Conetpass vs BudapestGO: what are the differences for visitors to Budapest

Conetpass and BudapestGO both allow you to manage your journeys on Budapest’s public transport, but they work in different ways. Conetpass is an independent digital pass that provides transport credit through Conetpass powered by Revolut and adds services dedicated to your stay. BudapestGO, on the other hand, is BKK’s official app, through which you can buy single tickets, travelcards and passes for public transport directly. The right choice depends on the type of service the traveller is looking for.

Key points

Conetpass provides a guaranteed capped fare for travel unlimited time on Budapest public transport, airport connections and bike sharing; BudapestGO lets you buy BKK single and specific tickets directly.

• Conetpass is a pass designed for tourists, available for 1, 2, 3 or 4 calendar days, that guarantees a capped fare to travel with no limits on every public transport in Budapest, airport connection and bike sharing included, without any worries about tickets and fares: it is just necessary to tap the pass using the Tap & Go service every time you get on local transport.
• BudapestGO is BKK’s official free app, with a built-in journey planner and real-time service information.
• The airport connection via the 100E, like the miniBUD airport shuttle is included across all Conetpass durations; with BudapestGO it must be purchased as a dedicated ticket.
• HÉV services within Budapest’s city limits are covered both by Conetpass and by standard BKK tickets bought through BudapestGO.
• Conetpass adds Uber credit for bike sharing, a Ubigi eSIM with 500MB and a 10% Tiqets discount, benefits that are not part of BudapestGO.
• The right choice depends on whether the traveller prefers buying single tickets directly with BudapestGO, or having everything included for the selected period with Conetpass.

Conetpass and BudapestGO meet two different needs

The main difference lies in what is actually being purchased.

Conetpass is an independent digital pass operated by Conet. As explained in how the service works, it is the traveller who uses the credit received through Conetpass powered by Revolut to pay for the journey they need with a guaranteed capped fare, this means you can make all the journey you need during your stay, with different local transport, and every journey is covered by the Pass; if the credit is not used up at the end of the trip, you can reuse the pass in one of the other cities where Conetpass is valid.

BudapestGO follows a different model: it is BKK’s official app and brings together digital ticket purchases, journey planning and public transport information. Here you have to buy single tickets for your journey.

Conetpass is a digital pass of transport credit and services for a stay in Budapest. The product provides credit for getting around and includes, alongside urban mobility, an airport connection, Uber credit, a Ubigi eSIM with 500MB of data and a 10% Tiqets discount.

BudapestGO is BKK’s official app for public transport. It lets you buy single tickets, time-based tickets, 24 or 72-hour travelcards and the dedicated ticket for the Airport Express 100E directly. It also includes a journey planner, real-time information and features for using digital tickets, being the official tool developed directly by BKK.

They are therefore two products with different purposes, not two versions of the same pass.

With Conetpass, the traveller uses credit for their own journeys

Conetpass Budapest is available for periods of 1, 2, 3 or 4 calendar days. After purchase, the customer activates Conetpass powered by Revolut and adds it to Apple Pay or Google Pay.

The associated credit is then used for the unlimited trips covered during the stay.

How it works varies by mode of transport:

• metro and Airport Express 100E: Conetpass uses Tap & Go through the digital wallet;
• buses and trams: the traveller buys a single ticket in advance at a ticket machine, using the Conetpass credit.
• miniBUD is included, with a QR code, in the confirmation email of Conetpass.

The credit can also be used on HÉV services within the city limits, according to the applicable conditions.
The key distinction is that Conetpass provides a capped fare and travellers don’t need to buy single tickets or think about the fare, just tap and travel on every local transport for the time they need; at the end of the journey, if the credit is not used up, it is possible to use it again for another trip in other European cities covered by Conetpass.

