After a long coronavirus quarantine, things are starting to loosen up a bit. Hungary has opened its border towards many countries, but there are different regulations depending on where you live. Do you need to go into quarantine if you come to Budapest? Can you enter Hungary at all?
We are doing our best at answering all these questions here at www.budapestguide.org. If you have comments or questions, use the comment field at the bottom of the different articles. Do you know of changes or news that we haven’t noticed yet? Contact us and let us know about it so that this page can be as up to date as possible.
We do recommend that you contact your local embassy in Budapest/Hungary if you need more information, or if you want to be 100% sure that everything is as written on this page. We do not take any responsibility for wrong information, or sudden changes that mean other rules will apply to you upon arrival to Hungary.
Can I visit Hungary/Budapest right now as a tourist?
August 10, 2022 – No need to worry if you have a vaccination passport!
Since July 1st, Hungary has opened completely to those with a valid vaccination passport issued in the EU. If you are vaccinated, you can freely enter Hungary, and there is no need to go into quarantine or anything else. You can also visit stores and eat in restaurants without a mask.
If you can prove that you have gone through COVID in the last six months, you can also enter without restrictions. You can also enter without quarantine if you have a valid PCR test issued less than 72 hours before arrival. Children under 18 coming with adults who are vaccinated can also enter the country.
It is time to visit Budapest again!
For even more exact information, check the following article.
July 15, 2021 – Three zones
Due to an increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Europe and elsewhere, Hungary will change some of their rules for tourists coming to the country. The world is now divided into three regions.
The green zone – Feel free to come
People from the green region are free to visit Budapest. There is no need to show a COVID test, nor do people from these countries need to enter quarantine upon arrival.
The Yellow zone – 14-day quarantine or two negative tests
People from the yellow zone can visit Hungary if they go into a 14-day quarantine first, or if they show two COVID-19 tests made within the last five days with negative results. The yellow zone countries are:
- UK
- US
- Serbia
- Romania
- Sweden
- Portugal
- Bulgaria
- Norway
- Russia
- China
- Japan
Those are the yellow zone countries from July 15th in 2020.
The red zone – bye bye!
If you come from a red zone country, forget about visiting Budapest as a tourist right now. You will not be allowed to enter the country at all.
- Albania
- Bosnia
- Belarus
- Kosovo
- North-Macedonia
- Moldovia
- Montenegro
- Ukraine
- All other countries of the world not mentioned in the green or yellow zone.
June 18th – Second Update
There has been some debate about whether or not people from the UK are allowed to enter Hungary, and based on the most recent information, they ARE NOT allowed to enter Hungary.
June 18th – First update
From midnight, people from the European Union can freely enter Hungary without entering a quarantine upon arrival to Hungary. In addition, people from Serbia, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland can come freely to Hungary. This is great news! Welcome back!
Some people debate whether people from the UK and Sweden (countries with more than 1000 news cases yesterday) should be allowed to enter Hungary, but based on the new regulations, they will be allowed to enter Hungary as well, just like any other EU citizen.
June 11th
Most restaurants in Budapest have opened again, and the boat trips on the Danube are available. But, it is still quite few people who are accepted into Hungary, so unless you come from Germany, Austria, Slovakia, or the Czech Republic, you should wait with planning your trip to Budapest and Hungary.
June 8th
People from Germany can now enter Hungary as well without any restrictions or quarantine requirements.
June 5th
As of today, people from Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic can enter Hungary without any regulations. There is no need for quarantine, nor a time limit for how long they can stay. This is fantastic news for those who want to visit Hungary from those countries. In other words, Austrians, Czechs, and Slovakians can freely travel to Hungary as of today.
The rest of the world will have to wait for some more time.
June 4th
It is still very hard to enter Hungary. Hungarians living abroad or are allowed to enter the country, but they are required to go into a 14-day quarantine upon arrival to Hungary and Budapest (with a few exceptions).
Hungarians can freely enter into Hungary without a quarantine upon arrival from Serbia and Slovenia. Hungarians can freely enter Hungary from Slovakia and the Czech Republic if their travel to the countries has lasted for less than 48 hours.
