Landmarks
Bratislava Old Town
A charming compact old town with pastel-colored buildings, quirky bronze statues, and a hilltop castle overlooking the Danube.
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Road trip route · Czech Republic · Slovakia · Hungary
Prague to Budapest drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 5 hr 21 min
- Distance
- 526 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €57
- Tolls (est.)
- None
The Prague to Budapest drive
The drive from Prague to Budapest covers 327 miles (526 km) and takes about 5 hr 21 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
Two roads do the work. Roughly 36% is on the D1 and another 33% on the M15. On the way you go past Říčany, Jihlava and Brno, and you'll be near Břeclav roughly 2 h 36 min in. It crosses 2 borders: Czech Republic to Slovakia near Malacky and Slovakia to Hungary near Mosonmagyaróvár.
Expect gentle hills rather than climbs. The high point is around 580 m near Jihlava.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €57 one-way with no significant motorway tolls on the way. Czech Republic requires a motorway vignette (~€11 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Slovakia requires a motorway vignette (~€12 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Hungary requires a motorway vignette (~€16 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 327 miles this is longer than 80% of the 144 routes covered here, so it is worth treating as a trip in itself rather than a transfer. Even in a single day it crosses 3 countries, so keep documents where you can reach them.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping, plus where you cross the border.
- StartPrague
- 20 kmŘíčany12 min in
- 123 kmJihlava1 h 15 min in
- 202 kmBrno2 h 3 min ingood place to stop
- 256 kmBřeclav2 h 36 min in
- 276 kmInto Slovakia
- 296 kmMalacky3 h in
- 329 kmBratislava3 h 20 min in
- 349 kmInto Hungary
- 368 kmMosonmagyaróvár3 h 44 min in
- 403 kmGyőr4 h 5 min ingood place to stop
- 466 kmTatabánya4 h 44 min in
- 526 kmBudapest
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- D1188 km · 36%
- M15175 km · 33%
- D2137 km · 26%
Best stops between Prague and Budapest
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Natural Wonders
Moravian Karst
A spectacular karst landscape featuring over 1,100 caves including the famous Macocha Abyss, a 138-meter deep sinkhole.
Castles & Palaces
Devín Castle
A dramatic castle ruin at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers, a powerful symbol of Slovak national identity on the Austrian border.
Racetracks
Automotodrom Brno
A sweeping circuit in the Moravian hills of Czechia, beloved for its flowing high-speed corners and decades of MotoGP history.
Natural Wonders
Macocha Abyss
A 138m-deep karst sinkhole in the Moravian Karst with viewing platforms and an underground river boat ride.
Castles & Palaces
Bratislava Castle
A four-towered white castle on a hill above the Danube, surveying the Slovak capital and into Austria.
Famous Bridges
Most SNP (UFO Bridge)
Bratislava's asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge over the Danube, crowned by a flying-saucer observation deck and restaurant 85 m above the river with views across the Old Town to Austria.
Cathedrals & Temples
Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk, Zelená hora
Jan Santini's 1722 masterpiece of 'Baroque Gothic' above Žďár nad Sázavou: a five-pointed star-plan church inside a star-shaped cloister, built entirely around the symbolism of the number five. UNESCO-listed and eerily geometric.
Museums
Villa Tugendhat
Mies van der Rohe's 1930 functionalist villa in Brno, the only modernist building in Czechia on the UNESCO list, with its famous onyx wall and retractable glass windows overlooking the city. Interior tours must be booked months ahead.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
Czechia
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Dalnicni znamka (e-vignette)
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest, first-aid kit
- Winter tyres
- 1 November - 31 March
Slovakia
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- E-znamka (e-vignette)
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest, first-aid kit
- Winter tyres
- Required in winter conditions
Hungary
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- E-matrica (e-vignette)
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest, first-aid kit
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Prague to Budapest FAQs
How long is the drive from Prague to Budapest?
Driving from Prague to Budapest takes about 5 hr 21 min nonstop, covering 327 miles (526 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Prague to Budapest?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €57 one-way. There are no significant motorway tolls on this route. Czech Republic requires a motorway vignette (~€11 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Slovakia requires a motorway vignette (~€12 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Hungary requires a motorway vignette (~€16 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Prague to Budapest in one day?
Yes, at about 5 hr 21 min of driving, Prague to Budapest is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from Prague to Budapest?
The fastest route uses the D1 (about 188 km), the M15 (about 175 km), the D2 (about 137 km). It passes Říčany, Jihlava, Brno, Břeclav.
Where should I stop on the way from Prague to Budapest?
If you stop every couple of hours, Brno comes up about 2 h in, and Győr comes up about 4 h in. All are just off the main road.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 4 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between Prague and Budapest?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Bratislava Old Town, Moravian Karst, Devín Castle: see the full list of 9 stops on this page.
More drives from Prague & Budapest
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free Czech Republic road trip planner, browse every destination we cover or the Hungary planner, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in Hungary guide.