When travelling to a foreign country, it’s important to keep up to date on local traffic rules. Highways are no exception. If you travel abroad by car or prefer to rent one to get around faster and more conveniently, it’s vital to read up on toll roads. In this article, we’ll provide a breakdown of the most important information on highways in Hungary to put you at ease. Let’s get started!
Highways in Hungary – the basics
Hungary has a well developed highway network that makes travelling between more frequented locations fast and easy. Most of the major towns and regional centres are easily accessible by highways and secondary roads. The main tourist attractions like Lake Balaton are also linked to the tollway networks. And if you feel like checking out the capitals of neighbouring countries, for example Vienna or Bratislava, you can also connect to the tollway networks of those countries from the Hungarian highway system.
The two types of highways in Hungary
As of 2022, the total length of the Hungarian toll-road network is 1,855 km, consisting of motorways and expressways. The speed limit on the motorways which are equipped with an emergency lane is 130 km/h, while on expressways where no emergency lane is provided it is 110 km/h.
How much do you have to pay to use the highways in Hungary?
In Hungary, since toll roads can be used after purchasing a vignette, there are no toll booths like in Croatia or Italy, however, a vignette must be purchased. Here are the ones you’ll probably need:
- 10-day vignette: (HUF 5,500 for cars that do not weigh more than 3,500 kgs nor carry more than 7 people – D1 Category)
- Monthly vignette: (HUF 8,900 for cars that do not weigh more than 3,500 kgs nor carry more than 7 people – D1 Category)
Although regional vignettes are also available, they can only be purchased for the whole year and cost HUF 5,720. Therefore, you are probably better off buying a 10-day or monthly vignette.
How can you buy a vignette in Hungary?
Vignettes in Hungary can be purchased in 2 ways.
You can buy one at a petrol station by specifying your number plate as well as country code.
Alternatively, they can be purchased online by visiting the webpage of the Hungarian National Toll Payment Service PLC and setting the language to English.
No matter which option you choose, make sure the personal data you enter are correct, otherwise your vignette will be invalid!
Help! I forgot to buy a vignette!
Don’t panic if you have just driven onto a toll road without buying a vignette. In Hungary, there is a 60-minute grace period during which you won’t get fined, that is, if you purchase a vignette within an hour of entering the toll road, you have more than enough time to make amends. You can either stop at a petrol station and buy one there – while enjoying a coffee – or purchase one online. Better still, should you be travelling with others, ask a passenger to buy one while driving!
Want to rent a car in Hungary?
Exploring a foreign country by car is an amazing experience: you get to discover everything you want in comfort at your own pace. If you have flown in, it might be worth renting a car for the duration of your stay in Hungary. Choosing a reliable rental company that specialises in catering to the needs of tourists and business travellers is the safest bet and most convenient option. These companies have you covered no matter what you have in mind and their staff are fluent in English!
Schiller Rent A Car fits the bill perfectly. A family company that has been in business for about 30 years, they know all about cars and customer service. The winners of two booking.com and rentalcars.com customer service awards in a row, they are just what you need if you want a reliable car and friendly customer service!
You can even pick up your car at the airport 24/7!
What’s more, they’ve recently installed self-service car rental at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD)! By booking your car in advance, you can pick it up whenever, no matter when your flight arrives. After quickly registering and paying online in advance, you’ll be given a PIN number to open a safe containing your car keys. All you have to do is enter the PIN number, grab the keys and off you go!
I’m interested in the car rental options offered by Schiller RentACar!