General rules for those entering Hungary
Non-Hungarian citizens are not allowed to enter Hungary in passenger traffic, except:
- citizens of the neighboring countries on the basis of the agreements concluded for the purpose of commuting (work, studies, health care);
- citizens for the purpose of humanitarian transit as agreed with the neighboring countries;
- Slovak, Czech, Polish, Austrian, German, Korean, Japanese citizens arriving from certain countries for the purpose of business travels;
- citizens of a neighboring countries in order to ensure the labor needs of the agricultural sector;
- in case of special appreciation, after positive decision. The electric form of the application should be submitted to the Hungarian Police via the following e-tool in Hungarian language: http://www.police.hu/hu/ugyintezes/elektronikus-ugyintezes/meltanyossagi-kerelemmagyarorszagra-torteno-beutazashoz
As the preconditions of the entry, in all above cases the related the passengers shall:
- a) undergo a medical examination on entry with the result no COVID-19 symptoms;
- b) fulfill the entry conditions regulated in the Schengen Borders Code and
- c) prove that they are authorized to enter the country of destination.
Overivew by country
Nations who can enter Hungary as tourists
This information is not necessarily up to date, especially after the new rules and regulations valid from July 15th (see information earlier in the article)
EU countries
All people living within the EU and with a passport from such a country, can enter Hungary freely from June 19th! UK is the exception, as people from the UK are still NOT allowed to enter Hungary.
Norway
People from Norway can freely enter Hungary from June 19th. There is no need to enter quarantine upon arrival to Hungary.
Switzerland
From June 19th, people with a Swiss passport can enter Hungary without entering quarantine.
Iceland
Everyone from Iceland can come to Hungary without entering a quarantine.
Serbia
Can freely enter Hungary without a quarantine from June 19th.
Germany
Since June 7th, German citizens coming to Hungary from Germany can visit Hungary freely. There is no need to go into a quarantine upon arrival to Hungary anymore.
Austria
Austrians can enter Hungary freely without going into a quarantine as of June 5th in 2020.
Czech Republic
People from the Czech Republic can enter Hungary freely without a quarantine from June 5th.
Slovakia
The people of Slovakia can also enter Hungary freely without limitations from June 5th.
You can enter Hungary on work-related trips from these countries
South Korea
People on business trips and/or with work permits in Hungary can enter the country. You can not enter as a tourist.
Japan
People on business trips and/or with work permits in Hungary can enter the country. You can not enter as a tourist.
EVERYONE ELSE
Check with your local embassy. If you have to enter Hungary on official business and you have papers confirming this, you should be able to enter. If you want to visit Budapest and Hungary as a tourist, you will still need to wait.
Haii..
I am flying from Milan to Budapest on 15Sep ? Do I need to take PCR test before flight ?
Hello there,
the borders are open, so you can come to Hungary. The thermal bath should be open to the general public, so it shouldn’t cause trouble. But, I would call the hotel and ask, just to be 100% sure!
Hello, I am a US citizen but have been staying in Italy for two months now. I plan to depart here at the end of October 2021. I want to visit Budapest, Hungary, for the next 85 days. Do I need to take a PCR test within 72 hours before departure?
Hello, I am UK citizen m I allowed flights from Georgia to Budapest? I passed covid-19 about 11 days ago
I am a US Travel Agent and have a cruise from Budapest to Vilshofen on Aug.25, 2021
I am finding mixed messages regarding US tourists.
We are all vaccinated.
My suggestions is to contact the embassy for 100% information, but everyone with a valid COVID passport should be able to visit Budapest right now!
I am a US citizen fully vaccinated with Moderna. I plan to travel to Budapest with connection in Istanbul, leaving USA on September 1 and arriving Budapest September 2. I will have a PCR test on August 30 before the trip. Can the rapid antigen test at Istanbul or Budapest airport count as second
Covid test so that I don’t have quarantine?
With the current regulations, you are allowed to enter Budapest and Hungary if you are fully vaccinated and have a valid vaccination passport!
Our original trip from US to Budapest was scheduled March 2020. Got moved to June then July of 2020. All three were cancelled. The airline has our tickets booked for the first part of June 2021. All the travelers have been vaccinated for COVID. What are the chances that we will be able to travel there this June? Thanks!
