary by district, and some require entering your license plate number. Just insert the coins, and the parking meter continuously shows how many hours of parking your coins provide. Once done, simply press the green button, and the machine will print your parking ticket.

The issued parking ticket must be placed behind the car’s windshield in a way that the parking inspector can read the information from it. This indicates how long our parking ticket is valid. Don’t forget, there are usually minimum parking times everywhere! This means if the maximum waiting time is three hours, then we can only stay in that position in the given zone for a maximum of three hours. Of course, if we buy a new parking ticket after this, we can continue parking.

Using EvoPay or FoxPay for parking. Download the apps, and within them, you can pay with a bank card, making this method of parking recommended for foreigners. It’s worth installing these parking apps on your phone and registering for them before you leave home.

If we don’t have a valid ticket, the fine in the “A” zone is 13,000 HUF (Hungarian currency), and in the “B” zone, it’s 8,500 HUF (if the fine is paid within 15 days).

How do we know if we’ve been fined?

If we are fined, we can find the fine in a colored envelope placed on the windshield. Inside, we can find the reason for the fine and a payment slip, which includes the amount of the fine, and which can be paid at the post office.

If we get fined and are in an area where the car’s license plate number is not printed on the parking ticket, it might be worth asking another motorist for their valid parking ticket to avoid the fine!

You don’t have to pay for street parking:

1. On non-working days, all day (it’s worth keeping an eye on special days when a working day becomes a weekend day and vice versa, such as when, for example, we Hungarians work a weekday on a weekend).
2. Outside the paid parking period. This time is usually indicated by the zone signs, mostly free to park on the street from after 8 or 10 in the evening until 8 in the morning. So, for example, in an “A” zone from Friday evening at 22:00 until Monday morning at 8:00, you can park on the street for free.
3. Parking fees do not need to be paid in the parking zones from the start of operation on December 24 of the given year until the end of operation on January 1 of the following year! (naturally, there are a few exceptions, such as parking in the castle area)
4. Parking on the streets is free for people with mobility impairments who have a valid parking permit and place it behind the vehicle’s front windshield in such a way that the front side is up, showing the validity and entitlement clearly!
5. Cars with green license plates can park for free in most public zones, except in specially regulated residential-only areas, or where otherwise indicated.

Parking lots, parking around in an underground garage

The prices for underground garages are similar to street parking, and you even have to pay at night. However, the advantage is that there is usually space available in the garage, so you don’t have to look for a free spot on the street. In most parking garages, a daily ticket is available for a fixed amount, which is much cheaper than paying hourly for parking.

Pay attention to the height of your car, as most underground garages typically allow only vehicles up to 2 meters – 2.2 meters tall. Therefore, if you have a roof rack, you might not be able to enter.

For motorcycles, these underground garages usually have designated spaces. Parking is cheaper than for a car. Unfortunately, it’s generally not allowed for multiple motorcycles to park in a space designated for one car.

Using underground garages in Budapest is straightforward. Upon entering the parking garage, we receive our parking ticket from the machine at the entrance, which we must keep. When leaving, we can pay at the machines located in the parking garage after validating our parking ticket, usually with a bank card. In most cases, we have to pay for every hour started.

In most parking garages, a daily ticket is available for a fixed amount, which is much cheaper than paying hourly for parking.

Parking in Budapest: József Nádor square underground garage

József Nádor square underground garage

Daytime Hourly Rate
Daytime period: 08:00-22:00 : 1,300 HUF / hour

Nighttime Hourly Rate
Nighttime period: 22:00-08:00: 800 HUF / hour

Daily Ticket: 15,500 HUF
With a daily ticket, you can enter and exit with your vehicle within a 24-hour period. It can be requested for up to 7 days.

How to buy a daily ticket? Prices in HUF

1. Please insert your parking ticket received at enterance into the payment machine.
2. Push the “SELECT PRODUCT” button on the touch screen.
3. Select your product (1-7 day ticket).
4. Pay the fee of the selected product (by cash or credit card).
5. After that take your invalid „old” parking ticket and the new daily ticket you received from the payment machine.
6. Please keep your new purchased daily ticket until it is valid.
7. When exchanging a parking ticket afterwards, the system automatically determines the appropriate daily ticket period based on the parking time spent inside.

Tip: with the daily ticket you can drive in and out of the parking garage an unlimited number of times. If the license plate number of the vehicle was recorded at the first entry, the barrier will be open automatically during the validity period of the daily ticket – in case of successful license plate recognition.

