Salzburg to Budapest - 13 Best Ways to Travel in 2026

The easiest way to get from Salzburg to Budapest is by train. There are plenty of direct connections throughout the day, and the Salzburg to Budapest train journey takes a little over five hours. If the direct trains do not suit your schedule, you have even more options with a convenient change in Vienna, and the total travel time is not much longer.

The first direct train from Salzburg to Budapest leaves shortly after 7 in the morning. After that, there are direct departures every two hours until 7 in the evening. There is one more direct train, but it leaves in the middle of the night, just before 4 a.m., so it is not a very practical option for most travelers.

All connections on the Salzburg to Budapest route are operated by high-speed RailJet trains, which are known for their comfort. You can expect complimentary Wi-Fi, a restaurant, and a quiet zone if you want to relax during the trip.

Salzburg to Budapest train ticket
Salzburg to Budapest ticket prices depend on the travel date and time, as well as how far in advance you book. Tickets start at €40 when purchased early and can rise to €110 for last-minute trips. The easiest way to buy a ticket is online through the website of either Austrian Railways ÖBB or Hungarian Railways MAV. Since prices can vary, it is worth checking both websites.

You can also buy tickets at Salzburg's main train station. The customer center is in the underground passage under the tracks, near platforms 2 and 3. Since the station can be busy, you may need to wait in line, so do not leave your purchase until shortly before departure.

Salzburg to Budapest rail pass
Popular rail passes, such as Interrail or Eurail, are valid on Salzburg to Budapest trains as well. Seat reservations are optional, but we recommend them for a smoother trip, especially during peak hours. A reservation costs €3, and you can buy it online on the Austrian Railways website or at the train station.

Train stations in Salzburg and Budapest
Salzburg's main station, Hauptbahnhof, is about 2 km from the Old Town. You can get there by public transport, taxi, or by using a ride-hailing app such as Uber or Bolt.

In Budapest, the train stops at two stations: Kelenföld on the Buda side, which you can reach by green metro line 4, and Keleti, which is more centrally located in Pest. From Keleti, you can take the red metro line 2 or the green metro line 4 to reach your final destination.

Would you like to see a bit more of Central Europe, but you are traveling on a tight itinerary? Do not worry, we have a solution for you. The Salzburg to Budapest Transfer Tour offers a smooth and comfortable journey between the two cities, with three great stops along the way that are often hard to fit into a standard itinerary. You will also add Slovakia to your trip.

Stop 1: Mondsee Village & Lake
The transfer tour takes around ten hours. In the morning, you will be picked up from your accommodation, and after about half an hour on the road, you will reach your first stop of the day, Mondsee. This picturesque village sits on the lakeshore and is surrounded by hills and mountains. It is also known from The Sound of Music, as the wedding scene was filmed here. You will be able to visit the famous St. Michael's Basilica, then wander through the charming Old Town and along the Mondsee Lake promenade.

Stop 2: Melk Abbey & Old Town
After Mondsee, it is a little under two hours to your next destination, Melk. Here, you will have the chance to visit the impressive Baroque Melk Abbey, stroll around the Old Town, and enjoy a scenic walk along the Danube River.

Stop 3: Bratislava
From Melk, it is another two-hour drive to your final stop, Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. While it is not as famous as nearby capitals such as Vienna, Budapest, or Prague, it still has plenty to offer. After exploring Bratislava's historic Old Town, visiting the castle, and seeing the quirky UFO bridge, you will have time for lunch. It is a great opportunity to try local Slovak cuisine, which has flavors that differ from those in Austria and Hungary.

After Bratislava, it is a two-hour drive to Budapest. You will be dropped off at your accommodation, where you can relax after a full day of discovering some underrated gems of Central Europe.

The Salzburg to Budapest Transfer Tour is offered as a private tour, with prices starting at €250 per person. During the trip, you will be accompanied by a local guide who will share insights about the region and answer your questions about Central Europe, its heritage, customs, and more.

Since the Salzburg to Budapest bus route is not very popular, there is only one daily direct connection between the cities. Still, it might fit your itinerary, as it runs overnight. If you want to save time on travel and money on accommodation, this is an option worth considering.

