Faq

DRIVING IN HUNGARY

Topics

>> Legal requirements

>> Penalties

>> Speed Limits

>> Motorways

>> Motorway Vignettes

>> Vignette Types

>> Breaking down on the motorways

>> Parking in city centres

>> Accidents

>> Drink Driving

>> Budapest Airport - Meet and Greet Service  

Legal Requirements

You are legally required to carry your passport and your driving license at all times. In addition you must be able to produce your car documents and greencard (which is proof of your international insurance) when asked to do so by a police officer. Failure to produce those documents, even if you have them at your home or hotel, will result in an on-the-spot fine. When leaving your car you should also take your car registration documents with you.
    You are also required to turn on your headlamps on (even during the day) when driving your car. Though not too critical in the city centre of Budapest, headlamps must be used in the surrounding districts and all other parts of the country. It is against the law to use a mobile phone whilst driving.
   At traffic lights, it is often possible to turn to the right and merge in with the traffic flow. Be careful where there is a pedestrian crossing as pedestrians have the right of way. When turning to the left, pedestrians again have the priority is there is a pedestrian crossing and you must stop and wait until the crossing is clear.
   A note of caution. Traffic merging from the right has the priority unless there is a halt sign on the adjoining road. As this is often not visible to you it is often frustrating to find a car come straight out of a side road without looking to see if you are there. If you have an accident then it will be seen as your fault. As a general guide when driving along major roads you have the right of way but in the country and in the city suburbs you should keep an eye out for cars merging from the right. [TOP]

Penalties

   As with many countries there are penalties for violating traffic rules and regulations and Hungary is no different. However, many of the fines are of the "on-the-spot" type. This means that the police are able to issue you with a penalty and an invoice for its payment within 30 days. As most offences resulting in "on-the-spot-fines" do not mean points on your driving license so you should pay it promptly unless you intend to contest it in court. Remember that a fine of €50 and above can be sent to an address anywhere in the EU plus costs!
A point to note is that there is not a seperate set of fines for non-Hungarians and you should not accept any unofficial looking documents. [TOP]

Speed Limits

  After an absence of several years, the police in Hungary are now much more active in the use of radar cameras. At the time of writing, there are not many fixed cameras but are they used at the roadside or installed in the back of unmarked vehicles. As there is a considerable problem with speeding in Hungary it is expected that the use of radar cameras will become more widespread in the future. Most fines are imposed "on-the-spot" although you'll be given 30 days in which to pay at a local post office. Driving excessive speeds could result in you being arrested and losing your license.

Motorways

All motorways are marked with a letter M. and international roads with the letter E. Motorways are gradually spreading throughout the country but the main ones are:

M0 the ring road round Budapest
M1 Budapest - Hegyeshalom
M3 Budapest - Gyöngyös - Füzesabony
M5 Budapest - Szeged / country border
M6 Érd - Dunaújváros
M7 Budapest - Balatonkersztúr information on motorways
M15 Hegyeshalom - Rajka (still under construction)

(For more information about motorways, including Vignettes, accident status and webcams visit the Motorways section in our Info Section)

Motorway vignettes

   With the exception of motorways in the Budapest suburb a area it is necessary to buy a Motorway Vignette before you go on the motorways. There are many garages which display a sign saying that they sell Motorway Vignettes. You will receive a vignette receipt which you have to sign and which shows your car registration number. It is very important to retain this receipt for a least three months after using the motorways just in case the garage has made an error is in putting in the wrong registration number down.
    The system of checking car registration number plates is very efficient on Hungarian motorways. Fines are very expensive (even for foreign visitors) and you may not know you have a problem for several weeks. Fox Autorent, as owners of the car, are required to pay the fine but will not become involved with any dispute you may have with the motorway authorities. [TOP]

Validity periods of motorway vignettes

Four Day sticker: valid from 00:00 of the day of purchase until 24:00 of the 4th day.
Ten Day sticker: valid from 00:00 of the day of purchase until 24:00 of the 10th day.
Thirty One Day sticker: valid from 00:00 of the day of purchase until 24:00 of the 4th day.

