During our car travels abroad, one of the most important things is to be aware of all the road information, as being in an unfamiliar environment can easily lead to getting fined for various reasons. This can happen if we use the highways without authorization or if we don't adhere to the speed limits. In this article, we have gathered some important information about using the roads in Hungary to ensure a smooth journey.
Hungary has a well-developed highway network, although there may be minor delays due to summer renovations. The Hungarian highways are tolled, and a time-based sticker system is in place, which means that a highway sticker must be purchased for road usage. The stickers can be purchased online, through mobile applications, at border crossings, and at gas stations.
Purchasing and validating the sticker
At the border and at numerous gas stations, you can purchase a physical paper-based highway sticker. It is crucial to provide the correct vehicle information and category because any error will render the sticker invalid and may result in a fine. The physical sticker should be placed in a secure location inside the vehicle, and it is particularly important to keep it throughout its validity period. After expiration, it is recommended to store it for an additional 2 years. The physical sticker does not need to be affixed to the windshield since cameras installed on the roads identify vehicles based on the license plate to check for valid stickers.
However, in the case of e-stickers, the process is simpler. The purchased sticker is received via email, and there is no need to print it, reducing the chances of it getting lost or damaged. Another advantage is that there is no need for registration. During the purchase, you provide the necessary data yourself, making it easier to ensure there are no errors in providing the license plate and category of the vehicle. After selecting the desired sticker, you need to provide additional information: the vehicle's country identifier, license plate number, validity period, email address, and phone number. After filling in the fields, you can proceed with the payment using a bank card.
Validity periods of highway stickers
The shortest validity period is for the weekly (10-day) sticker. It is valid for an additional 9 calendar days from the day of purchase, until the end of the last day's 24th hour. For the monthly sticker, it is valid for one month from the starting day, until the same calendar day's 24th hour of the following month. If the following month has fewer days, it is valid until the last day of that month.
The annual sticker is valid from the day of purchase or from the first day of the current year until the 24th hour of the last day of January of the following year. The county sticker has the same validity period, with the exception that it does not grant access to highways in other counties.
It is important to note that none of the purchased stickers provide retroactive road usage rights, so always ensure you have a valid sticker before using the highways!
