eSIM for Hungary

Viasimo's Hungary eSIM starts at $1.29 for 500 MB over 1 day, running on One and Yettel with 5G where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Works everywhere in Hungary

Bács-Kiskun
Baranya
Bekes County
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén
Budapest
Csongrád
Fejér

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$6.99

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$6.99

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Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.

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Network

Which networks does the Hungary eSIM use?

Host networks: One / Yettel

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

Data: 500 MB – 50 GB or unlimited
Validity: 1–180 days
Speed: 4G LTE / 5G
Hotspot / tethering: Supported on most devices
Activation: Starts when you first connect in your destination
Speed management: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
Top-ups: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
Text messages (SMS): Data only: use an app for verification codes
Unused validity: 180 days before it must be installed

Setting up Buy, scan the QR code we email you, and switch on the travel line when you land. How it works

Choosing a plan

How much data do you need?

The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.

Recommended data allowances matched to the plans sold for this destination
You are	Plan for	Cheapest plan that covers it
LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup	About 1 GB a week	$1.591 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$4.595 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$8.0010 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$13.99Unlimited, 7 days

Work it out from your own habits

What a week abroad costs

eSIM, local SIM or roaming?

Charged per day

Your carrier roaming

Queue and plastic

A SIM at the airport

$1.29

Viasimo, one bundle

Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.

About this eSIM

Hungary is a small country with an outsized capital, and that shapes how connectivity works here. Nearly every itinerary passes through Budapest, the driving distances between towns are short, and network quality follows the motorways radiating out from the city. One data profile covers a long weekend in the thermal baths and a week in the wine hills without you touching a setting again.

Getting online when you land

Most arrivals come through Budapest Ferenc Liszt, and that is where an eSIM pays for itself: clear passport control, flip the profile on, and you have data before you reach the 100E bus stop or the taxi desk. Do the installing at home, over your own wifi. Adding a profile needs a live internet connection, and the airport network that wants to text you a login code is precisely the thing a dataless phone cannot do.

Coming overland is common too, by train from Vienna into Keleti or by car over the Austrian and Slovak borders. Switch the profile on before the border rather than after, so registration happens while you are sitting still. Then check that data roaming is enabled for that profile specifically; a travel eSIM is a foreign profile riding a Hungarian network, and it does nothing at all with roaming turned off.

The networks you'll be on

Two national operators carry traffic in Hungary, and your profile will attach to one of them: Telenor Hungary or Vodafone. Both run 4G LTE and 5G where it has been rolled out.

You will not feel the attachment happen, and there is no reason to interfere while things are working. The exception is the classic rural failure: full signal bars, nothing loading. When that happens, turn off automatic network selection, let the handset scan, and pick a different operator by hand. It takes half a minute and clears most of them. Put the setting back to automatic afterwards, otherwise you will drag one bad choice across the rest of the country.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

Budapest is solid end to end, including the outer districts, Margaret Island and the Buda hills, and the same holds for the larger regional cities and the motorway corridors linking them. Lake Balaton's northern and southern shores are well served, though the busiest resort strips get congested at the height of summer when the resident population multiplies and everyone is uploading at once. Congestion is not the same as absent coverage: you will have a connection, it will simply feel sluggish at six in the evening.

Signal genuinely thins in a few predictable places. The Great Plain has long empty runs between villages where you drop back to a basic connection. The forested hills of the Bükk, Mátra and Zemplén, and the cellar villages around Tokaj, are folded enough to shadow a mast. Anything underground is its own category: deep metro tunnels, the Buda cave system, and the barrel cellars you get walked into on a tasting tour will all cut you off until you climb back out. None of this is unusual, but plan around it if you are meeting someone at a cellar door.

What you'll actually use data for here

Public transport is the big one. Budapest's official transit app plans routes across metro, tram, trolleybus and the HÉV suburban lines, and buying tickets in the app saves you the machine queue and the inspector conversation at the barrier. Bolt is the standard way to summon a car late at night, and the city bike docks are managed in an app too.

Beyond that, expect heavy map use in the Pest grid, where numbered districts and near identical boulevards defeat most first time visitors. Bath booking, ruin bar hunting in the Seventh District, and translating a menu that lists five distinct kinds of paprika all happen on the phone. Drivers have a specific need: the motorway vignette is bought and validated electronically, so you want working data at the moment you join the motorway, not an hour later. Hungary also keeps its own currency rather than the euro, so a converter app earns its place on the home screen for the first day until the mental arithmetic settles.

