"We got the 120hr Budapest Cards as we had 7 nights in this wonderful city and after some careful planning and working out costs, this definitely made things easier and more cost effective for us.

I was a little apprehensive at first as I had seen so many bad reviews, BUT I'm so glad that I just went and got them, as it was 100% worth it!
I need to say now, before I continue my review that if you like to plan in advance, pack lots into your schedule and check out the individual websites, opening times, routes etc then this card IS for you!
If you don't and you're just going to "go with the flow" or you aren't good at keeping to plans or doing any research, I'd suggest not to get the card and maybe just get a travel card and a couple of tours maybe.

You can buy the card online or at any of the BKK Customer Services places that are dotted around the city and also at the airport. If you buy online, you need to exchange your paper/pdf ticket for plastic cards before you can use them and these are also exchanged at the BKK Customer Service places. Easy to do, just make sure to take your passport/ID numbers with you, as these are put on the cards to make them "yours".

We used the trams, metro, buses and trains a lot whilst we were there, as well as visiting quite a few museums. I am a big planner and my itinerary for our time there made my family very happy (even if it accidentally did include 30,000 steps the first day. Oopsy 😆).
The public transport is extremely easy to use and the Card made everything even simpler as you can just walk straight onto the metro, trams and trains without doing anything at all and with buses, just flash your card on your way on.

I won't bore everybody with all of the details of our entire trip, but I'll share a bit that was included with the card for those that are interested and want to carry on reading.
One of our days was all in the Castle District and as well as the transport over there, the Card covers a lot of the attractions etc in that area. This meant for a nice day without getting our bank cards out every time we wanted to go into a museum, a gorgeous hall or a gallery. It also includes the little Budapest Castle Bus, which was an absolute godsend on such a hot day with all the walking around.

If you like archaeology, then definitely work your way up to Aquincum, if you have a lot of time. It's not a large place and it is a little out of the way, but it's a lovely place with lots of Roman history and a few little prehistoric finds too.
There is a large supermarket in the vicinity that is absolutely fantastic for those that like to take home food and drink souvenirs for others or themselves. The best place that I actually found in Budapest! (Also called Aquincum, by the way).

We did the GastroCellar wine tasting that comes with the card and one of us did the syrup and jam tasting and we shared around, so we got a taste of everything. It was a nice experience and I ended up buying a bottle of the white wine to take home as it was extremely tasty!

We obviously did one of the daytime cruises along the river. We went early so that we had lots of time to explore Margaret Island. We went on the Duna Bella cruise and it includes a drink both ways. We chose the lemonade both ways, but you can choose champagne also.

It includes a return ticket on the Zugliget Chairlift, which takes you up to a spectacular lookout tower and back down again. Amazing views (and there's an opportunity to use the Children's Railway here)

On our last day, to help with our achy feet from all the walking, we chose to go to the St Lukács Baths. It was certainly what we needed! And you just show your Budapest Card at the reception in exchange for a wristband that gets you in and around the complex. I won't go into detail as I already did a review for them, but totally worth it!

We went to a few other museums and did many other things that were not included, but all in all we were extremely happy with our purchase of the Budapest Cards and would do it all again! Thank you."

Kristy B

"Our top 10 Budapest sights/activities with 48h Budapest card&Tourist Pass ranked plus expectations
1. Pest Walking Tour with Dominik - 4 (Dominik was our hero in the rain revealing the most intriguing sights and valuable information + secrets)
2. Buda Walking Tour with Alexandra - 5 (Alex is a walking encyclopedia with perfect English + interesting facts about celebs in Buda)
3. St. Stephen’s Basilica – 6 (grand and awesome, excitement on the terrace, secrets in the treasury)
4. Gastrocellar – 8 (intimately lit, romantic and yet traditional, generous distance between tables for privacy and comfort, wine-tasting is exciting and slightly intoxicating)
5. St. Lukács Thermal Bath – 10 (quiet uncrowded mornings, modernized, user-friendly facilities)
6. Duna Bella Daytime Cruise and Margaret Island – 2 (a little less vibrant on an overcast day, but audio synced with sights – very informative, M. island is fabulous)
7. Hungarian National Gallery – 7 (time will never be enough to marvel at the masterpieces through the centuries into the new millennium on the top floor)
8. Zugliget Chairlift and Elizabeth Tower – 3 (a happy ride up and down, the E. tower is a must-see - a lookout with the national flag and a nice view to Budapest in the distance)
9. Ferris Wheel with Champagne – 2 (interesting when held on top for a minute or two, not frightening at all – nice view above the lit city center at night, too short a time to indulge with champagne)
10. Széchenyi Thermal Bath – 1 (thank goodness we went before 9 on a weekday, at 10 crowds like at a Christmas market)
Of course, this is subjective (opinion+weather conditions). ALL THESE SIGHTS ARE WONDERFUL! The point is Budapest Card/Tourist Pass is worth buying because it covers almost all top Budapest sights/activities and stimulates you to see as many as possible in 2 days. We visited other landmarks like the Parliament (mind to book a visit well in advance) on the following 2 days."

Dilyana Todorova

"We bought the 48 hour card during our stay in Budapest. We were a bit reluctant at first but once we worked out the savings it was well worth it. 2x walking tours, free museum entrance, unlimited trolley /public transport, Buda Castle bus, and a river tour. Overall it was a great value. I’m sure some people feel it’s irritating to have to pick it up in person but the guide they give you was helpful."

chris anderson