Zagreb to Budapest - 12 Best Ways to Travel in 2026

While the train is usually the most popular way of traveling in Europe, it doesn't necessarily work for the Zagreb to Budapest trip. There is only one daily direct train between the capitals, so you would need to work out your itinerary around it. The train departs from Zagreb at 16:30 and arrives in Budapest almost six hours later, at 22:24.

Only second-class carriages are available on this connection; be sure to take plenty of drinks and snacks with you, too, as the train does not have a dining car.

Even if you pass the picturesque Lake Balaton - also known as a Hungarian sea - along the way, it will already be in the evening (around 20:00-21:00), so you won't be able to see much. But if you travel in the summer months, when the day is long, we recommend sitting on the left side when looking in the direction the train is going so you can admire the views outside the window.

Zagreb to Budapest train ticket

If you buy the ticket for the Zagreb to Budapest train in advance, you will pay €17. The price gradually rises closer to the departure date. The most expensive tickets are €23 even if you get them last minute.

The easiest way to purchase the Zagreb to Budapest train ticket is online, via the website of the Hungarian Railways (the Croatian one doesn't offer international tickets).

You can also go to the train station in Zagreb and buy the ticket there. The ticket offices are located on the left side when entering the station's building (you need to go through a corridor first).

Travelers using popular railway passes like Interrail or Eurail can also take the Zagreb to Budapest train at no extra cost. You only need to get a seat reservation, which costs €3 and is mandatory for the Zagreb to Budapest direct train.

Train stations in Zagreb and Budapest

The main train station in the Croatian capital - Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor - is located in the center of the city, a 15-minute walk from the main square, Trg J. Jelačića. You can get here by numerous trams. Popular car-sharing apps like Bolt and Uber work in Zagreb, too.

In Budapest, you can choose from two train stations: Kelenföld, located on the green metro line no 4, and the final destination of the train - Deli station, from where you can take the red metro line no 2 to your accommodation in the Hungarian capital.

The route between Zagreb and Budapest passes through western Hungary, home to some of the country's most rewarding places. Yet most travelers arrive in Budapest without ever having stopped in between.

The Zagreb to Budapest Private Transfer Tour changes that. You'll wander the grounds of a grand Baroque palace, have lunch above the water on the Tihany peninsula, and explore the ruins of Hungary's ancient royal capital before arriving in Budapest in the evening. Just you and your group, with a guide who knows the region well.

What's Included

The recommended departure from Zagreb is around 9:00 AM and the journey takes approximately 9 to 10 hours, arriving in Budapest just before dinner time. You'll travel in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle, privately booked for your group alone.

Your guide is a local who knows western Hungary well and accompanies you for the full day. You get genuine insight into the history and character of each stop and real conversation throughout the drive. The pace is yours to set, and the itinerary can flex around your interests.

A lunch break is scheduled in Tihany, at a restaurant with panoramic views over Lake Balaton. Lunch is not included in the tour price.

Your group is picked up from your hotel or apartment in Zagreb and dropped off at your accommodation in Budapest. Check the Zagreb to Budapest Private Transfer Tour booking page to see the exact price for your group.

What Travelers are Saying

If the train doesn't work for your trip from Zagreb to Budapest, you might want to take a bus, which seems to be a better option for this route. Depending on the day, there are at least four direct connections each day (more over the weekend).

The travel time depends on your chosen connection and the stop in Budapest where you get off the bus. The fastest ones take just a bit over four hours.

Currently, the departure times from the Croatian capital are 07:30, 10:45, 14:00, 16:30, and 23:59. If you take the night bus, the travel time is slightly longer, so you can save time on getting between the cities and catch a bit of sleep before arriving in Budapest at 06:20 in the morning.

All the connections are operated by Flixbus, a well-known company that has green buses traveling all over Europe (and beyond). They offer modern and comfortable vehicles, with complimentary wifi and power sockets next to each seat to keep you entertained during your trip.

Zagreb to Budapest bus ticket

If you purchase the ticket in advance, you can find the cheapest ones for €20; they go up to around €30 closer to the day of departure. For that price, carry-on luggage you can take with you on board and larger luggage to put in the compartment under the bus are included.

