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Voykit pocket guide · Hungary
Szolnok
Give Szolnok one night as a rail stop between Budapest and Debrecen, or a half-day for the Tisza bridges, the spa and the aviation museum.
Szolnok is a Great Plain rail junction of about 73,000 people, 100 km east-southeast of Budapest, where the Tisza and Zagyva meet. Armies destroyed it repeatedly, so almost nothing predates the 18th century; its rebuilt squares, riverside and museums carry a short visit. Most travellers pass through by train or use it as a base for the county.
- Country
- Hungary
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, grey), late Jun heat spikes
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- HUF
- Money
- Currency is the Hungarian forint (HUF, Ft). Cards are widely accepted in Budapest.
- Daily spend
- Budget Ft 9,000–14,000 excl. bed · Mid Ft 14,000–24,000 excl. bed · High Ft 24,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Yettel, Telekom and One (Vodafone) sell prepaid SIMs; passport needed.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112 · Ambulance 104 · Police 107 · Fire 105
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard continental two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurant without service charge: 10–15%, said as you pay.; Restaurant with szervízdíj: Nothing extra.; Taxi: Round up.; Bath masseur: HUF 1,000–2,000.
- Water
- Tap water is safe. Restaurants sell bottled water; ask for 'csapvíz'.
- Toilets
- Public toilets often charge HUF 200–400; carry coins.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | Ft 500–900 |
| Daily menu (napi menü) at a restaurant | Ft 790–990 |
| Draught beer / can at a shop | Ft 600–900 / Ft 300–450 |
| Bus line ticket (newsstand / driver) | Ft 270 / Ft 350 |
| Museum entry, adult | Ft 300–2,500 |
| Taxi across the centre | Ft 1,500–2,500 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | Ft 2,000–4,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BUD · Budapest Liszt Ferenc International
- About 82 km; train or Route 4 by car, roughly 1.5–2 h door to doorAbout 51 mi; train or Route 4 by car, roughly 1.5–2 h door to door
- DEB · Debrecen International
- About 130 km; rail via Szolnok on line 100, roughly 2–3 hAbout 81 mi; rail via Szolnok on line 100, roughly 2–3 h
Typical fares
- Budapest-Nyugati → Szolnok, train
- about Ft 2,500, 1 h 18 min–1 h 55 min
- Bus line ticket
- Ft 270 newsstand, Ft 350 from driver
- Tiszaliget lido day ticket
- about Ft 1,650 adult
Get around
Buses are the only public transport; the north of the city is better covered than the south and night services are rare. Buy line tickets at newsstands (Ft 270) rather than from the driver (Ft 350); a one-day pass is Ft 1,050 and a one-week pass Ft 2,000. The centre is walkable and parking is usually easy.
See and do
Known for
- Tiszavirág footbridge over the Tisza
- RepTár aviation museum
- Tiszaliget thermal lido
- Tisza mayfly bloom in June
- Goulash Festival
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Jászberény | Bus or train via Szolnok, roughly 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Túrkeve | Bus from Szolnok bus station, roughly 1.5 h | About 2 h |
| Mezőtúr | Train on line 120/125 toward Békéscsaba, roughly 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Budapest | InterCity from Szolnok station, 1 h 18 min–1 h 55 min | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Belváros (city centre, Kossuth tér)
- Museums, Beer Museum, cafés and the Tiszavirág bridge on foot; best for one night without a car.
- Tiszaliget
- Riverside park across the footbridge with the thermal lido and sports facilities; quiet, 15–20 min walk from the centre.
- Around Szolnok railway station (Jubileum tér)
- Practical for early departures; buses to the centre, about 10 min.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good day | Jó napotyoh NAH-pot |
| Thank you | KöszönömKUR-sur-nurm |
| Excuse me / Sorry | ElnézéstEL-nay-zaysht |
| How much is it? | Mennyibe kerül?MEN-nyee-beh KEH-rool |
| The bill, please | A számlát, kéremaw SAM-lat KAY-rem |
| Where is the toilet? | Hol van a WC?hol vawn aw vay-tsay |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Jó napot, handshake; avoid: First names with elders
- Names: Family name first when written; avoid: Assuming the second name is the surname
- Toasts: Eye contact; avoid: Clinking beer glasses with older people
- History: Listen; avoid: Joking about Trianon or 1956
- Home visit: Shoes off; flowers or wine; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly
Scams and watch-outs
- Trains from Budapest run 1 h 18 min to 1 h 55 min depending on service, and delays are common: allow slack for connections.
- The Turkish bridge remains at the Tisza–Zagyva confluence are visible only at extremely low water.
- The Open-Air Water Museum needs pre-registration.
- Some spa and museum hours are seasonal or limited to weekdays: check before you go.
Szolnok is a calm, low-crime city by Hungarian standards; the real friction is infrequent night buses, uneven pavements, and summer heat on the open riverside. Keep to lit streets near Kossuth tér and Tiszaliget after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Szolnok yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tiszavirág footbridge over the Tisza
- RepTár aviation museum
- Tiszaliget thermal lido
- Tisza mayfly bloom in June
- Goulash Festival
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Szolnok official city site: info.szolnok.hu/
- Wikivoyage: Szolnok, revision 5261555 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5261555
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Szolnok
Erre a címre, kérem
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Szolnok; most countries keep embassies in Budapest.
Tourinform is at Kossuth tér 9, with a kiosk on the square; the free Szolnoki Est program magazine appears fortnightly.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/szolnok). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.