Frequently asked questions

The August 20, 2026 programmes will take place over four days at several locations across Budapest. The main venues are:

• Margaret Island
  A two-day, free family program featuring activities for children and concerts, while in the evening the spectacular Light Garden will welcome visitors in the Rose Garden.
• Műegyetem Embankment
  A two-day, free electronic music festival of international standard, featuring world-famous performers, LED installations and spectacular lighting technology.
• Kossuth Square + Parliament
  This is where the ceremonial raising of the flag and the swearing-in ceremony of officer cadets will take place in the morning, followed by the military air show over the Danube. In the evening, the Parliament Building will be transformed by spectacular projection mapping.
• Liberty Square
  The Chill Zone will offer a communal relaxation area with food trucks and large screens for following the festive events.

This year, the event will also feature accompanying programs at the Buda Castle, Clark Ádám Square and along the Pest embankment. The full program list, including exact locations, can be accessed here.

The 2026 August 20 celebrations will last for four days, from August 19 to 22. The highlight will be August 20 (Thursday), when events will take place from morning until evening simultaneously at several locations – including Margaret Island, Kossuth Square, Műegyetem Embankment and many other locations across Budapest.

Detailed programmes and exact locations will be available on the official website and in the app.

This year’s line-up will include both Hungarian and international performers. You can find more information about the performers under the Performers tab.

The full program list – not just the concerts – can be found under the Program tab, where you can filter the events by location, time and other criteria.

As a general rule, everyone is welcome at the celebrations – the programs are intended for everyone and have no age restrictions. However, visitors under the age of 14 may only attend the event when accompanied by an adult.

The programs on Margaret Island will be specifically geared towards families, with dedicated activities for children and families, as well as concerts for the youngest visitors and their parents.

You can find the latest news and information about any possible program changes in three places: on the website, under the News tab; in the official August 20 event series app; and on the individual Facebook events for each program and concert.

Extra tip: It is worth downloading the app if you do not want to miss anything. The app also sends push notifications about the most important news and changes.

The mobile app is expected to be available early in the week of August 17, in the Google Play Store and the Apple Store . Thank you for your patience!

The exact locations of drinking-water taps, public toilets and medical points will be indicated by signs at the venues. They can also be found in the app and on the map on the website, with separate icons.

Yes. Most venues and programs are accessible. Given the large crowds, visitors with reduced mobility are advised to attend the event with a companion.

The flat embankment area of Műegyetem Embankment is easily accessible by wheelchair and other mobility aids. It can also be reached from Szent Gellért Square by the accessible M4 metro with lifts and by low-floor trams. An accessible toilet and a designated area in front of the stage will also be available for visitors with reduced mobility.

In order to facilitate the journey home for passengers arriving at the capital’s railway stations between 11.00 pm and 2.00 am during the celebrations, we have amended our timetable in consultation with the Ministry of Transport and Public Investments:

• We are running several of our services to major provincial towns and suburban areas at later times or via longer routes.
• We are significantly increasing train lengths across the national network, and we are also preparing increased frequencies on our HÉV suburban rail and Volán bus services.
• Additional relief trains will depart from Budapest to Békéscsaba, to Nyíregyháza via Debrecen, to Eger, to Miskolc, and to Pécs, and GYSEV (the Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurt Railway) will also run an additional service to Sopron via Győr.
• MÁV's National Emergency Control Centre is monitoring train and passenger traffic, and if necessary, will take operational measures — including putting on further services if needed — to help passengers get home during the night.

MÁV asks passengers to avoid queuing by using our digital ticket-purchasing options for their journey: the jegy.mav.hu website, or the renewed MÁVPlusz app.

• If you're only planning a one-day trip, we recommend our Magyarország24 (HUF 4,999) or Vármegye24 (HUF 999) day tickets.
• We recommend purchasing your return ticket and any necessary seat reservations in advance, before you set off.
• Passengers can find the exact, updated timetables — reflecting these changes — on jegy.mav.hu, on the MÁVPlusz platform, and in the MÁVPlusz app.

