By train
≈ 12–15 h, direct
By bus
≈ 12–14 h
By air
none from Lviv; RZE ≈ 170 km
Border
EU — Ukraine passport control
| Train | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|
| № 9 | 16:46 Lviv | 06:00 (+1 day) Budapest-Keleti |
Local time at each station. Source: MÁV (Hungarian Railways) timetable, valid until 12.12.2026. Check the ticket search before you travel.
Buy a ticket for this train| Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|
| 18:50 Lviv (Stryiskyi BS) | 06:45 (+1 day) Budapest Nepliget |
Local time at each station. Source: FlixBus timetable — services running daily 21.10–27.10, valid until 24.10.2026. Other carriers are in the ticket search. Check the ticket search before you travel.
Find a bus ticketBetween Lviv and Budapest you go by train or by bus: the train takes ≈ 12–15 h (direct train), the bus ≈ 12–14 h. Journey times are about the same. The timetables we have checked with the carriers are above; tickets for either are in the search at the top.
By train. The train crosses the border while you sleep; morning arrival in the Hungarian capital.
By bus. Direct services via Zakarpattia — about as long as the night train.
You cannot fly from Lviv: Ukrainian airspace is closed. To skip the overnight ride, get to the nearest airport — Rzeszów (RZE, ≈ 170 km, 4–5 hours including the border) or Krakow (KRK, ≈ 330 km) — and fly to Budapest from there. Search flights in the “Flights” tab above.
Times and prices are approximate — check the search above for live schedules and fares.
About the same: the train takes ≈ 12–15 h, the bus ≈ 12–14 h. Compare individual services in the timetables above.
You cannot fly from Lviv: Ukrainian airspace is closed. To skip the overnight ride, get to the nearest airport — Rzeszów (RZE, ≈ 170 km, 4–5 hours including the border) or Krakow (KRK, ≈ 330 km) — and fly to Budapest from there. Search flights in the “Flights” tab above.
Ukrainian citizens with a biometric passport can enter the EU visa-free for up to 90 days within 180, and a valid biometric passport is currently enough. Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) runs at Schengen borders: fingerprints and a photo are taken on your first entry, so allow extra time at the border. The European Commission plans to launch ETIAS — an online travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals — in the last quarter of 2026, with the exact date to be announced (as of October 2026).
It depends on the day and crossing load: trains are usually faster and more predictable, buses can take from one to several hours. Leave a buffer for tight connections.
