Using a car instead of public transport to get around Budapest can be convenient in many ways, but there are downsides to it, too. For example, everyone knows that finding a parking spot can sometimes be a herculean task.
Flatio understands your frustrations with this particular problem, and so we’re here to help you out a bit. In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about parking in Budapest.
Pay attention to the parking zones
Like many other cities nowadays, Budapest has parking zones, meaning that the price of parking is different depending on where you are in the city.
These zones are as follows:
- Zone 1 – this is the area surrounding Castle Hill in Buda, and the area between the Danube and the Grand Boulevard in Pest. It costs 1,6€ / hour and you can park here between 8AM and 8PM for a maximum of 3 hours on weekdays.
- Zone 2 – this covers most parts of Buda and the area outside of the Grand Boulevard in Pest. You can park here between 8AM and 6PM on weekdays, for a maximum of 3 hours. Parking here costs 1,3€ / hour.
- Zone 3 – all other parts of the city fall into this zone. At 1€ / hour, it is the cheapest zone, and just like in Zone 2, you can park here between 8AM and 6PM on weekends, and for no longer than 3 hours.
| Zone | Time (weekdays) | Maximum time | Cost |
| Zone 1 | 8AM - 8PM | 3 hours | 1,6€ / hour |
| Zone 2 | 8AM - 6PM | 3 hours | 1,3€ / hour |
| Zone 3 | 8AM - 6PM | 3 hours | 1,€ / hour |
Find the perfect accommodation in Budapest
Budapest parking houses
Want to park your car in a parking garage? We recommend these:
- Bazilika Mélygarázs – near the Basilica
- Price: 1,5€ / hour
- Address: Sas utca, Pest, District 5
- Budapest Car Park – a short walk away from Deák Ferenc tér
- Price: From 17€ / day
- Address: Holló Street 12-14, Pest, District 7
- Aranykéz Parkolóház – close to Váci Street and the Danube Promenade
- Price: 1,8€ / hour
- Address: Aranykéz utca 4-6, Pest, District 5
- Lipót Garázs – close to Szabadság Square
- Price: 0,6€ / 30 minutes
- Address: Széchenyi utca, Pest, District 5
- Erzsébet Mélygarázs – next to Deák Square
- Price: 1,2€ / hour
- Address: Erzsébet tér, Pest, District 5
- Szervita Parkoló – near Váci Street
- Price: 1,1€ / hour
- Address: Szervita tér 8, Pest, District 5
Budapest parking in the center
If you’re in the center of Budapest, you’re likely to be either in Parking Zone 1 or Parking Zone 2 and if you want to stay there for longer than 3 hours, you’ll need to buy a new parking ticket every 3 hours.
Otherwise, some of the parking garages above are also a great option, especially Budapest Car Park.
Budapest airport parking
Work near the airport, or perhaps you’re setting off on a little vacation? This is where you can park your car near Budapest airport:
Free Budapest parking
Prefer to avoid parking fees? We get it.
If you’re looking for free parking in Budapest, we recommend the Arena Plaza parking lot (located next to Keleti pályaudvar on the Pest side) or, on some days, Bikas Park and Kelenfoldi pályaudvar.
Otherwise, street parking is free if your parking time doesn’t exceed a certain time limit, and in some areas (such as District 1) it is free all day during weekends.
Parking fines in Budapest
The parking fines in Budapest depend on which zone you’re in and how quickly you pay the fine:
| Paid within 15 days |
Paid after 15 days | |
| Zone 1 |
43€ | 65€ |
| Zone 2 |
17€ | 55€ |
| Zone 3 |
14€ | 43€ |