Congratulation on the vaccines! To be honest, it is hard to predict. I am sure that the government would like to open the borders for the summer, but it all depends on how the third wave will move on. Right now, more than 8000 new cases have come in the last day, but the number of vaccinated are growing every day, so if we are lucky, the summer might give some opportunities.
I wouldn’t feel sure about a June travel to Budapest in 2021, so I would personally say that it is a 20% chance that you will succeed, but I do hope I am wrong, and that you will be able to do the travel!
CAN A NIGERIAN PASSENGER GO TO BUDAPEST WITH TOURIST VISA ?
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of info. I am happy that you shared this helpful info with
us. Please stay us up to date like this.
Thank you for sharing.
I am trying to see what countries are in the green zone. I cannot see it.
I would like to visit family in Budapest, and Transylvania. I am from Canada.
I come from Slovakia but live in the UK. Can I fly to Debrecen or Budapest from England and travel to Slovakia from there?
There has been some uncertainty when it comes to arriving from the UK, and based on the most recent information (which also can be seen in the second update on June 18th, people from the UK are not allowed to arrive in Hungary. The fact that you have a Slovakian passport will most likely not help you much, since you will be arriving from the UK. It would be better with a direct flight to Slovakia, but if you are desperate and really need to travel with a stop in Hungary, I suggest you call the Hungarian embassy in the UK or the Slovakian embassy in Hungary to ask for help!
The following page on the official website seems to explicitly exclude the United Kingdom from todays (18th June) removal of restrictions for EU member states: https://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu/tajekoztato-a-covid-19-jarvany-miatti-magyarorszagra-torteno-belepesi-korlatozasokrol
Thanks for the feedback… 🙂
Can a Swiss person with a Swiss pasport enter Hungary?
On a business trip, yes. As a private tourist, the answer is still no. But once again, things may change rapidly, so pay attention and stay in contact with the Swiss embassy in Budapest if you want to be 100% sure before you book your travel.
We are from the Netherlands and we would visit my grandmother in Hungary in august. Can we go?
People from the Netherlands are still not allowed to visit Hungary, but more changes might come in the coming days and weeks. I wouldn’t order my plane tickets yet, but I would pay attention to updates and changes, and most likely, you should be able to do so in August. But, Netherlands still have a quite have number of new cases daily (more than 200), which means that Hungary will most likely keep the borders closed until those numbers decline. For more specific information I suggest you contact the Dutch embassy in Budapest!
Ich bin deutsche Staatsbürgerin in Deutschland lebend.
Ich habe von 11.07.bis 25.07. in Thermalbad MOSONMAGYARÓVÁR gebucht. Ich kann leider
nicht herausfinden, ob das Thermalbad für die
Öffentlichkeit wegen Corona geöffnet ist (wird).
Vielen Dank vorab für Ihre Antwort.
Hello there,
the borders are open, so you can come to Hungary. The thermal bath should be open to the general public, so it shouldn’t cause trouble. But, I would call the hotel and ask, just to be 100% sure! Hope it is okay that the answer is published in English! 🙂
We come from Kazakistan but we are UK citizen, our final destination is Italy. we need just to sleep near the airport (already booked) and fly next day. Is it allowed for us ? Thanks
I cannot give you a 100% answer, but my guess is really a no. People coming from the UK needs to stay in 14-day quarantine (if they are Hungarians). Normal people from UK are not really allowed to enter yet. When it comes to Kazakstan, I don’t think you are allowed to enter Hungary either (really), and if you would be allowed, then the quarantine would be needed. I would say, check with your embassy to be sure!
I’m a Hungarian citizen who is living in Norway. Can I visit my family in Hungary?
Per definition, you can, but you will need to spend 14 days in quarantine after arrival. However, there are no flights between Hungary and Norway, which means you will have to travel to Sweden and fly from there. That is possible (if you are allowed to visit Sweden), but you will still need to spend time in quarantine upon arrival to Hungary.
If you want to go by car it will be a mess and you will need to check with the rules for all the countries you will have to drive through. If you first get to Austria, the Czech Republic or Slovakia, then the ride from there should be easier.