Budapest, 22 April 2026 – BKK Centre for Budapest Transport is expanding the pilot of the Pay&GO bankcard payment system starting 22 April: the service will be available on all metro lines in the capital, and single-tap purchase and validation of a single ticket will be possible. This development marks another important step in the rollout of Budapest’s electronic ticketing system, which is being implemented through a collaboration between BKK, Mastercard, K&H Bank, Monet+, and Microelektronika, with the goal of making public transport simpler, faster, and more convenient for all passengers.
The essence of the Pay&GO payment system is that ticket purchase and validation occur in a single step by tapping a bankcard (or other smart device) against the ticket validator. No prior registration or app download is required, nor is a paper ticket needed; the journey can begin immediately. The bankcard also serves as proof of travel eligibility, which inspectors’ hand-held checkers can verify based on the purchase made in the Pay&GO system. When paying with a smart device (smartphone, smartwatch), you must perform the same transaction initiation as during the purchase, then tap the device to the inspector’s or passenger coordinator’s checker.
The service is currently available in Budapest on the 100E Airport Express bus and the M1 metro line, but starting 22 April, BKK will expand it to metro lines M2, M3 and M4 as well. The installation work required for the pilot expansion has already been completed, so the new validators can be found at every metro station, alongside which the existing ticket validators will remain available. This way, passengers can validate their paper tickets or digital tickets purchased in BudapestGO in the usual manner.
In the future, it will be available across the entire city-wide and suburban network
The full rollout of the Pay&GO system will take place as part of a larger-scale development process: in February 2026, the General Assembly of the Budapest Municipality approved the concept for Budapest’s electronic ticketing system, allowing BKK to launch the necessary public procurement process.
The pilot system, which has now been expanded, currently only allows for ticket purchases; however, the full-scale Pay&GO e-ticketing service to be implemented later will offer a variety of product types—such as passes and discounted options—not only to occasional travellers but also to regular users of public transport, and will also allow users to set spending limits (such as daily or weekly caps) for occasional trips. According to plans, the bankcard-based payment system will be gradually rolled out across the entire Budapest and metropolitan area public transport network starting in 2028.
The linked video provides a detailed overview of how to use and operate Pay&Go, making travel even simpler and smoother. The service is promoted in another video by János Hrutka, an expert at RTL and SportTV and a former national team soccer player.