With BudapestGO, public transport products are purchased directly

BudapestGO brings the purchase (to be paid in forints) and use of digital tickets together within BKK’s official app. BKK states that through BudapestGO you can buy:

• single tickets;
• time-based tickets;
• 24-hour travelcards;
• 72-hour travelcards;
• passes available in the app;
• the ticket for the Airport Express 100E.

The app also lets you plan your journeys using real-time information and integrates MOL Bubi, the city’s bike-sharing service, into journey planning. As the official tool of the transport operator, BudapestGO remains the direct reference point for anyone wanting to check timetables, routes and availability in real time.

To use digital tickets, a smartphone with an active data connection is required. BKK also provides NFC validation: holding the phone near the stickers at metro entrances and on surface vehicles displays the animation needed for inspection.

BKK travelcards and Conetpass credit are two different models

This distinction matters.

BKK’s 24 and 72-hour travelcards are tickets offering unlimited travel during their period of validity. Their duration is calculated from the date and time indicated, and does not cover the 100E airport bus but just metro, tram and bus in Budapest

Conetpass, on the other hand, uses a system based on travel credit. Passes are available for 1, 2, 3 or 4 calendar days, and the credit is used to pay for the journey needed with a simple tap & go with no worries about fares and tickets. With Conetpass, the 100E connection, airport shuttle miniBUD and bike sharing by Uber Lime are included across all durations.

The difference therefore lies both in the usage model and in how the duration is calculated.

The airport connection works differently

The transfer between Budapest Liszt Ferenc airport and the city centre also highlights the difference between the two options.

With Conetpass, the 100E connection is included across all available durations, and the service uses Tap & Go through Conetpass powered by Revolut.

With BudapestGO, the traveller can buy the dedicated 100E ticket directly in the app. BKK specifies that the standard single ticket is not valid on this line, and that the 100E requires a specific Airport Shuttle Bus Single Ticket.

BKK’s 24 and 72-hour travelcards do not cover the 100E either.

Conetpass includes services that go beyond public transport

This is probably where the clearest difference between the two products emerges.

BudapestGO is built around mobility: buying and managing tickets, planning journeys and providing public transport information, with the advantage of being the official tool maintained directly by BKK.

Conetpass, by contrast, builds its package around the broader needs of a stay in Budapest. Every package includes, alongside transport credit and the airport connection:

• Uber credit;
• a free Ubigi eSIM with 500MB of preloaded data;
• a 10% Tiqets discount for museums, attractions and experiences;
• the option to keep Conetpass powered by Revolut in the wallet and top it up for a future trip.

The eSIM is sent with the purchase confirmation and needs to be activated through Ubigi.

What happens when the trip is over

Once the trip is over, any remaining credit on Conetpass can be used for public transport in a later European city where Conet operates. In the case of BudapestGO, tickets that have been bought and are unused or partially used are neither refundable nor cancellable.

Conetpass or BudapestGO: which one to choose

Conetpass may suit those looking for a digital pass that brings together travel credit, an airport connection and additional services, without having to arrange these elements of the trip separately.

BudapestGO may be better suited to those who want to manage BKK products directly, choosing independently between single tickets, time-based tickets, travelcards and passes, and using the same official digital environment for journey planning and real-time information.

There is therefore no single best choice. The difference mainly comes down to whether the traveller prefers an integrated digital package with credit and services, or direct management of individual public transport products through BKK’s official channel.

But what the customers say about the two services

Looking on Trustpilot, it is possible to see what customers say about their experience with the two different services. Since BKK and Conetpass are separate providers, each has its own Trustpilot profile, listed below, with ratings and comments that are updated over time directly by users.

BKK, the official public transport operator

Conetpass, the independent digital pass service

Reading both profiles gives a fuller picture than relying on either service’s own marketing, and is worth checking directly since ratings and comments change as new reviews come in.

Conetpass vs BudapestGO at a glance

Frequently asked questions about Conetpass and BudapestGO

Budapest is one of the cities covered by the wider Conetpass network. For the full list of Conetpass city sites, see the Conetpass network directory.