The 5 Best Night Cruises in Budapest for Stunning Views

Budapest Night Cruises: Comparison

Best Evening & Night Cruises in Budapest

1. 1-Hour Evening Sightseeing Cruise with a Welcome Drink

Cruise Details

• Cruise company: Legenda
• Rating: 4.5/5 on 10,648 reviews
• Price: USD 29
• Duration: 1 hour
• Schedule: 6:40 pm to 10 pm (departure every 20 minutes)
• Audio Guide: Included (available in 30 languages)
• Wifi: Free wifi on board

Cruise Summary

The one hour evening sightseeing cruise by Legenda is one of the best night cruises in Budapest, and the Legenda cruise company being one of the oldest and most notable cruise companies in the city.

The cruise goes by the most iconic places in Budapest: the Parliament, Buda Castle, and the Chain Bridge. The cruises depart from 6:40 pm in the evening frequently until 10 pm. The best time to go is after sunset, after they turn on the lights in the city. The Parliament and the Buda Castle look amazing in the evening lights.

Before booking, check the sunset times for your date. They usually switch off the lights on the buildings at around 10 pm in the autumn, winter and spring, and at 11 pm in the summer. The cruise takes an hour, so make sure you time it after sunset and before they switch off the lights..

I went on this cruise one time in the winter with my former colleagues, and what I liked about the boat is that it was heated. The boats can be converted to be open air in the summer when the weather is good, and when it’s cold, they can close all the windows and heat it inside.

It has a top deck which remains open in the winter. It was pretty cold there, so I just went up there to take some photos, and then I went back inside the heated area. We went on the cruise in the evening, and the city looked amazing with the lights on. I am from Budapest, but even I thought that the view was great.

What I also liked about the cruise is that it has an audio guide throughout the trip. It’s available in 30 languages which is rare (other cruise companies only have a few languages available).

I found the cruise itself felt very calm and relaxing. It was more like a sophisticated cruise in comparison to the booze cruises, so this cruise is ideal for families or if you are looking for a peaceful evening boat trip.

Drinks

There is a welcome drink included in the ticket, and you can choose from champagne, wine, beer, soft drinks, or water. We got our drinks served at our seats.

There is no bar on board, so it’s not possible to get extra food or drinks on the cruise.

Pros & Cons

Meeting Point

The departure is from Dock 7 at the Jane Haining rakpart, 1052 Budapest. It’s near the Marriott Hotel in Budapest. Once you get to Dock 7, you’ll see the sign for Legenda City Cruises. At the end of the trip, the boat drops you back at this location.

At the dock, there is also an indoor waiting area which is great in case the weather is bad. The other cruise companies don’t have a waiting area, the passengers are just queueing outside the dock.

Tips for Booking

I recommend booking the cruise ahead of time as it can get sold out if you leave it last minute.

⭐ Book the Legenda Evening Sightseeing Cruise, one of the best options for a peaceful evening cruise on the Danube!

2. By Night Sightseeing Cruise with a Welcome Drink

Cruise Details

• Cruise company: Mahart Cruises
• Rating: 4.4/5 on 23,978 reviews
• Price: USD 16
• Duration: 50 minutes
• Schedule: 7 pm to 10 pm (departure every 20 minutes)
• Audio Guide: Included (available in 6 languages)
• Wifi: Not available on board

Cruise Summary

The night sightseeing cruise by Mahart Cruises is one of the best budget evening cruises in Budapest. The views of Budapest is really beautiful in the evening, and you don’t have to pay hundreds of US Dollars to see the views from a boat.

This cruise is a good deal considering the low price for the cruise, and it also includes a welcome drink and an audio guide. The audio guide comes in a few major languages, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, and Hungarian. You have to play the audio guide on a smart phone, so bring your phone and also a pair of headphones to play it.

The cruise passes by the major attractions in Budapest, including the Buda Castle, Parliament, and famous bridges along the river.

The ship is great both during summer and winter. It has two decks, the lower deck is heated in the winter, and the upper deck remains open. The upper deck is better for views and to take photos. But if you take the cruise in the winter, then it’s better to sit inside the heated area, and just go upstairs for a short time to take photos.

Food & Drinks

A welcome drink is included, and you can choose between a glass of prosecco or juice. On Fridays and Saturdays, they also run an unlimited prosecco cruise.

There is a bar on board so you can buy extra snacks and drinks.

Pros & Cons

Meeting Point

Most of the cruises go from Dock 5 near the Marriott Hotel on the Pest side of Budapest. I recommend arriving around 45 minutes before departures so that you can get better seats on the boat.

The departure and arrival points are the same, so after the cruise, you’ll be dropped back at the same location.

⭐ Book the Night Sightseeing Cruise by Mahart, an awesome, budget-cruise in Budapest!