Before you fly

Install the profile while you are still on home wifi and confirm it shows up in your phone's mobile data settings before you pack. Leave your usual line switched on for calls and bank verification texts, and set the eSIM as the data line so nothing wanders back onto expensive roaming.

Download an offline map of Budapest plus any region you plan to drive through; the offline copy is what rescues you in a cellar village or a tunnel. Screenshot your accommodation address in Hungarian, because the street names here defeat autocorrect and drivers appreciate the written version. Note that 112 reaches emergency services from any phone on any network. Last, confirm your handset actually supports eSIM before you buy, a two minute check that avoids the single worst way to start a trip.

Unlimited runs at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continues slower.

Before you buy

Important to know

This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
5G only works where the host network has deployed it and your phone supports it. Everywhere else it falls back to 4G LTE.
The eSIM selects a host network automatically. You cannot pick or switch between them.
Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy

Looking for more information?

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work in Hungary?

Yes. Your Hungary eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are One, Yettel. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere.

Do I get 5G in Hungary?

Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on One, Yettel in Hungary, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location.

Why does my phone show Yettel or One instead of Telenor or Vodafone in Hungary?

Because both networks have rebranded. Telenor Hungary became Yettel on 1 March 2022, and Vodafone Hungary became One on 1 January 2025 after 4iG and the state-owned Corvinus bought it. Those are the two networks your eSIM uses, so either name means you're connected normally. Magyar Telekom is the third operator, and your eSIM doesn't use it.

Can I pay for the Budapest airport bus with a card?

Yes. BKK says you can buy and validate a ticket on board the 100E Airport Express with a bank card through its Budapest Pay&GO service. The 100E runs directly between Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport and the city centre. For other journeys, the BudapestGO app plans routes and sells tickets.

Do I need a vignette to drive on Hungarian motorways?

Yes. The UK government says main highways require an e-vignette bought in advance, and you'll be fined without one. It's an electronic record linked to your number plate, with no sticker, so buy it online from the national toll operator or an authorised reseller before joining the motorway. Hungary also has a zero-alcohol limit for drivers.

How do I avoid the Budapest bar scam?

Choose venues yourself after checking reviews, and ask to see a priced menu before ordering. The UK government warns that some Budapest bars and restaurants overcharge heavily and have taken tourists to cash machines, and that some taxi drivers earn commission for bringing customers. Check the bill, keep your drink in sight and report problems to police on 112.

How much data do I need for 7 days in Hungary?

For 7 days in Hungary, Viasimo sells 1 GB for $1.59 and unlimited data for $13.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →

Know before you go

Hungary: what to know before you land

Hungary's networks have changed names recently: Telenor became Yettel in March 2022, and Vodafone became One on 1 January 2025. Your eSIM uses those two networks, while Magyar Telekom is the third. If your phone shows Yettel or One, you're connected normally. In Budapest you can pay for the 100E airport bus by card on board and buy transit tickets in the BudapestGO app.

Emergency: 112
Plugs: CF 230V
Currency: Hungarian forint (HUF)

Main airports

BUD Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport

Apps worth having BudapestGOBoltWhatsAppGoogle Maps

Yettel, One and Magyar Telekom after the rebrands

Hungary has three mobile networks, and two of them have changed name since 2022. Your eSIM uses the networks our supplier lists as Telenor Hungary and Vodafone:

Telenor Hungary was renamed Yettel on 1 March 2022. It is owned by e& PPF Telecom Group.
Vodafone Hungary became One on 1 January 2025, after 4iG's subsidiary Antenna Hungária and the state-owned Corvinus bought it in January 2023.

So when your status bar shows Yettel or One, that's the network you expect. If you're manually choosing a network in settings, pick from those two names. The third operator, Magyar Telekom (the Telekom brand), isn't one of the networks your eSIM uses, so seeing "Telekom" in the list is not a sign that something is wrong.

Magyar Telekom launched commercial 5G in April 2020 and switched off its 3G network on 1 July 2022.

The 100E Airport Express and Budapest Pay&GO

From Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD), the quickest public transport into the centre is the 100E Airport Express bus, which runs directly between the terminal and the city. You can buy and validate your ticket on board with a bank card through BKK's Budapest Pay&GO service. You don't need cash or a machine, which helps if you arrive late.