Breakdowns on the Motorway

If you have the misfortune to break down on the motorway it is important that all the occupants of the car move out of the car and wait on the banks of the motorway. There have been a number of incidents where occupants have been killed sitting in the car waiting for the recovery vehicle .
    You are also required to display a warning triangle [found in the boot of your car] approximately 20 meters from your car. You and your passengers are also required to wear the luminous yellow jackets which are also provided in the boot of your car If you do not have a mobile phone there is usually an emergency phone within a kilometer either way. [TOP]

Parking

In the city centre of Budapest and other major cities and towns throughout Hungary you need to pay to park your vehicle. Recent changes in Budapest mean that you may have to pay up to 8 pm Monday to Friday in certain inner city areas. Also note that whilst as a general rule parking is free after 1 pm on Saturday and all day Sunday, there are certain major tourist spots which charge for parking at all times.  Also note that 2/3 times a year a Saturday is classed as a working day and parking charges are payable as a normal day. You should check the details on the parking meter at all times to avoid difficulties later!  
  Payments are normally made by cash at a nearby parking meter and it is handy to have a number of HUF 100 coins with you as local shopkeepers are reluctant to supply any change unless you make a purchase. You are allowed to park for up to three hours but generally there is no restriction on putting extra coins into the meter for further time.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In Budapest you will receive an additional fine for every three hours a parking ticket is not displayed in your car.

  Be careful to park in the permitted areas and make sure you do not park in zones where there is a sign telling you not to do so. Take particular care when parking near corners as often there is a parking ban for a certain distance from the corner. If you do there's a fair chance the your car will be either clamped or towed away so don't take the risk!
  If you receive a parking ticket you are strongly advised to pay it as quickly as possible at a Post Office. [Unfortunately, this is the only place where you can pay these fines]. The longer you leave it, the more expensive the penalty will be. If Fox Autorent receives a demand for the payment of a penalty you will also have to pay an additional administrative fee.
  If your car is clamped or towed away you will have to pay an "on-the-spot" fine. you should ask you for an official receipt for the money you pay as it is not unknown for an unsuspecting foreigner to be charged an exorbitantly high fee!
  In Budapest, there are many guarded car Parks. To those living outside Hungary the fees are very modest and as the car park is guarded it clearly makes sense to use one whenever possible especially if you are parking for a long period of time! [TOP]

Accidents

There are a considerable number of accidents on Hungary's roads every day usually caused by inconsiderate driving. It is common practice to call in the police on nearly every occasion and this is why it is important to have all your driving documents with you at all times. If you have an accident which is not your fault but the other driver refuses to accept liablility, you must always call the police who will decide who is at fault. This is a requirement of your insurance with Fox Autorent.
    Many drivers in a Hungary cannot afford fully comprehensive insurance and will try to blame you for the accident even if it's clearly not your fault. The police will take statements from all the drivers involved in the crash and then can decide who is to blame and a prosecution of one or all of the parties involved in the accident usually follows.
A word of caution. Try to avoid any arguments between yourself and the other driver. Passions can sometimes run high and conflict should be avoided at all costs! [TOP]

Drink Driving

There is zero tolerance of drink/driving in Hungary. If you are stopped at a roadside check or as a result of an accident, you may be required to give a breath test. If it is positive, you will be asked to go to the local police station for a blood test. If this is also positive you may be banned from driving and also fined or imprisoned.As Hungary is a member of the E.U. this means that losing your license for drink driving will apply in any country. Taxis are a much cheaper option! [TOP]

Budapest Airport Meet and Greet Service  

When you arrive at any of the Terminals at Budapest Airport, one of our representatives will be there to meet you with your name prominently displayed on a clipboard. This is called our Meet and Greet Service. If you are unable to locate our colleague (who may be delayed because of late flight arrivals when picking up other passengers), please make your way to the Information Desk which, although unstaffed, is the point used by Fox Autorent to find our clients. You will be then taken to our airport branch office which is approximately 5 minutes away from each of the terminals. 

When you return your car to the airport branch office at the end of your rental, you will then be taken back to the appropriate airport terminal. [TOP]