Budapest’s Night Transport Gets a Major Upgrade This Summer — Everything Tourists Need to Know

If you’re planning a trip to Budapest and love staying out late, here’s some genuinely exciting news: the city’s night public transport network is getting its biggest overhaul in over two decades, launching on the night of July 1–2, 2026. Whether you’re heading back to your hotel after a ruin bar crawl on the Small Boulevard (Kiskörút), catching a late-night train from Keleti Station, or exploring the outer districts after midnight, getting around Budapest at night is about to become faster, more direct, and far more reliable than ever before.

Why This Is Such a Big Deal

Budapest’s night transport network hadn’t seen a comprehensive overhaul since September 2005 — that’s more than twenty years of virtually unchanged service while the city itself has grown and evolved dramatically. Since then, there were small tweaks here and there: the iconic night tram 6 returned to service along the Grand Boulevard (Nagykörút) in 2011, and the metro’s operating hours were extended by the City Assembly in May 2025. But the backbone of the nocturnal bus network remained largely frozen in time.

That’s now changing. The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) and the Ministry of Transport and Investment worked through two rounds of public consultation — first in August 2025, then again in spring 2026 — gathering feedback from over 36,000 residents and passengers. The result is a completely reimagined network that takes its cue from the daytime system, bringing more coverage, shorter waiting times, and direct connections that tourists and residents alike have been asking for.

What’s Actually Changing for Night Owls

The most important shift is a move toward a network that actually resembles the daytime one. Previously, getting from the city centre to an outer district at 2am often meant a labyrinthine series of transfers. Now, the philosophy is simple: more direct routes, less waiting, and smarter connections at major hubs like Deák Ferenc Square (Deák Ferenc tér), Móricz Zsigmond Square (Móricz Zsigmond körtér), Széll Kálmán Square (Széll Kálmán tér), and Örs vezér Square (Örs vezér tere).

For tourists staying in the city centre, one of the biggest wins is the redesign of the 923 bus, which now travels along the Small Boulevard (Kiskörút) instead of the Grand Boulevard, passing through Astoria — making it far more useful for reaching the nightlife belt of the 5th, 6th, and 7th districts. On the Chain Bridge (Lánchíd), frequency is improving to around every 15–20 minutes, a welcome change for anyone making the classic crossing between Buda and Pest late at night.

Reaching the Suburbs and Day-Trip Destinations

One of the most exciting aspects of the new network for tourists is how it opens up Budapest’s famous surroundings — even after dark. The new 922, 922B, and 988 buses now provide a direct link from the city centre to Budakeszi, Budaörs, and Törökbálint, running every 30 minutes collectively and routing through the Small Boulevard (Kiskörút), the Chain Bridge, and Móricz Zsigmond Square before heading west.

The charming town of Szentendre — a favourite day trip for artsy travellers — now has improved night connections. The first departure of the 943 bus sets off directly from Deák Ferenc Square, and for most of the night, hourly service runs toward Budakalász, Pomáz, and Szentendre via the Óbuda suburb. Similarly, Gödöllő, home of the stunning Baroque royal palace, is now connected directly to Deák Ferenc Square by the extended 992 bus, passing through Kerepes, Kistarcsa, and Mogyoród on a route better suited to exploring the town centre.

New Trolleybuses, New Routes, New Possibilities

One of the more unexpected highlights is the introduction of the 980 night trolleybus, which runs along the route of the daytime 80 trolley right from Deák Ferenc Square all the way to Örs vezér Square — every 30 minutes throughout the night. This is a genuinely handy route for visitors based near Keleti Station or in the 14th district who want a straightforward connection to the city centre at any hour.

Entirely new lines are also making their debut. The 966 bus has been dramatically rerouted: it now cuts through the city centre, crosses the Chain Bridge, climbs through the scenic Rose Hill (Rózsadomb) neighbourhood, and continues to Milleniumtelep suburban railway (HÉV) station in the south — essentially becoming a late-night sightseeing corridor through some of Budapest’s most atmospheric streets. The 955 bus brings night service to the previously unserved Kútvölgy and Zugliget areas in the 12th district, while the 941 bus now connects South Buda all the way through the inner city to Rákosszentmihály in the northeast.

Practical Tips for Tourists

Getting around Budapest at night with the new network is straightforward once you know the basics. The same tickets and passes valid on daytime services work on all night lines — a Budapest Card or 72-hour travel pass covers you entirely. You can buy a single ticket from the driver, or pick one up anytime through the BudapestGO app or ticket machines, which are available around the clock.

On single-deck buses, boarding is only through the front door at night, so you can present your ticket to the driver. Security guards ride on many of the busier lines, and the advice for all late-night travel applies universally: keep your bag close, sit near the driver if you feel uncertain, and if there’s any concern about safety, drivers and on-board staff are there to help.

The major transfer hubs — Deák Ferenc Square, Astoria, Blaha Lujza Square (Blaha Lujza tér), Móricz Zsigmond Square, Széll Kálmán Square, and Örs vezér Square — are where most lines intersect, and timetables are designed so that buses wait for each other at these points to make transfers smooth even in the middle of the night. And of course, the legendary tram 6 keeps running 24/7 along the Grand Boulevard, as it has since 2011 — always a reliable anchor for night-time navigation.

Budapest After Dark Is Worth Exploring

This upgrade isn’t just a logistical improvement — it’s an invitation to experience Budapest differently. The city’s famous ruin bars, thermal bath spas with evening sessions, the illuminated Parliament building reflecting in the Danube, the buzzing night markets in summer — all of these are now just that bit more accessible, without needing a taxi or rideshare for every late return trip. Budapest at night has always been magical. From July 1, 2026, getting home from it just got a whole lot easier.