Visit the Flixbus website to check the current schedule and to buy the ticket.

Bus stations in Zagreb and Budapest

All the buses from Zagreb to Budapest depart from the main bus station at Avenija Marina Držića. It's located some 2 km away from the central part of the capital. You can get there by tram – numerous lines stop here – or by car-sharing ride.

In Budapest, you can choose between Kelenföld station (the first one after arriving in the capital of Hungary) and Nepliget station (around 25 minutes away). Both are connected with the central part of Budapest by metro. You can take the green line no 4 from Kelenföld and the blue metro line no 3 from Nepliget into the center.

Although Zagreb and Budapest are a bit far away from each other, there are no direct flights connecting the cities. There are some decent options with a change in one of the European airports, so if you really want to go from Zagreb to Budapest by plane, it’s possible.

You will find the fastest trips (even under three hours) with a layover in Vienna. Other transfer airports to consider are Belgrade, Warsaw, and Amsterdam.

When deciding on the best Zagreb to Budapest flight, we recommend focusing only on traditional airlines (like Austrian Airlines, Air Serbia, LOT, or KLM) that sell tickets for the whole connection. In case of delays and missing your flight onward, they are required to rebook you for the next flight. You can find the cheapest Zagreb to Budapest flight tickets for €80/one-way.

While you can find more affordable offers with low-cost airlines (such as Ryanair or Wizzair), if something goes wrong with your connection, you have to deal with it yourself, and buying a new ticket at the last minute is surely pricey.

Airports in Zagreb and Budapest

You can get to Zagreb Airport by the dedicated bus line that departs from the central bus station every half an hour throughout the day. The travel time to the airport is 35–40 minutes, depending on traffic. The ticket for the airport bus costs €8 and can be purchased online or directly from the driver. If you prefer a more direct route, you can take a taxi from the center for around €30.

In Budapest, there are two good options for getting from the airport to the city center, besides taking a taxi. You can take the direct 100E airport bus to Deak Ferenc ter—it’s slightly more expensive but convenient. A cheaper alternative is to take bus 200E to Kőbánya-Kispest metro station and transfer to the blue metro line no. 3 using a standard public transport ticket.

If you prefer to have full control over your itinerary and enjoy traveling by car, you can drive from Zagreb to Budapest. The shortest route between the capitals is around 350 km, and the journey takes approximately three and a half hours.

However, this part of Europe is packed with interesting places that are still relatively overlooked by tourists, so we recommend turning the trip into a Zagreb to Budapest road trip. Along the way, you can explore charming towns and attractions such as Varazdin, Lake Balaton, or Szekesfehervar—the first capital of Hungary. You can even make a detour into Slovenia and/or Austria to include more countries in your itinerary.

If you travel in your own car, the only extra expenses will be petrol and vignettes for using the motorways in each country (the easiest way to purchase them is online).

If you need to rent a car for your Zagreb to Budapest drive, keep in mind that it can be a pricey option. Returning a vehicle to another location costs extra, and you should expect to pay at least €700 for the rental—this does not include fuel or vignette costs.

A cheaper way to travel from Zagreb to Budapest by car, without renting one, is a private transfer. For around €320, you can hire a modern and comfortable vehicle with an English-speaking driver. Since this is a door-to-door service, there's no need to worry about navigating public transport or managing larger luggage—you'll be picked up from your chosen location in Zagreb and driven straight to your accommodation in Budapest.

This option also gives you the flexibility to turn your journey into a short sightseeing trip. For an additional fee, you can include stops along the way and explore more of the region. Some of the most popular places to visit between Zagreb and Budapest are Varazdin, Keszthely Castle, Tapolca Lake Cave, Tihany Abbey at Lake Balaton, and Szekesfehervar.

A popular alternative to the more traditional ways of getting around Europe is car-sharing. It’s a great way to save money on travel while also meeting locals along the way. Carpooling works particularly well for last-minute plans, as new ride offers often appear shortly before departure.