The bus leaves Salzburg at midnight and takes around seven hours to reach Budapest. On some days, there is one more connection that departs Salzburg at 21:35 and arrives in Budapest at 5 in the morning.

Both services are operated by FlixBus, a well-known travel company. You can expect a fairly comfortable bus with enough legroom, complimentary wifi, and power sockets next to every seat.

Salzburg to Budapest bus tickets
Salzburg to Budapest bus tickets start at €30 when booked in advance. Last-minute trips can cost up to €70. The price includes a larger bag stored in the compartment under the bus, as well as a smaller piece of hand luggage. To check connections and buy a ticket, visit the FlixBus website.

Bus stations in Salzburg and Budapest
Unfortunately, getting to the FlixBus stop in Salzburg is not very easy, as it is located a bit away from the center. The simplest option is to use a taxi or a car-sharing app. You can also take a city bus or a suburban train to the nearby Salzburg Süd station.

In Budapest, the daily bus stops at two stations: Kelenföld on the Buda side, which you can reach by green metro line 4, and Nepliget on the Pest side, which is connected to the city center by the blue M3 metro line.

A great alternative to driving, especially if you want the comfort of a road trip without sitting behind the wheel, is a Salzburg to Budapest private transfer. It is a smooth and comfortable way to travel, with an English-speaking driver who will pick you up at a location of your choice in Salzburg and take you all the way to Budapest in a modern car.

A private transfer can also be cheaper than renting a car, with prices starting at €550. For an additional fee, you can add sightseeing stops along the way and visit some interesting places between Salzburg and Budapest. Popular options include the Alpine town of Sankt Gilgen, Linz, Liechtenstein Castle, the impressive Melk Abbey, the UNESCO-listed Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey, and Győr.

If you enjoy flying, there is some bad news. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Salzburg to Budapest. If you still want to fly between the cities, you can do so with a stopover at one of the European airports. The best connections are with Lufthansa via Frankfurt. You can find itineraries that take under five hours, but once you include travel to and from the airports, the total journey can take eight hours or more. On the plus side, you can skip passport control along the way, as Hungary, Germany, and Austria are all part of the Schengen Zone.

You can also find connections with low-cost airlines such as Ryanair or Wizzair. Even if prices or schedules look appealing, we do not recommend relying on these options. You need to book each leg separately, and if anything goes wrong and you miss your onward flight, buying a new ticket at the last minute can be very expensive. With a traditional airline, delays are handled differently, as the airline is required to rebook you on the next available flight at no extra cost.

Salzburg to Budapest plane ticket
If you plan ahead, you can find Salzburg to Budapest plane tickets for around €150. Last-minute trips are more expensive and can cost up to €500. The price does not include checked baggage, so if you are traveling with a larger suitcase, you will need to pay extra. Since several airlines serve this route with connections, it is worth checking a popular flight booking website to compare your options.

Airports in Salzburg and Budapest
The easiest way to get to Salzburg Airport from the city center is by electric trolleybus. You can take no. 2 from the main train station or no. 10 from the Old Town toward the airport.

In Budapest, you have two main options for getting from the airport to the city center, aside from taking a taxi. You can take the direct bus no. 100E to Deak Ferenc ter, which is a bit more expensive, or take bus no. 200E to Kőbánya-Kispest metro station and transfer to the blue metro line 3. A regular public transport ticket is valid on the 200E connection.

Another good option for getting from Salzburg to Budapest is by car. Since the cities are connected by a network of highways, the trip is quick and easy. The distance from Salzburg to Budapest is 550 km, so you can expect a driving time of about 5.5 hours, not including stops.

We recommend allowing more time and planning a few stops along the way. There are plenty of great sightseeing options between Salzburg and Budapest, so it is worth turning the drive into part of the trip.

Some of our top picks include charming Alpine villages such as St. Wolfgang and Mondsee, the lively city of Linz, the 12th-century Liechtenstein Castle, the impressive Baroque Melk Abbey, and the Hungarian cities of Györ, known for its Baroque architecture, and Sopron. You can also add a couple of detours to visit some of Austria's most popular spots, including Hallstatt, as well as interesting places in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is up to you how you plan your route from Salzburg to Budapest.

