How Much Is the Budapest Student Transport Pass? Getting Around Guide

Budapest's transport pass comes up constantly in cost breakdowns as one of the best deals in Europe, but nobody actually explains how the network works, how to get the discount, or what to do at 2am when the metro's closed. The short answer: a monthly Budapest pass for students costs 3,450 HUF, against 8,950 HUF for the full price pass, and it covers the metro, trams, buses, trolleybuses and night buses, but not the 100E airport bus. Here's the full picture.

The Network: Metro, Trams and Buses

Budapest's system, run by BKK, covers four metro lines (M1 to M4), an extensive tram network, buses and trolleybuses, all on the same ticket or pass. The tram network does a lot of the heavy lifting for students specifically: the 4 and 6 run along the Grand Boulevard (Nagykörút), with the 6 running all night, and connect most of the districts students actually live in, Districts VI, VII, VIII and IX, without needing to touch the metro at all. If you're commuting to a university near the centre, there's a good chance a single tram gets you there directly.

The Student Pass and How to Actually Get It

The discounted monthly Budapest pass for students costs 3,450 HUF, compared to 8,950 HUF for the standard adult pass. Who qualifies depends on your card. With a Hungarian student card from your Budapest university, your citizenship doesn't matter. With a student card from a university elsewhere in the EU, EEA or Switzerland, or an ISIC card, you must be an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen and, from 15 June 2026, have a registered address in Hungary (your address card, lakcímkártya). So if you're from outside the EU, ask your university for a Hungarian student card. Student IDs in phone apps and ISIC cards printed on bank cards aren't accepted.

You can buy the pass through the BudapestGO app, at BKK Customer Service Points (including one at the airport), or from ticket vending machines around the city. Always carry the original student card you bought the pass with: inspectors don't accept a photo or a scan. A pass bought in BudapestGO also unlocks student discounts at the city's baths and ten free 30 minute MOL Bubi rides a month.

Night Transport

Once the metro closes, Budapest switches to night buses, and tram 6 keeps running all night along the Grand Boulevard. Your normal pass covers them, with no separate night fare. The night network was reorganised from the night of 1 to 2 July 2026, so older line lists online may be out of date: plan night trips in the BudapestGO app. Frequency drops compared to daytime, so allow more waiting time.

Getting To and From the Airport

The 100E Airport Express bus connects Liszt Ferenc International Airport with Kálvin tér and Deák Ferenc tér in about 40 minutes. It runs around the clock, every 6 to 15 minutes during the day and every 30 to 40 minutes at night. Your monthly pass is not valid on it: you need the 2,500 HUF airport shuttle ticket, or, if your pass is in BudapestGO, a 1,000 HUF add-on ticket bought in the app. With a pass, the cheapest route is bus 200E to Kőbánya-Kispest and then the M3 metro, both covered. It's a considerably cheaper option than a taxi for a first arrival with luggage.

Cycling: MOL Bubi

Budapest's public bike share, MOL Bubi, relaunched in summer 2026 with a bigger fleet and electric assist bikes. A classic monthly pass costs 2,500 HUF (2,000 HUF if you hold a BudapestGO transport pass) and includes 30 free minutes per ride, and since 28 September 2026 BudapestGO pass holders can claim ten free 30 minute rides a month on classic bikes. You register in the MOL Bubi app before your first ride. It's a solid option for short hops that don't quite justify a tram, or for exploring on a nice day without committing to owning a bike for a semester.

How This Connects to Fuse's Buildings

Fuse homes in Budapest sit in a few pockets of Pest, and the transport picture looks a little different from each. Near Thököly út, you're close to Keleti station, one of the best-connected points in the city for metro and tram lines heading in almost any direction. Homes on Dohány utca, Király utca and Rákóczi út in District VII are a short walk from Astoria, Blaha Lujza tér or Deák Ferenc tér, where the M1, M2 and M3 metro lines and the 4 and 6 trams run. Near Gát utca in Ferencváros, you're within walking distance of both tram and metro connections into the centre, handy for Corvinus University specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions