Buda Castle Buda Castle, Budapest
Buda Castle Opening Hours
The open air courts, courtyards of the Buda Castle are open day and night, 24/7. On special days, when festivals take place on the Buda Castle courts, the courts are fenced off, and you will need to buy a festival entry to be able to get access to the castle and its attractions.
Opening Hours of the Royal Palace
Daily Opening Times:
Monday: St Stephen’s Hall and History Museum are open, the rest of the museums inside the Buda Castle Royal Palace are closed. However, the Castle District remains open, as well as attractions like the Buda Castle Cave, the Matthias Church, the Funicular, etc.
Tuesday – Sunday: from 10 am to 6 pm (most Castle Hill attractions)
Please be advised that St. Stephen’s Hall, the recently refurbished wing of the Castle Museum, will undergo routine upkeep from March 16 to March 31, 2025, in preparation for its reopening on April 1. During this period, the rest of the Castle Museum, with its diverse halls and extensive exhibitions, will remain open as usual, welcoming visitors daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
The Castle Museum and St Stephen’s Hall will be closed from May 28th 2025.
Holiday Schedules
Holidays: depending on the holiday some attractions are closed while others are open in the Buda Castle District. For example, March 15, August 20, October 23 are national holidays but the major museums are open. Easter and Christmas holidays may differ from sight to sight, and Castle tour to tour. You can read more about Budapest Christmas and New Year Budapest on the festive city guides.
As the festivals are some of the best in Budapest, and well worth the entry fee, you will not be disappointed. Oftentimes the festival ticket includes free entrance to the buildings of the Buda Castle.
Opening Hours of the Castle Hill Attractions
Currently the Royal Palace (aka the Buda Castle) is the home of the National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum, therefore, the opening hours of the buildings of the Buda Castle is identical with the opening hours of the Gallery and the Museum (as well as the less known Hungarian National Library, which also often features exhibitions).
- National Gallery (inside Castle): Tue-Sun 10 am – 6 pm (closed on Mondays, but often open on national holidays)
- History Museum (inside Castle): Monday – Sunday 10 am – 6 pm
- St Stephen’s Hall Museum (inside Castle): Monday – Sunday 10 am – 6 pm
- Buda Castle Cave/ Labyrinth (in Castle District): open all year round, every day (tour subject to availability)
- Fisherman’s Bastion (in Castle District): open all year round, every day. Walking Tour (value) available every day. From January 2 to May 31. 9:00 am to 7:00 pm// June 1 to September 30 9:00 am to 9:00 pm//
October 1 to December 23: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. - Funicular uphill and downhill the Buda Castle Hill: available all year round (except for odd week maintenance hours on some Mondays). Private Castle Tours with Funicular, Cruise etc. available all year round.
- Matthias Church: open on most days (except for special occasions like weddings, etc.). Matthias Church Tours subject to availability.
- Alexander Presidential Palace: Changing of the Guards – hours seasonally changing, normally on display at weekends (Fri, Sat, Sun)
Opening Hours of the Buda Castle District
Similarly to the Royal Palace, the Buda Castle district itself is open all day and night, at least regarding its streets, courts, and even some of its attractions, like the Fisherman’s Bastion, which is the finest lookout tower (a fairy tale tower complex) in the Buda Castle district. The Buda Castle hilltop, which is called the Buda Castle district makes a nice and romantic Budapest attraction for late night or early dawn walks too.
That being said, most of the castle attractions close at 6 or 8 pm, some of the restaurants and bars stay open until around 11 pm or midnight, and then the castle goes calm and quiet. Indeed, the parties and noisy nightlife of the city of Budapest takes place on the Pest side, while the Buda side, including the Buda Castle district, gets quiet and peaceful.
Last updated, Feb 2025
May I know if the buda castle open on 25th and 26th decemeber ? thanks
Hi Heidi, the Buda Castle courtyards are open, as is the Buda Castle district, but the museums and galleries hosted inside the buildings of the Buda Castle complex are closed during the Christmas holiday season. You can see more info and opening times at Christmas time in Budapest: http://budapestchristmas.com/
we aré going To Budapest on Christmas (dec 24/25) the castle is open on these days?