• Toward Veszprém, our G44 train (4768) will depart from Déli station at 23:20, running through to Veszprém instead of terminating at Székesfehérvár, and will stop at every station between the two county seats.
• The S10 train (4968), departing Déli station at 23:25, will run on an extended route, continuing to Hegyeshalom instead of terminating at Győr. It will stop at every station and halt between Győr and Hegyeshalom.
  • For passengers travelling to Tatabánya and Oroszlány, we recommend the S12 trains departing at 22:55 and 02:25.
• New night relief express train to Pécs: For those heading toward South Transdanubia, a new night express train will run with departures at 23:30 and 01:45 from Déli station, travelling to Pécs via Kelenföld, Pusztaszabolcs, Sárbogárd, Simontornya, Pincehely, Szakály-Hőgyész, Dombóvár, Sásd, and Szentlőrinc.
  • Connecting with the Pécs relief service, a local train will also depart from Dombóvár to Kaposvár at 01:40. Connecting with the 01:45 departure from Budapest, a connecting bus will also leave Dombóvár for Kaposvár at 04:00.
• Toward Dunaújváros, a Z42 zone train will depart from Déli station at 02:10.
• A connecting bus service will depart from Balatonszentgyörgy railway station for Nagykanizsa at 02:07 in the early hours of August 21, following the arrival of the trains.
  • A Bagolyvonat ("Owl Train", MÁV's night train service) will also run from Déli station to Nagykanizsa at 02:40.

• Miskolc, Eger: A relief train will depart from Keleti station for Miskolc at 23:30, running combined with the Eger service as far as Füzesabony.
  • We will also run an express train to Miskolc at 02:15.
  Békéscsaba: Relief express trains will depart from Keleti station for Békéscsaba at 23:15 and 02:30, stopping at Sülysáp, Nagykáta, Szolnok, and Tiszatenyő, as well as the InterCity stops (Mezőtúr, Gyoma, Mezőberény, Murony, Békéscsaba).
  • The train departing at 02:30 will continue on to Lőkösháza.
• An S80 local train will depart for Gödöllő at 01:55, while an S60 will depart for Nagykáta at 01:50.

• Our S70 train (2408) toward Dunakanyar and Szob, originally scheduled to depart at 22:37, will now depart later than planned, at 23:20. An S70 train will depart for Szob at 02:50, while an S71 will depart for Vác via Veresegyház at 02:05.
• Toward Szolnok, we are putting on a new relief S50 train, departing Nyugati station at 23:10.
  • A local train will also depart for Debrecen at 02:35.
• Toward Nyíregyháza via Debrecen, we are preparing a new relief train at 23:30.
• The Fireworks Relief Express Train (17008) will run again from Nyugati station at 23:25, along with a relief train to Szeged at 02:30.
• An S21 local train will depart at 02:30 from Kőbánya-Kispest to Lajosmizse.

We are significantly increasing seating capacity on our long-distance and InterCity trains during both the daytime and nighttime periods:

• the Mecsek and Nyírség InterCity trains by seven to eight carriages,
• the Szeged InterCity trains by eight carriages,
• the Szinva InterCity trains by six to seven carriages,
• and we will run the Békéscsaba trains, as well as certain Bakony and Göcsej trains, with five to six additional carriages.
• For our Cívis InterRégió trains, we will also deploy double-decker KISS or triple FLIRT railcars.
• On the suburban lines (namely the Hegyeshalom, Esztergom, Szob, Veresegyház, Újszász, and Lajosmizse lines), we will double up the trains running in the evening and at night, or replace them with high-capacity, double-decker KISS and double FLIRT trainsets.

H5 Szentendre HÉV line:

• From 07:00, all HÉV trains will run with a uniform 6 carriages.
• From 19:00 to 21:00, trains will depart for Batthyány tér every 12 minutes on average from Szentendre, and every 7–8 minutes from Békásmegyer.
• Between 21:30 and 22:30, trains will depart from Batthyány tér to Békásmegyer every 5 minutes, and to Szentendre every 7–8 minutes on average. Between 22:30 and 23:00, trains to Szentendre will also run more frequently, every 7–8 minutes on average.
• Throughout the night, HÉV trains will run between Batthyány tér and Szentendre every 60 minutes, and between Batthyány tér and Békásmegyer every 30 minutes. For the HÉV trains departing Batthyány tér for Békásmegyer at 00:43, 01:43 and 02:43, a connection to night bus 943 to Szentendre will be provided at Békásmegyer. In addition, trains will also depart from Batthyány tér for Szentendre at 01:13, 02:13 and 03:13.

H6 Ráckeve HÉV line:

• From 09:00, all HÉV trains running between Ráckeve and Budapest will run with 6 carriages instead of 3.
• Extra services will depart at night from Közvágóhíd for Ráckeve at 22:05, 23:05, 00:35 and 02:35. (As a result, HÉV trains will run from Közvágóhíd to Ráckeve every 30 minutes between 21:35 and 23:35, and it will also be possible to get home by HÉV during the night.)

