Hungary

Is Hungary safe to visit?

Yes. Hungary had 0.72 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2023, lower than Austria or Czechia, and the US State Department keeps it at Level 1, its lowest level. It ranks 15th of 163 on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary. We score it 86.

The catch is money, not violence. The State Department says most crimes against foreigners are crimes of opportunity such as purse snatching and pickpocketing, especially in tourist areas and at Budapest's main stations. The roads are also less safe than in the neighbours to the north and west.

Budapest: pickpockets and bar-bill scams

Almost all tourist trouble happens in Budapest. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says bag snatching and pickpocketing are common on busy public transport, in train stations, at markets and wherever tourists gather. In Budapest that means the M2 and M3 metro lines, the trams along the Grand Boulevard, Keleti and Nyugati stations, the Great Market Hall and Váci utca.

The scam to know is the inflated bill. The FCDO describes bars, clubs and restaurants that charge huge amounts for food and drink and then walk tourists to a cash machine to pay. Some taxi drivers take commission for bringing customers. The usual approach is a friendly stranger or driver suggesting a place. Say no, and only order where the menu shows prices.

Card fraud is the other risk. Use cash machines inside banks, check street machines for tampering, keep your card in sight when paying and never change money on the street. The FCDO also reports drink spiking, mostly in Budapest's bars. Buy your own drinks and keep them in view.

Trains and your passport

Hungarian law requires you to show ID when police ask, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says a copy is not acceptable, so carry the real passport. That makes it a target. The US warns specifically of passport theft on trains between Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava. On night trains, lock your compartment from the inside, keep documents on your body and do not leave bags unattended while the train pulls into a station, when thieves move fastest.

How safe are Hungarian roads?

Safer than they used to be. The Central Statistical Office (KSH) counted 456 road deaths in 2025, down from 497 in 2024 and 602 in 2019, about 4.8 per 100,000 people. Budapest had only 22. WHO's modelled estimate for 2019 was 7.7 per 100,000, well above the national count, and we score mainly on the WHO figure, which puts Hungary behind Austria and Czechia.

The rules are strict. Drivers may not drink any alcohol at all. Dipped headlights are required outside towns in daylight. Motorways need an e-vignette bought before you drive. Theft from parked cars is common, so leave nothing visible inside.

Health, heat and the lake

Tap water is safe. Private clinics in Budapest with English-speaking staff are good; public hospitals are adequate but stretched, so travel insurance matters even with a GHIC or EHIC. CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccine for unvaccinated travellers. Ticks in forests and grassland carry encephalitis and Lyme disease. West Nile virus, spread by mosquitoes, reaches Hungary most summers; ECDC data counted 14 locally acquired cases in 2025. Use repellent in the evenings near rivers and the lake.

Natural hazards are modest. The Danube floods in high-water years, most recently in 2013 and 2024, though Budapest's defences held. Summer heat waves are now routine. On Lake Balaton, storms can blow up in minutes; the warning lights around the shore exist for a reason.

Protests and politics

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says rallies are common on national holidays, especially 15 March and 23 October, and that peaceful demonstrations have sometimes turned violent. Keep away from large crowds on those dates and follow local news. Terrorist attacks "cannot be ruled out", the FCDO's mildest wording.

How to stay safe in Hungary

• Keep your passport on you, in a zipped inside pocket.
• Check menu prices before you order and ignore bar suggestions from strangers and taxi drivers.
• Use bank cash machines and never change money on the street.
• On trains, watch your bags at every stop and lock night-train compartments.
• Do not drink at all if you are driving.
• Call 112 for any emergency.

How we scored it

Violent crime (95) and conflict (89) are strong, backed by a top-15 peace ranking. Road safety (78) is the weakest factor, close to Croatia, because the WHO estimateWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary is near 8 per 100,000 even though national deaths are falling. Petty crime (72) reflects pickpocketing and bill scams in Budapest.