The best place to check for available rides is the BlaBlaCar website. You don’t need to register to browse the options, but you’ll need an account to contact the driver and arrange the details—like the pick-up time and location. When planning your carpooling trip, be sure to check how accessible the meeting points are, as they’re sometimes located on the outskirts of the city.

That said, we don’t recommend relying entirely on carpooling from Zagreb to Budapest. While you can often find a few rides listed, this route isn’t especially popular, and there are days when no offers appear at all. It’s best to treat Zagreb to Budapest car sharing as a backup plan rather than a main option.

The cost of the ride depends on the driver, but you can typically expect to pay around €20 for the trip.

If you are short on money or simply want to have an adventurous and unpredictable trip, you can try hitchhiking from Zagreb to Budapest. With some luck, you might make it in one go, but since this isn’t the most popular route, you’ll likely need to break the journey into a few stages. It might also be smarter to go via Slovenia and Austria—these roads are busier, so your chances of catching a ride are higher, even if the trip takes a bit longer.

One of the easiest places to start your hitchhiking trip toward Hungary is at the intersection of Slavonska avenija and Ulica Josipa Marohnića, not too far from Zagreb’s city center. While you probably won’t find a car going all the way to Budapest, it’s a good spot to catch a ride to the highway, where it should be easier to continue toward your destination.

If you decide to go via Austria, the best starting point is along the motorway near the West Gate shopping center. You can reach it by taking the free shuttle bus from either the Črnomerec or Ljubljanica bus terminals. Once there, head to the nearby motorway toll station and try your luck hitching a ride toward Austria.

If you prefer to spend your holidays in an active way, you can go from Zagreb to Budapest by bike. The trip should take at least a week, with time for stops in some fantastic places along the way. This is a truly fascinating yet overlooked part of Europe, and cycling through it lets you experience the region in depth.

You don’t need to be an experienced cyclist to complete this route. The terrain between Zagreb and Budapest isn’t very hilly, so riding a bike shouldn’t be too tiring. The biggest challenge is the distance—almost four hundred kilometers—so you’ll need decent endurance before starting the trip.

When planning your journey, be sure to include some of the thermal baths Hungary is famous for. They’re a perfect way to relax and regenerate your body during this demanding yet rewarding adventure.

A more adventurous way to get from Zagreb to Budapest is on foot. If you’re not in a hurry and don’t mind walking around four hundred kilometers over the course of two to three weeks, this is an option worth considering. There’s no better way to experience Central Europe and learn about its history, culture, customs, and traditions.

There are so many great places to include in your Zagreb to Budapest itinerary. We’ve already mentioned many of them in this article, but with the slow pace of your trip, you’re likely to discover even more hidden gems along the way. Just don’t forget a pair of comfortable walking shoes—you’ll definitely need them!

The fastest way to get from Zagreb to Budapest is by chartered plane. While this option comes with a hefty price tag, it guarantees a luxurious and comfortable experience. Expect to pay at least €5.500 for a private jet to take you between the capitals. Including the time needed to get to and from the airport and simplified security procedures, the total travel time should be around three hours.

Going on a Zagreb to Budapest road trip is an excellent idea if you're traveling in a motorhome. With full flexibility over your itinerary, you can stop at all the amazing places along the way, explore the region in depth, and gain a better understanding of this fascinating part of Europe.

One important thing to keep in mind when planning an RV trip from Zagreb to Budapest is organizing overnight stops at designated sites. Wild camping is not allowed in Croatia and Hungary (or in Slovenia and Austria if you choose to take a detour through those countries). To avoid any issues, plan to park your motorhome at official campsites. Luckily, there are plenty of them in this region with good facilities.

An equally great option for an exciting trip from Zagreb to Budapest is going by motorcycle. You can opt for a fast journey along major roads—keeping in mind the speed limits of 130 km/h on motorways and 110 km/h on express roads in both countries—or take your time and ride the scenic back roads. If you’re not in a hurry, we highly recommend the latter. Slower routes allow you to fully appreciate the region and stop in all the fantastic places along the way, many of which we've already mentioned in this article.