Is Budapest Safe for Solo Female Travellers

Is Budapest Safe?

In general, Budapest is safe and it is a great city to visit as a solo female traveller. The biggest risk is petty crime in Budapest, such as theft, so my ultimate recommendation is to watch out for your valuables.

Most theft takes place in crowded places, like bars or public transport, so that’s when you should really pay attention to your belongings.

Should You Visit Budapest Alone?

Yes, you can totally visit Budapest alone. Budapest is a fun and beautiful city in Europe, and it is a great place to visit as a solo traveller.

Budapest is friendly to tourists, and the younger population speaks good English in case you have to ask for information.

You can also make new friends by staying in a hostel or going on pub crawls and walking tours. So even if you arrive in Budapest alone, you can meet new people that you can explore the city with!

Is Budapest Safe for Solo Female Travellers?

Yes, Budapest is safe for solo female travellers but you should remain cautious and exercise normal precautions.

I am originally from Budapest, and I have always felt safe in the city. Even if I was out in a bar alone or went home late night by myself, I never had any safety issues. However, I also made sure to be careful.

I recommend to stick to well-lit, busy streets when you go home late night. Watch out for your belongings in busy places, such as bars and public transport.

Budapest is safe, and the most common crime is theft, so the biggest risk is that someone steals your phone or wallet.

Tips for Solo Female Travellers in Budapest

Watch Out For Your Valuables

As theft is the most common crime in Budapest, my travel tip is to always look after your valuables (wallet, phone, any other electronics). Theft occurs mostly in crowded places, so if you take public transport or you are out in a bar, always keep your belongings safe.

Safety at Night

I have always found Budapest to be safe at night, even when I went home alone late at night whether by taxi, public transport or walk.

Nevertheless, you should remain cautious and if you walk back to your hotel late night, it is best to stick to busy streets and well-lit areas.

The best districts in Budapest for travellers is District 1, 5, and 6. I recommend District 5 for nightlife and being closest to all major sights. District 5 is very lively, and if your hotel is nearby, you can safely walk back to the hotel even late night.

Safety When Taking Taxis

Taxis are safe to take – even at night, but if you hail a regular taxi you may get overcharged.

What happens is that if a tourist hails a regular taxi, the driver would most likely overcharge foreign tourists. So, while there is no safety risk when taking taxis, you may be charged double the price.

For this reason, the best is to book a taxi through your hotel (the taxi will go on meter), or book through apps like Uber and Bolt.

Sometimes it happens that you have no other option than to take a regular taxi. In this case, you can check beforehand on a taxi app how much the regular fare would be, then make sure the driver goes on the meter. At the end of the trip, you will know if the fare quoted by the driver corresponds to what the fare would have been on the app. In Budapest all taxi drivers (even Uber) go by the same price, so it should ultimately be similar fare.

Get Travel Insurance

Getting travel insurance when going on a trip abroad is a must! You never know what may happen, lost luggage, stolen bag, medical emergency – you should be prepared for the worst case scenario.

One of the best and most affordable travel insurance is SafetyWing, and I have used it for trips around the world. You have to submit some required documents when you submit the claim, but once all is submitted, you get reimbursed in about 3 weeks.

Carry Only the Copy of Your Passport

When you are travelling abroad, it is best to leave your passport in the locker at your hotel, and only carry a copy of your passport while you are out and about.

In case anyone steals your bag, you still have your passport safely stored at your hotel. I once met a couple who got their passports stolen, and it is very unsettling and totally disrupts your trip.

Save the Contact Details of Your Embassy

Most countries have their embassy or consulate in Budapest, and make sure to save their contact details before you start your trip.

If you face any major difficulties (e.g. stolen passport), they are the ones you can contact for support.

Where Should Solo Female Travellers Stay in Budapest?

Best Budapest Districts for Solo Travellers

The very best district to stay in Budapest is District 5, and I recommend this area as the best for solo female travellers.

District 5 is right in the city center (Pest side), close to the best bars and major sightseeing attractions. So, even if you stay out late at night, your hotel is likely to be in close walking distance.

Other good neighbourhoods to stay in are District 6, 7, and 1, however, some parts of these districts could be further from the city center and you may have to take a taxi or public transport to get back to your hotel.

Taxis and public transport are safe, but if you want to safest and easiest way to get back to your hotel at night, then I recommend District 5.

Best Budapest Hostels for Solo Travellers

Budapest has lots of hostels for solo travellers and they are a great place to meet fellow travellers and make new friends.

Most of the hostels in Budapest also have private rooms, so if you want to comforts of a private room but the possibility to meet new people – a private room in a hostel is my best suggestion.

Things to Do in Budapest for Solo Travellers

Even if you arrive as a solo traveller, there are plenty of things to do in Budapest whether you want to explore the city by yourself or with new friends you make along the way.

Danube River Cruise

Budapest is famous for its river cruises and even if you are travelling alone, it is a cool activity and not to be missed.

The river cruises in Budapest take between 1-2 hours usually, but there are some cruises with traditional Hungarian music and folk dance.

Thermal Baths

The thermal baths in Budapest are a great place to relax and recharge, and is fun to visit even alone. There are many people who come to the baths alone, but you will also find groups of friends and families.

Nevertheless, just because you are travelling alone, don’t let it hold you back from going out and exploring the best of Budapest.

Walking Tour

A walking tour in Budapest is not only a great way to learn about the city, but also to meet new people. They usually put people together for a walking tour and you have around 10-15 people in a group – so you can easily meet new people.

GuruWalk runs free walking tours in Budapest, they have expert guides, and at the end of the tour, you pay a tip for the guide. The tip is not set, and you can tip any amount you find reasonable – generally they recommend around USD 5-10, but you can tip more if you really found the tour amazing.

Pub Crawl

Joining a pub crawl is the best if you want to go out in Budapest but you don’t want to go on your own. On a pub crawl, you will go with a group of people, try Hungarian drinks, and go to the best bars and ruin bars in Budapest!

The best is that you meet new people on the pub crawl, so even when the crawl officially ends, you have new friends to continue drinking. Plus, if you feel like going home after the crawl is over, no one will pressure you to keep drinking.