We would like to inform our Visitors that the daily ticket can be purchased from the payment machine directly after the first entry or, in case of parking inside, later during the parking period, for a maximum seven-day ticket duration. After the seventh day, the system switches to the current hourly billing.

P+R Parking and Ride Parking

Essentially, these parking lots are located on the outskirts of the city near public transportation hubs. Their aim is to reduce traffic congestion in the city center. In Budapest, there are approximately 3,800 Park and Ride parking spaces available.

These parking lots are generally much cheaper than parking on the street. However, it takes time to travel from the parking lot to the city center and vice versa.

In most of these parking lots, we can park very cheaply, sometimes even for as low as 400 HUF per day (less than one euro).

The prices are as follows:

Between 6:00 in the morning and 10:00 in the evening, the fee is 400 HUF per entry. This means there is a one-time fee, and you don’t have to pay hourly.

In most of these parking lots, we can park very cheaply, sometimes even for as low as 400 HUF per day (less than one euro). The prices are as follows:

During the day, between 6:00 am and 10:00 pm, a flat fee of 400 HUF is charged per entry. This means there is a one-time fee, and you don’t have to pay hourly.

At night, from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am, the parking fee is 200 HUF per hour! This means you have to pay per hour in the evening.

The cost of parking at the P+R parking lot:

On the first day:
We park at 4:00 p.m.: 400 HUF
Nighttime parking: 8 hours * 200 HUF = 1,600 HUF
Total for the first day: 2,000 HUF

On the second day:
We park at 6:00 a.m.: 400 HUF
Total for the second day: 400 HUF

So, in total: 2,000 HUF + 400 HUF = 2,400 HUF

Therefore, from 4:00 p.m. on the first day until 8:00 p.m. on the second day, the parking will cost 2,400 HUF.

Using the parking lot is very simple. Upon entry, we receive our ticket, which we can pay for at the parking machine at the end of our parking session. Payment is straightforward. We can pay with cash or by credit card. Security cameras ensure the safety of the parking lot! I recommend it to everyone with peace of mind! There are four large parking lots located at the western junction of the M1 and M7 highways, at the terminus of metro line 4:

• Őrmező P1, which has 510 spaces
• Őrmező P2, which has 525 spaces
• Etele P1, which has 260 spaces
• Etele P2, which has 245 spaces

The following chart shows the daily fluctuation in the number of available parking spaces! It’s evident that between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., there are no available spaces!!!

My suggestion on how to use these parking lots:

1. Plan which P+R parking lot you want to use and plan how to get to your accommodation from the parking lot.
2. Drive to your accommodation, unload your luggage, and check-in.
3. Ideally, have one person take the car to the parking lot and then return to the accommodation using public transportation. It takes about half an hour by public transportation to reach the city center.

Alternatively, you can arrange for a private driver to wait for you at the P+R parking lot. After unloading our car, the private driver will take us to our accommodation.

Private Garage Ownership in the center of Budapest

It’s worth asking the hotel or apartment where we are staying if they have their own parking space or underground garage. Perhaps the accommodation includes such facilities that we can use for free. In all such cases, it’s advisable to inquire in advance about how we can access the garage, as waiting until after check-in to reserve parking may cause parking issues. If we have to park on the street until then, it’s always a good idea for someone to stay in the car to avoid fines.

Pro tip: If you prefer to choose an airport transfer after arriving in the capital, read our article!

FAQ

What are the different parking zones in Budapest?

In Budapest, the parking zones are divided into different categories based on location and demand. The most notable ones are the city center zones, which usually require paid parking and have a time limit of 1 to 3 hours. Outside the city center, you may find free parking spaces or outdoor parking options. Each zone has different parking fees, and it’s important to check the local signs or maps to understand the specific rules and regulations.

How do I pay for parking in Budapest?

There are several ways to pay for parking in Budapest. You can use parking meters located throughout the parking zones. These meters typically accept cash or card payments. Additionally, you can use the mobile app called parkl app to conveniently pay for parking from your smartphone. The app allows you to enter your vehicle details, choose the duration of parking time, and complete the payment without needing to visit a parking meter.

What is the time limit for street parking in Budapest?

The time limit for street parking in Budapest varies depending on the parking zone. In most areas within the city center, the maximum parking time is usually set to 1 to 3 hours. Outside the city center, you may find longer parking times or even areas with no time limit. It’s essential to check local signage for specific time limits and regulations.

How can I find parking spaces in Budapest?

Finding parking spaces in Budapest can be challenging, especially in busy areas. However, there are several resources available to help you. You can use mobile apps like Parkl app, Rollet, or Simple by OTP to locate available parking spots, compare prices, and even pay for parking directly from your phone.