Hi Poli, the Buda Castle open air courtyards are open, as is the Buda Castle district, but the museums and galleries hosted inside the buildings of the Buda Castle complex are closed during the Christmas holiday season. You can see more info and opening times at Christmas time in Budapest: http://budapestchristmas.com/
Hi there
Could you please let me know what would be the opening hours for xmas?
Many thanks
Stephanie
Hello Stephanie, the Buda Castle courtyards are open all year round, as is the Buda Castle district with its squares and streets, but the museums and galleries hosted inside the buildings of the Buda Castle complex are closed during Dec 24, 25, 26. You can see more info and opening times at Christmas time in Budapest: http://budapestchristmas.com/
Hello,
We plan to visit Budapest for Christmas 2014, could you please tell me if the museums will be open at this period? Are they any special events for Christmas?
Thank you very much in advance!
Best regards,
Dobrina Yonova
Hello Dobrina, the museums inside the Buda Castle will be closed during the Christmas holiday season. There are no special events scheduled in the castle, instead you can visit the Christmas markets in Budapest city center. You can see more info and opening times, events at Christmas time in Budapest: http://budapestchristmas.com/
Hi,
How can I by tickets for Buda Castle and Royal Palace?
Thank You
Hello Tena,
you can buy tickets to the Buda Castle at the building itself: the castle is the home of various museums and institutions, and each has its own entry.
To enter the Buda Castle district you do not need a ticket. It is free to walk about the buildings and the castle court.
The Royal Palace is another name given to the Buda Castle.
Pls how can we buy online tickets for the budapest history museum in the buda castle?
Hello Denise, sorry, the tickets to the Budapest History Museum are only sold at the entrance, no online tickets are available. The prices in 2014 are the following:
Admission fees in Hungarian Forint (Ft for short):
Adults
1500 Ft, There is a 50% discount on the the ticket if you have a Budapest Card
Students (6-26 years old)
750 Ft
Pensioners (62-70 years old)
750 Ft
Photo ticket
800 Ft
English audio guide
1200 Ft
Please advise how we can buy online tickets for Buda Castle
TX
Hello Denise,
you can buy tickets to enter the Buda Castle at the door: the castle is the home of various museums and institutions each with their own entries (National Gallery, History Museum, Szechenyi Library).
To enter the Buda Castle district you do not need a ticket: simply you can walk about the buildings and the castle court free of charge.
I will be with Viking cruises in Bupapest over the Easter weekend. The festival on castle hill sounds wonderful. Will the Nat. History Museum be open on Easter Sunday and what will be required for entry? Thank you, Linda
Hello there,
I direct the choir of Trinity College Oxford. We are touring Budapest between June30th-July6th. Is there an email address that I can contact to enquire about performing a recital in the castle’s chapel?
Best wishes,
Benjamin Morrell
Dear Benjamin, thank you for your choir concert inquiry in the Buda Castle district of Budapest. We have sent you a list of contacts and detailed information about potential venues for a beautiful concert in the city. Have a great time in Hungary!
Hello,
I have a very important question, we’re a group of students from Poland (45 persons), we study tourism and we will organize a bus trip of Europe ( this is a students practice). In Budapest we will be 23th June (only one day) unfortunately, it’s Monday. We’d like to visit Budapest History Museum, is it possible? This is the main point of the program. We care so much about this musuem.
I’m waiting for the reply,
Kind regards,
Natalia Młynarczak
Hello Natalia, unfortunately Monday is the only day when the museums are closed in the Buda Castle, with the exception of the Spy Museum, which is open from Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. The Budapest History Museum is closed on Mondays. We are very sorry that you will be staying one day only, and hope that the students can return to Budapest for a longer time to enjoy the many programs and attractions the Hungarian capital can offer. The Hungarian National Gallery (also in the Buda Castle) is closed on Mondays too. Nevertheless, we suggest contacting the Budapest History Museum directly in this matter for an official reply. You can email them at kapcsolat@mail.btm.hu
Thank you for visiting Budapest, Hungary! Have a fabulous time!
Hi Nati, this question is horrible, i can’t answer your question. But i hope you visited the museeum in june 2014. If not – you can also come again… we have the 24th of june 20(17)14 every year… bye and greetings to poland and the group. Peace have fun and enjoy your lazy life
This looks like some hazing ritual for students of tourism – get them to organize a private visit to a nation’s major museum on Monday and tell them it’s the major point of the trip… ;)