H7 Csepel HÉV line:

• From 09:00, all HÉV trains will run with a uniform 6 carriages.
• Between 21:30 and 23:00, HÉV trains from Boráros tér to Csepel will run more frequently, every 7.5 minutes.

H8 Gödöllő HÉV line:

• From 09:00, all HÉV trains running between Gödöllő and Budapest will run with 6 carriages instead of 3.

More buses will also run to the agglomeration, towards Gödöllő, Pécel, Gyál, Nagykovácsi, Budaörs, Budakeszi and Törökbálint.

Direct coach services departing from Budapest on 20 August:

In suburban transport:

• 308 Budapest – Dunakeszi – Fót – Budapest bus line,
• • Departing Budapest, Újpest-városkapu bus station at 02:35 for Fót bus station,
• 390 Budapest – Szada – Veresegyház – Erdőkertes – Őrbottyán – Csomád bus line,
• • Departing Budapest, Stadion bus station at 02:30 for the Csomád, Veresegyházi elágazás stop,
• 480 Budapest – Nagytarcsa – Budapest bus line,
• • Departing Budapest, Örs vezér tere stop at 02:20 for the Nagytarcsa, Kistemplom stop,
• 659 Budapest – Dunaharaszti – Taksony – Délegyháza – Dömsöd bus line,
• • Departing Budapest, Népliget bus station at 02:35 for the Dömsöd, Kossuth Lajos utca 136. stop
• 686 Budapest – Halásztelek – Szigethalom – Tököl – Szigethalom bus line,
• • Departing Budapest, Kelenföld railway station at 02:30, via the Halásztelek – Szigethalom – Tököl route, for Szigethalom bus station,
• 699 Budapest – Alsónémedi – Ócsa – Inárcs – Kakucs – Újhartyán – Dabas bus line,
• • Departing Budapest, Népliget bus station at 02:35 for the Dabas, Sári okmányhivatal stop,
• 769 Budapest – Biatorbágy – Etyek – Sóskút – Pusztazámor bus line,
• • Departing Budapest, Kelenföld railway station at 02:30 for the Pusztazámor bus turning circle,
• 831 Solymár – Pilisszentiván – Pilisvörösvár – Pilisszántó bus line,
• • Departing Solymár railway station at 03:05 for the Pilisszántó bus turning circle,
• 882 Budapest – Szentendre – Tahitótfalu – Visegrád, Újtelep bus line,
• • Departing Budapest, Újpest-városkapu bus station at 02:35 for the Visegrád, Újtelep stop.
    

In long-distance transport:

• 1021 Budapest – Pásztó – Bátonyterenye – Salgótarján bus line
• • Departing Budapest, Stadion bus station at 02:30 for Salgótarján bus station,
• 1052 Budapest – Gödöllő – Hatvan – Gyöngyös – Eger bus line
• • Departing Budapest, Stadion bus station at 02:30 for Eger bus station,
• 1094 Budapest – Szentes – Hódmezővásárhely – Makó bus line
• • Departing Makó at 18:40 for Budapest, via Hódmezővásárhely, Szentes and Csongrád
  • Departing Budapest at 23:30 for Makó, via Csongrád, Szentes and Hódmezővásárhely
  • Departing Budapest, Népliget bus station at 02:35 for Makó bus station,
• 1131 Budapest – Szekszárd – Mohács – Harkány bus line
• • Departing Mohács at 17:35 for Budapest, via Bátaszék and Szekszárd
  • Departing Budapest at 23:30 for Mohács, via Szekszárd and Bátaszék
  • Departing Budapest, Népliget bus station at 02:35 for Mohács bus station,
• 1185 Budapest – Sármellék – Zalaegerszeg bus line
• • Departing Budapest, Népliget bus station at 02:35 for Zalaegerszeg bus station,
• 1216 Budapest – Várpalota – Veszprém – Tapolca – Sümeg bus line
• • Departing Budapest, Népliget bus station at 02:35 for Sümeg bus station.

Chain Bridge

• From Saturday, 15 August until 12:00 on Friday, 21 August, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge will be opened up to pedestrians, and the bridge's footpath will be closed.
• On 20 August, from 19:00 until the end of the evening show, it will not be possible to cross the bridge on foot either, but you will be able to use it again on foot immediately after the fireworks.

