Getting to Hungary by Land or River

By Land

Borders

Austria (321 km), Croatia (348 km), Romania (424 km), Serbia (164 km), Slovakia (627 km), Slovenia (94 km) and Ukraine (128 km).

Hungary shares borders with seven countries, some of which, like itself, are members of the European Union. While there are no border checks in principle with Austria, Slovakia, and Slovenia—all part of the Schengen Area—this is not the case with the others, particularly since the "European migrant crisis" of mid-2015.

From France and Other Countries

Car

Budapest is less than 1,500 km from Paris (and around 1,000 km if you're in eastern France). So, unless you're only planning to stay in the capital, why not consider a road trip with your own vehicle if you have some time to spare?

Bus

Another possible option is the bus, particularly with the company Eurolines, whose pass also covers Hungary. Expect to pay roughly 100 €–150 round trip (which is often comparable to the cheapest flight prices) for around twenty hours of travel between, for example, Paris and Budapest.

Train

Hungary has over 8,000 km of railway tracks and is well connected to its neighbors. However, from France, train travel remains expensive compared to other modes of transport, unless you opt for the Interrail pass.

By River

Between May and the end of September, fast boats connect Budapest to Bratislava (Slovakia) and Vienna (Austria) via the Danube. The full Hungary-Austria route takes six hours, costs roughly 125 € round trip, and runs three times a week. The line is operated by the company Mahart.