If you are driving your own car, you only need to pay for vignettes to use motorways in Austria and Hungary, and you can easily buy them online. If you need to rent a car, however, the Salzburg to Budapest trip will cost at least €750, not including petrol.

If you are traveling by bike, you can also cycle from Salzburg to Budapest. The route is around 630 km, and parts of it lead through hilly terrain, so you will need good endurance and a solid fitness level for the trip.

The reward is well worth the effort. You will see some amazing places in Austria and Hungary and get to know this part of Europe much better. Cycling from Salzburg to Budapest takes at least two weeks, but with sightseeing stops along the way, the trip can easily take longer, which we definitely recommend.

There are plenty of great places you can include in your itinerary, from charming towns and villages to historic landmarks and scenic roads. Cycling from Salzburg to Budapest can be an unforgettable experience.

Travelers who enjoy adventure and are not on a tight schedule can try hitchhiking from Salzburg to Budapest. While the distance is quite long, at over 500 km, both cities sit on a major travel corridor between Western and Eastern Europe. If you are lucky, you might find a ride that takes you all the way from Salzburg to Budapest. Look out for cars with Hungarian or Romanian licence plates.

If you get a lift from a Romanian driver, keep in mind that in Romania it is customary to pay a small fee for a ride. To avoid awkward situations, ask before you get in whether the driver expects payment or will take you for free.

A good place to start your Salzburg to Budapest hitchhiking trip is the A1 highway. Head to the "Salzburg Mitte" ramp on Münchener Bundesstrasse, which is about a 20 to 30 minute walk from the center. You can also get there by bus no. 4. This spot has good visibility and enough space for cars to stop. It is a busy road with traffic heading toward Vienna and further east, so finding a ride should not be too difficult.

If the usual modes of transportation do not work for you, there is an interesting alternative for getting from Salzburg to Budapest. Carpooling is a popular way to travel around Europe, and it can work especially well for last-minute trips. Since both Salzburg and Budapest are on a well-traveled route, you can usually find at least a few car-sharing offers between the two cities.

The best place to look for Salzburg to Budapest carpooling rides is the BlaBlaCar website. You do not need to register to browse available rides, and you only need to contact a driver once you find an offer that suits you. Make sure to read the details carefully, as pick-up or drop-off points can sometimes be outside the city center. Reaching them can take extra time and may be a bit inconvenient.

The final price for a Salzburg to Budapest carpool trip is set by the driver, but you can often find offers in the €30 to €40 range. If you cannot find a ride for the next few days, check again closer to departure, as new offers are added regularly.

Most people would consider this idea insane, but it is possible to walk from Salzburg to Budapest. It is an unusual way to spend your holidays and a great option if you want to discover Central Europe in depth. Along the way, you will see fascinating, often overlooked places, experience the region at a slower pace, and learn more about local culture, customs, and traditions.

Since the distance between the cities is quite long, at over 500 km, you should plan around a month for a Salzburg to Budapest walk. Parts of the route go through hilly areas, so you will need good endurance and solid fitness. Comfortable walking shoes are essential if you want the journey to be as smooth as possible.

If you are traveling in a motorhome, you can turn the route from Salzburg to Budapest into an exciting RV trip. There is no need to rush. You can stop in many places along the way (you can already find some of our recommendations in this article) and get to know this underrated part of Europe in depth.

Along the route from Salzburg to Budapest, you will find plenty of campgrounds where you can park your motorhome and relax before the next leg of the journey. Keep in mind that wild camping is not allowed in Austria or Hungary, so it is best to stick to designated places for overnight stays.

If you enjoy the freedom of the open road and the power of a motorcycle, traveling from Salzburg to Budapest on two wheels can be a perfect option. You can take the motorways for a quick and enjoyable ride. However, we recommend choosing backroads for a more relaxed journey through beautiful landscapes, with historic sites and charming towns and villages along the way. You will not be disappointed.

If you want to travel in style, you can charter a plane from Salzburg to Budapest. It is the fastest, but also the most expensive, way to travel between the two cities.

The flight time from Salzburg to Budapest is under one hour, so even with travel to and from the airport, you can complete the whole journey in around three hours. Prices for this comfortable option start at around €6,000 to charter a plane from Salzburg to Budapest.