Margaret Bridge

• From Monday morning, 17 August, the footpaths of Margaret Bridge will be closed; pedestrians will be able to use the outer lane.
• On 20 August, from 17:00, Margaret Bridge will be closed in its full width, as will the southern exits from Margaret Island.

Due to the August 20 programmes, the following will be closed to vehicle traffic:

the Pest lower embankment, between Margit híd and Március 15. tér (Erzsébet tér), from 17:00 on Friday, 14 August until 06:00 on Monday, 24 August;

• on 20 August, Thursday, there will be a closure between Közraktár utca and Dráva utca;

the Buda lower embankment, between Rákóczi híd (Pázmány Péter sétány) and Margit híd (Üstökös utca), from Saturday, 15 August until 22:00 on Friday, 22 August;

Lánchíd (Chain Bridge), from 04:30 on Saturday, 15 August until 12:00 on Friday, 21 August;

there will be restrictions in the area of Buda Castle from Saturday, 15 August until Tuesday, 25 August;

the Műegyetem embankment will be closed from Saturday, 15 August until 20:00 on Saturday, 22 August;

Lánchíd utca and Várkert rakpart will be closed from Wednesday, 19 August until 16:00 on Sunday, 23 August;

the upper embankments may also be restricted on the morning of Thursday, 20 August, due to the air parade taking place on the Danube next to Kossuth Lajos tér;

traffic in József Attila utca and the area around the Basilica will be restricted on Thursday, 20 August from 16:00 to 23:00, due to the Holy Right Procession;

Margit híd (Margaret Bridge) will be closed on Thursday, 20 August, expected from 17:00 until approximately 22:30;

Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge) will be closed on Thursday, 20 August, expected from 19:00 until approximately 22:15;

during the evening celebration on 20 August, traffic on the upper embankments and inner-city streets may also be restricted.

Public transport changes on 20 August in connection with the evening show:

In connection with the 20 August celebration, you can expect significant traffic restrictions within the area bounded by Margit híd–Szent István körút–Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út–Károly körút–Múzeum körút–Vámház körút–Szabadság híd–Szent Gellért rakpart–Krisztina körút–Vérmező út–Margit körút. Ahead of the evening fireworks, Margit híd (Margaret Bridge), Lánchíd (Chain Bridge) and Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge) will be closed to road traffic, public transport and pedestrians alike, and if necessary, road traffic on Szabadság híd (Liberty Bridge) and Szent Gellért rakpart may also be restricted.

On 20 August, in the late afternoon and evening, and following the fireworks, metros, the trolleybuses and trams serving the city centre, and the main bus routes will run more frequently. Due to the events at Kossuth Lajos tér, Műegyetem rakpart and Margitsziget, it will be possible to travel on the M2, M3 and M4 metro lines later into the night, until approximately 02:30.

On 20 August, the Margitsziget bus 26 will run until approximately 02:00, and the night services serving the city centre will also be adjusted to expected demand.

On 20 August, tram 6 on the Nagykörút (Grand Boulevard) will run more frequently throughout the night.

Yes. All programs in the event series are free of charge and open to everyone.

No. Registration is not required for the free outdoor programs – simply come along.

Yes. Each venue has a maximum capacity approved by the authorities, and once that capacity is reached, admission will be temporarily suspended. If you want to make sure you get in, it is advisable to arrive at least one hour before the program begins.

It is important to note that each event has its own house rules, which every visitor automatically accepts upon entry. The use of drones is prohibited throughout the entire event area. Violations of the rules may also have legal consequences.

It is also important to note that there will be no cloakroom or luggage storage facilities at the event, so it is worth considering in advance what you bring with you.

What you may bring:

• A small backpack (maximum A3 size, i.e. 30 × 42 cm) or a handbag of a similar size
• A flag or scarf without a pole
• A folding umbrella without a pointed tip
• A plastic bottle of up to 0.5 litres or a resealable, non-glass water bottle
• Personal medication (with documentation if necessary)

What you may not bring:

• Weapons or objects resembling weapons, as well as stabbing or cutting implements
• Metal chains longer than 50 cm
• Pyrotechnic devices (firecrackers, smoke bombs, flares, Bengal lights)
• Glass bottles or metal cans
• Alcohol, drugs or other psychoactive substances
• Drones, camera tripods or professional image- or sound-recording equipment
• Laser devices
• Flammable or explosive materials
• Political, provocative or hate-inciting banners or flags

Security personnel are not obliged to store prohibited items confiscated at the entrance.

Drinking-water refill points will be available at every venue. Their exact locations will be indicated by signs at the venues.