3. Unlimited Prosecco Cruise

Cruise Details

• Cruise company: Duna-Weser
• Rating: 4.8/5 on 48,534 reviews
• Price: USD 29
• Duration: 1 hour 15 mins
• Schedule: 5:15 pm, 7 pm, 8:45 pm
• Audio Guide: Included (available in English)

Cruise Summary

The unlimited prosecco cruise is one of the most popular cruises in Budapest. I recently went on this cruise when I was back home in Budapest, and before going on the cruise I wondered if the drinks are really unlimited – they are! The waiters and waitresses just keep refilling your glasses, and it never goes empty!

The cruise has a bit of a reputation for being a party boat, so I only recommend this cruise if you are looking for a fun night out. Other cruises (without the unlimited drinks) are more chill, so go for that depending on your preferences.

The boat passes by all the famous buildings you can see from the river: Parliament, Buda Castle, Gellért Hill, Margaret Island, and some of the famous bridges.

The seats are on a first-come first-served basis, so I recommend arriving early, around 30-45 minutes before departure. If you arrive late, you’ll end up at the back of the queue, and the best seats will be taken.

Drinks

You get a welcome drink upon boarding (prosecco), and then you get unlimited drinks during the cruise. There is a selection of drinks (prosecco, beer, Aperol, Limoncello, lemonade, lemon-mint water, still water), that you can choose from.

The prosecco is constantly refilled at your table, and if you want to have any of the other drinks, you have to go get it from the bar. Honestly, our glasses were never empty, and the waiters came to constantly refill our glasses before it would even become empty.

Food

Food is not included but there is a bar on board where you can buy snacks.

Pros & Cons

Meeting Point

The cruises leave from three different parts of the city (all on the Pest side), so check the location where your cruise goes from when booking. At the end of the cruise, you’ll be dropped back at the same location.

⭐ Book the Unlimited Prosecco Cruise for a fun river cruise with unlimited drinks and epic evening views of Budapest!

4. Historical Cruise with a Welcome Drink

Cruise Details

• Cruise company: Duna Cruises
• Rating: 4.7/5 on 8,899 reviews
• Price: USD 13
• Duration: 1 hour
• Schedule: boat departures between 1 pm – 10 pm
• Audio Guide: Included (available in 30 languages)
• Wifi: Free wifi available on board

Cruise Summary

What makes this cruise stand out is that it’s on a boat that is a recreation of a 19th-century paddle steamer. If you are looking for a unique Danube night cruise in Budapest, this is the right one for you. Taking this cruise is like taking a step back in time!

The cruises start from the afternoon onwards, but book one of the evening slots for the best views. You get the best views of the city after sunset when they switch on the lights on the buildings. The cruise passes by famous buildings like the Parliament and the Buda Castle.

There is also an audio guide available in 30 languages (such as English, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, and others). You have to bring your smart phone and own headphones to listen to it.

The boat has a lower and upper deck, and it the lower one is heated in the winter, so this cruise is great all throughout the year. When the weather is cold, you can stay inside the heated area and just go outside for a bit to take photos. There is a reflection on the windows when you try to take photos from inside, so it’s better to go to the outer deck to take photos.

One thing I would pay attention to is that the seats are first-come first-served, and there can be a long queue for the boat. I recommend arriving around 45 minutes before the cruise, so you get to be at the beginning of the queue. The best views are from the top deck but it has limited seats. If you arrive late, all the good seats will be taken by the time you board the boat.

This cruise is one of the best budget Budapest sightseeing cruises at night. It’s a 1-hour boat trip passing by the most famous landmarks in Budapest: Parliament, Buda Castle, Gellért Hill, and bridges (Chain Bridge, Elizabeth Bridge).

For $14 per person, it’s one the cheapest cruises, and it does not include any drinks or food, just the cruise itself to see the city from the river. Although there are no drinks included, there is an audio guide available, so you can learn about the history of Budapest during the trip.

The ship has an open top deck, and a closed inside seating area downstairs. In the colder months, the area is heated inside, and you can go to the top deck just to quickly take some photos.

The seats are first-come first-served, so I suggest arriving around 45 minutes before the departure time so that you get the best seats on board. Usually, there is a queue before boarding, and if you go there early, you can be at the front of the queue with the best options for seats once boarding begins.

Is a Budapest Night Cruise Worth it?

Yes, going on a Budapest sightseeing cruise at night is totally worth it! I grew up in Budapest, and Budapest is famous for its cruises. Even locals like to go on the cruises because the view of the city from the river is so nice!

The river cruises in Budapest run all day (daytime and nighttime), but you get the best views after sunset when the city is lit up in the evening lights. Going on a cruise is a must-do on a trip to Budapest.