Budapest Airport (BUD) SIM Cards: Where to Buy on Arrival

Telekom sells Travel SIM on the public arrivals level of Terminal 2B. Buying there suits visitors who want to arrange a substantial data allowance in person before leaving the terminal.

What can you buy at Budapest Airport?

The airport counter is one purchase route. The city-store and online options below let you compare it with connections you can arrange elsewhere.

Prices checked on 4 November 2026. Airport rows use Telekom’s advertised Travel SIM prices; ask for the complete payable amount, including any service charge, before purchasing. City-store and online prices are separate purchase options.

Start with the allowance you will actually use. Buying 100 GB for a weekend makes little sense if you mainly need maps and messages; a longer trip with frequent video or hotspot use changes that calculation.

If you are still deciding between roaming, local SIMs and eSIMs, our guide to how to get internet in Hungary covers the wider choice.

Finding the Telekom counter in Terminal 2B

Look for the Telekom counter in the public arrivals area. If you exit through Terminal 2A, make your way to Terminal 2B’s public arrivals level.

Before travelling, check the Hungary airport customs rules for anything you need to declare. Complete your arrival formalities before heading to the shop.

Late arrivals should have a connection arranged before departure. Check the counter’s current hours against your landing time rather than relying on an overnight purchase.

Telekom Travel SIM: what to know before paying

Travel SIM is data-only, with no ordinary calls or SMS. It cannot be topped up: once the allowance is exhausted, you need a new connection. Its validity starts on the purchase date.

To buy it, you must be at least 18 and use a valid identification document issued outside Hungary. Telekom accepts a passport, ID card or driving licence.

Keep your passport handy and bring an unlocked phone. Before agreeing to the purchase, settle three practical points with the counter:

• The complete price for the selected package, including any setup charge.

• Whether your preferred payment method is accepted.

• Whether staff can help set up the connection on your phone.

After setup, switch off Wi-Fi and load a webpage using mobile data. Keep the receipt and any SIM packaging until you have finished using the service.

Buying in Budapest if you need a local number

Internet access and ordinary phone service are different needs. Data works for maps, email and app-based conversations; a voice-capable local line is useful if you want to call Hungarian businesses through your phone’s normal dialler.

Yettel’s Astoria shop is at Károly körút 3/A, beside the 100E airport-bus stop. Its city-store range includes the Yettel Stay voice-and-data plan shown above. The package has no starting credit balance, so ask about call rates and the credit needed for your intended calls.

Foreign visitors buy these store plans in person. Non-EEA customers need a passport; an ID card or driving licence alone is insufficient.

Telekom also sells ordinary Domino prepaid plans in city stores, including options with data and call minutes. These are a separate product from the airport Travel SIM. Compare the local choices in our Hungary SIM cards for tourists guide.

Waiting until the city is practical if you can reach your accommodation using existing roaming or saved directions. It also gives you time to choose a phone plan without handling registration immediately after a flight.

Set up a Roafly eSIM before departure

Roafly’s Hungary eSIM lets you arrange mobile data before travelling and skip the SIM-counter stop. The 5 GB and 10 GB options above are more proportionate starting points for a city break than buying a large allowance you may leave unused.

You need an unlocked, eSIM-compatible phone. Install the eSIM using a stable internet connection before departure; the Hungary plan’s validity begins when it first connects to a supported network in Hungary.

The plans are data-only, without a local number. Hotspot uses your purchased allowance, and top-ups are available if you need more data during the trip.

Keep your home line available if you need its calls or messages, but select the Roafly line for mobile data. Turn off data roaming on the home line unless you intend to use your home operator’s roaming service.

Our comparison of the best eSIM for Hungary covers provider and package choices in more detail.

Airport Wi-Fi and a late-arrival backup

Budapest Airport offers free Wi-Fi in Terminals 2A and 2B, including arrivals. The network is bud wifi, with free access for up to four hours.

Follow the airport’s Wi-Fi connection instructions:

1. Select bud wifi in your device settings.

2. Open the sign-in page, enter your email address and accept the terms.

3. Save your accommodation address and onward directions while connected.

Wi-Fi gives you time to send an arrival message or finish downloading an eSIM. Save essential details offline before leaving the terminal, especially if you plan to buy a local SIM later.

Put your passport and spare SIM away before heading outside, and keep your phone secure while managing luggage. Our advice on staying safe in Budapest covers the wider city-arrival precautions.

Budapest Airport SIM FAQs

Do I need a new SIM if my home plan already covers Hungary?

No, provided your included roaming allowance and charges suit the trip. Check Hungary’s inclusion, the available data and any fair-use limit before buying another connection. Your domestic allowance may differ from what you can use abroad.

Can I buy an eSIM at the airport instead of a physical SIM?

Telekom offers Travel SIM in eSIM form through an in-person store purchase. Roafly can be purchased and installed before travel.

What if my phone is locked to my home operator?

Have it unlocked before travelling if you want to use another operator’s SIM or eSIM. eSIM support and carrier unlocking are separate requirements; downloading a profile will not remove a carrier lock.