For the rest of your stay, the transport authority BKK's BudapestGO app combines journey planning and ticket sales. It covers the metro, trams, trolleybuses, buses and HÉV suburban trains. A mobile ticket only helps if your phone is connected when an inspector checks it, which is one more reason to have the eSIM on from the moment you land.

If you arrive by train from Vienna, Bratislava or Prague at Keleti or Kelenföld, the same app covers your onward journey. For rides late at night after the metro closes, the existing taxi and ride-hailing apps work across the city, but read the warning in the next section before getting into a car near the nightlife streets.

Bar-bill scams in central Pest and taxi drivers on commission

The UK government's travel advice warns about a long-running scam in Budapest. Some bars and restaurants charge very high prices, and tourists have been escorted to cash machines to pay. Some taxi drivers are involved, earning commission for bringing passengers to these places.

The practical defences need a working phone:

Pick your own venue. Look up reviews before you walk in, rather than going wherever a driver or a friendly stranger suggests.
Check the prices first. The UK government advises asking to see the menu with prices before you order, being wary of anywhere that doesn't show prices clearly, and checking the bill before you pay.
Book taxis from a reputable company or through an app that shows the fare upfront, rather than accepting a lift from the kerb outside a club.
Watch your drink. Drink spiking has been reported in Budapest bars.

If you are overcharged, report it to the police. Hungary's emergency number is 112. Photograph the bill and the venue's name, and share your location with a friend if you're on a night out alone.

Driving: e-vignettes, zero alcohol and daytime headlights

Hungary's main motorways require an e-vignette (e-matrica), and the UK government stresses that you must buy it in advance. Driving on a motorway without one leads to a fine. There's no sticker or paper permit: the vignette is linked to your number plate in a database and checked by cameras. Buy it on your phone before you join the M1 from Vienna or the M7 towards Balaton, from the national toll operator Nemzeti Útdíjfizetési Szolgáltató or an authorised reseller, and keep the confirmation.

Two other rules catch visitors out. Hungary has a zero-tolerance drink-driving law, so any alcohol in your blood counts as an offence, even one glass of wine at a Tokaj cellar. And you must use dipped headlights on roads outside built-up areas, including during the day.

If you're crossing from Austria, Slovakia or Croatia, remember that each of those countries has its own vignette or toll system. Sort out the next country's toll before you reach the border, while you're still within Hungarian coverage.

Researched October 2026 · 5 sources

en.wikipedia.org Yettel Hungary - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org One Hungary - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org Magyar Telekom - Wikipedia
bkk.hu BKK - Budapest Transport Centre
gov.uk Hungary travel advice: safety and security - GOV.UK

7-day itinerary

Seven days in Hungary: Budapest, the Danube Bend, Eger and Tokaj

Three days in Budapest for the castle district, Parliament and the thermal baths, a day up the Danube Bend, then by train north-east to Eger's castle and cellars and the UNESCO-listed Tokaj wine region. Works entirely by public transport.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 3

When to go April to June and September to October are best for walking and for the wine regions, with the Tokaj harvest in October; July and August are hot and busy, while December brings Budapest's Christmas markets and the baths come into their own.

Day 1 Budapest

Pest: Parliament, St Stephen's and the Danube

From the airport, the 100E Airport Express bus runs to the centre in about 35–45 minutes; you can pay on board by card.

Take a guided tour of the Hungarian Parliament Building to see the Holy Crown, then walk south along the river to the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial. Climb the dome of St Stephen's Basilica for the view over Pest, and in the afternoon walk through the former Jewish quarter to the Dohány Street Synagogue. Finish with a walk across the Chain Bridge at dusk.

Signal Central Budapest has strong 5G on Yettel and One, including on the riverside and in most metro stations.
Day 2 Budapest

Buda: Castle Hill and Gellért Hill

Everything is reached on foot, by bus 16 or the funicular from the Pest side.

Ride the Buda Castle Funicular from Clark Ádám Square up to Castle Hill (it closes for maintenance on some dates; take bus 16 instead) and visit Buda Castle, which houses the Hungarian National Gallery. Walk through the old streets to Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion for the view of Parliament. In the afternoon cross to Gellért Hill and climb to the Citadella and Liberty Statue, then soak in the Turkish-era pools of the Rudas Baths at its foot.

