Car Rental - Budapest
Car rental in Budapest makes it easy to travel by the shores of famed Danube River. Budapest is a city that’s easy to fall head-over-heels in love with. Hertz car rental helps you see more.
Whether it’s a vacation or business that brings you here, it’s hard not to be enchanted by the architecture and relaxed way of life – encapsulated in the many thermal baths and spas. Rent a car to bring Budapest’s attractions a step closer.
Budapest car rental also makes it easy to enhance your stay with road trips. Hungary is a landlocked nation with plenty of European charm.
We have several car rental pick-up locations dotted across Budapest for your convenience. Maybe you opt for a compact city car, or a big family SUV. Either way, we'll aim to get you in your rental car as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
Reserve car rental ahead of your trip to Budapest with Hertz.
Budapest Locations
A Quick Guide to Budapest
City of Bridges
With car rental in Budapest, the drives themselves can be a vacation highlight. Especially thanks to the city’s picturesque bridges.
Several bridges cross the Danube, but the Szechenyi Chain Bridge is the most celebrated of them all, linking the two towns of Buda and Pest. It was the first bridge to connect the towns, and the second to cross the Danube. No visit is complete without a stroll across the historic span, a bridge rebuilt after the German army demolished it during their retreat in 1945.
The Top of the Town
For the very best view of Budapest, head for the Fisherman’s Bastion. You can park your rental car at the nearby Hilton Budapest, where there’s a secure underground garage. The towers here were built as lookouts during the 19th century – unsurprising in a city that has been invaded so many times. The balconies are free to use, although there’s a small fee to pay to visit the top turrets. You’ll also find a small chapel and café up here, and from this great vantage point you can plot your route through the city.
Worshipping Wonders
The various rulers of Budapest – from Christians to Ottomans – have always erected grand buildings as places of worship. Most Ottoman remnants have long since been scattered to the wind, with few memories of the time when, in the 16th century, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent surveyed all he had conquered from Castle Hill.
The mosques and minarets have been torn down, but the tomb of Gul Baba, a dervish companion of Suleiman’s, can still be found on Mecset Street. Perhaps the greatest architectural legacy the Ottomans left are the numerous Turkish baths.
The main focus of Christian worship was St. Stephen’s Basilica, which has an intriguing if somewhat gloomy interior, while in the Jewish Quarter, the Great Synagogue is one of the world’s largest, built in 1859.
Use Budapest car rental to tour the sights.
The Best of Buda (and Pest)
Hop out of the rental car and stretch your legs with a walking tour to make the most of a visit to Buda Castle (also known as the Royal Palace), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There were fortifications here in the 13th century which the Ottomans allowed to decay before a 17th-century siege destroyed it almost entirely. What you see now largely dates from the mid-18th century.
Get a glimpse into the city’s more recent history at the Liberty Monument – built in 1947 as a tribute to the Soviet liberators of Budapest. Many of Budapest’s statues are now gathered in Memento Park, a graveyard for Socialist realism sculpture.
Relax in the baths, hike up the hills for unsurpassed views and then retreat to your rental car for an easy ride home into Budapest.
Car rental in Budapest is the best way to see the city and the rest of Hungary.
Driving In and Around Budapest
Hungary is a great country to drive through. Car rental makes for dreamlike drives. With many picturesque spots, lakes and pretty villages to discover. Budapest itself is easy to negotiate by car, although it’s worth noting that traffic in the city center, especially during the morning and evening rush hours, can be congested.
When you rent a car in Budapest, you’ll need to abide by local laws. The speed limit in built-up areas of the city is usually 50km/h (31mph), although you’ll come across zones and streets with lower limits.
If you’re parking your rental car in the center of Budapest, look for an underground parking lot or use your hotel’s facilities.
Numerous bridges cross the Danube, while the Grand Boulevard – or Nagykorut – is one of the main routes through Budapest, connecting the Petofi and Margaret Bridges.
Budapest isn’t just the capital, it’s also the country’s hub, and almost all of the main roads through Hungary start and end here. Hop in your rental car in Budapest and you can reach the country’s farthest expanses in less than four hours.
For the outskirts, head east on the 4 (also called the E60), which then cuts across the country. The beautiful south-west of the country, particularly the areas bordering the vast Lake Balaton, can be reached in just a few hours on the E71. This is a popular route for car rental road trips from Budapest.
As a rule of thumb, the southern side of the lake has more of a youthful crowd. Renting a car in Budapest for access to the great outdoors? The hilly northern side is more popular with those who want to hike, explore the woods or savor some true peace and quiet.
You can also follow the Danube in your rental car, with the E60 tracing it west from Budapest to the town of Gyor. The E73 charts its course south to Szekszard.
There are two main rules to remember if leaving Budapest in your rental car:
- Dipped headlights must be used during daytime.
- You’ll need a sticker or ‘vignette’ on display in your rental car in order to use the toll roads.
Our local team can advise you on this when you collect your Budapest rental car.