Signal Good 4G and 5G on Castle Hill and Gellért Hill; reception is weaker inside the thick-walled bath buildings.
Day 3 Budapest

Andrássy út, Heroes' Square and Széchenyi Baths

The M1 line runs from Vörösmarty tér to Hősök tere in about 10 minutes.

Ride the M1 Millennium Underground, the oldest metro line in continental Europe, along Andrássy út, stopping at the Hungarian State Opera House and the House of Terror museum. Get off at Heroes' Square and walk into City Park to Vajdahunyad Castle and the House of Music. Spend the afternoon in the outdoor pools of the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, then look in at the Great Market Hall if you have time.

Signal The shallow M1 line keeps signal at stations; City Park and the baths have strong 4G and 5G.
Day 4 Budapest

The Danube Bend: Szentendre, Visegrád and Esztergom

HÉV H5 to Szentendre takes about 40 minutes; buses link Szentendre, Visegrád and Esztergom; Esztergom to Budapest is about 1.5 hours by train.

Take the HÉV suburban train to Szentendre and walk its Baroque streets and churches built by Serbian settlers. Continue by bus to Visegrád and climb or ride up to the hilltop citadel for the view of the river's bend, then go on to Esztergom to see the Basilica, the largest church in Hungary, above the river. Return by train, or by boat on the Danube in summer.

Signal 4G is reliable in all three towns; the riverside road between Visegrád and Esztergom has short weak spots, and in Esztergom your phone may pick up a Slovak network across the river.
Day 5 Eger

Eger: castle and minaret

About 2 hours 20 minutes by direct train from Budapest Keleti, or via Füzesabony.

Take the train to Eger and walk up to Eger Castle, where the exhibition tells the story of the 1552 defence against the Ottoman army, and look out from the Dobó Bastion. See the Ottoman-era minaret and climb its 97 steps if it has reopened after restoration, then visit the Eger Basilica. In the evening walk out to the Valley of the Beautiful Women, where family wine cellars are cut into the tufa hillside.

Signal Eger has good 4G and 5G in the centre; the line from Budapest is well covered, and the valley cellars themselves have no signal underground.
Day 6 Tokaj

On to Tokaj

About 2.5–3 hours by train from Eger, changing at Füzesabony and Miskolc.

Travel north-east to Tokaj, the main town of the Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape, where vineyards climb the volcanic slopes above the Tisza and Bodrog rivers. Walk the old town, visit the Tokaj Museum to learn how the sweet aszú wines are made, and take a cellar tour, such as the Rákóczi Cellar, before walking up towards the vineyards for the view over the two rivers.

Signal Tokaj town and the main line through Miskolc have 4G; signal disappears in the deep cellars, and the vineyard tracks above town are patchy.
Day 7 Budapest

Tarcal and back to Budapest

Tarcal is about 10 minutes from Tokaj by train or bus; Tokaj to Budapest Keleti is about 2.5–3 hours by train.

In the morning take the short trip to Tarcal, at the foot of Tokaj Hill, to see one of the region's oldest cellars or walk up through the vineyards towards the hilltop, then return to Tokaj for the train. Arrive in Budapest by mid-afternoon in time for your flight or a last evening by the river.

Signal Good 4G on the main line via Miskolc and 5G again in Budapest; the vineyard slopes around Tarcal have weaker coverage.

Staying connected on this route

Set up the BudapestGO app on arrival for tickets and journey planning; inspectors will want to see a live ticket on your phone.
Expect no signal in the cellars of Eger and Tokaj: agree meeting points with your group before you go underground.
Your phone will show Yettel or One, not Telenor or Vodafone; both are correct. Near Esztergom, lock to them so you do not roam onto a Slovak network.
Book IC train seat reservations for the Eger and Tokaj legs in the MÁV app before you travel.

Itinerary sources · 4

en.wikivoyage.org Wikivoyage: Eger
whc.unesco.org UNESCO World Heritage: Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape
whc.unesco.org UNESCO World Heritage: Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue
bkv.hu BKV – Buda Castle Funicular

Where this comes from

Information and verification

Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.

Prices and plans: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.; Verified October 30, 2026
Host networks: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM.; Verified October 30, 2026