Hungary
Travel Destination – Hungary
Hungary is a captivating Central European destination known for its grand architecture, historic towns, and thermal spa culture. The capital, Budapest, attracts travellers with its impressive parliament building, historic bridges across the Danube River, and vibrant café and restaurant scene. Beyond the capital, visitors explore medieval castles, picturesque villages, and natural landscapes such as Lake Balaton, one of Europe’s largest freshwater lakes.
Hungary has modern medical facilities, however travel preparation remains useful to address common travel-related health concerns and reduce the risk of transmission of internationally circulating infectious diseases.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before travelling to Hungary, arranging an appointment with a travel doctor is recommended. Your doctor can discuss health considerations relevant to your itinerary, whether you plan to explore Budapest and other major cities, travel through rural wine regions, visit Lake Balaton, or spend time hiking and cycling in national parks and countryside areas. Advice may also include confirming your vaccinations are current, packing appropriate medications, and managing chronic health conditions while overseas.
Ideally, travellers should schedule their appointment six to eight weeks before departure to allow time for multi-dose vaccinations. However, even if departure is approaching soon, a last-minute consultation can still provide important health advice. Comprehensive travel insurance covering overseas medical treatment is strongly recommended.
Insect avoidance
Ticks and mosquitoes are active in Hungary, especially during warmer months in forested areas, wetlands, and grassy countryside. Some insects may carry infections such as lyme disease or tick-borne encephalitis, although the overall risk for travellers is generally low.
Travellers planning outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, camping, or visiting lakeside areas should take steps to avoid insect bites. Wearing long-sleeved clothing and closed-toe footwear helps reduce skin exposure. Applying insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin provides additional protection. After spending time outdoors, travellers should check their skin and clothing carefully for ticks and remove any promptly. Treating clothing with permethrin can offer further protection when spending extended time in rural or wooded environments.
Food and water hygiene
Hungarian cuisine is hearty and flavourful, with traditional dishes such as goulash, paprika-spiced stews, fresh breads, and pastries. Food safety standards in Hungary are generally high, and tap water is considered safe to drink throughout the country. Nevertheless, travellers may occasionally develop gastroenteritis, particularly when eating unfamiliar foods or dining in busy tourist areas.
To prevent gastrointestinal illness, maintaining good hand hygiene by washing hands with soap and water. If handwashing facilities are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. If cooking your own food, avoid contamination, cook food thoroughly, and ensure it is stored properly. When dining out, choose meals that are freshly prepared and served hot, and exercise caution with buffet-style foods that may sit at room temperature for extended periods.
Rabies prevention
Rabies is rare in Hungary, but the virus can occasionally occur in wildlife such as bats and some wild mammals. Although the risk for travellers is low, it is still important to avoid contact with unfamiliar animals.
Travellers should not approach or handle wild animals or stray dogs and cats, even if they appear healthy. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is usually not necessary for most travellers to Hungary but may be considered for those working with animals, exploring caves, or spending extended time in rural areas.
Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure from a potentially infected animal should be assessed by a medical professional as soon as possible, as rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop if untreated.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Hungary?
Measles
+
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection spread through airborne respiratory droplets and direct contact with infected respiratory secretions. Symptoms typically include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a widespread rash that usually begins on the face before spreading across the body. Although vaccination programs have significantly reduced cases, outbreaks continue to occur across Europe including in Hungary. Travellers born during or after 1966 should ensure they have received two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) before travelling overseas.
Influenza
+
Influenza is a contagious viral respiratory illness that spreads mainly through droplets produced when infected people cough, sneeze, or speak. Symptoms commonly include sudden fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, cough, and sore throat. Seasonal influenza circulates annually in Hungary, particularly during the European winter months, however transmission can occur year-round with international travel. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all travellers aged six months and older, especially those at higher risk of complications such as older adults, pregnant women, and people with chronic medical conditions.
COVID-19
+
COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and transmitted primarily through airborne particles and close contact with infected individuals. Symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell. The virus continues to circulate globally, including across Hungary. Travellers should ensure they are up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations according to the Australian Immunisation Handbook. This includes six-monthly booster doses for adults aged 75 years and over and annual boosters for adults aged 65 to 74 years, with additional boosters recommended for some individuals with underlying health conditions.
Tick-borne encephalitis
+
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral infection transmitted by tick bites and occurs in parts of Hungary, particularly in forested and grassy areas during the warmer months (spring to early autumn). Travellers who plan hiking, camping, or rural outdoor activities may be at increased risk.
Prevention focuses on avoiding tick bites by wearing long sleeves and trousers, using insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin, performing regular tick checks, and promptly removing any attached ticks. For travellers with significant outdoor exposure in endemic regions, TBE vaccination should be discussed with a healthcare provider before travel.
Routine vaccinations
+
Routine immunisations remain an important part of travel health preparation for Hungary. Before departure, travellers should confirm that standard vaccines recommended in Australia are current. Protection against diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, mumps, and rubella help reduce the risk of infection while travelling internationally. A travel health consultation can determine whether booster doses are needed, particularly for adults who may not have received routine vaccinations in many years. Additional vaccinations such as hepatitis A and hepatitis B may be recommended depending on travel plans and risk factors, so consult with a travel doctor whether these are recommended for you.
Hungary
Other health risks in Hungary
Gastroenteritis
+
Gastroenteritis, often called travellers’ diarrhoea, can occur in Hungary despite the country’s high food and water safety standards. Bacterial gastroenteritis can be caused by contaminated food and water, and viral gastroenteritis can spread easily in crowded environments including hotels, cruise vessels on the Danube, and tourist attractions.
Symptoms typically develop within one to three days after exposure, including diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and sometimes fever. The most important treatment is maintaining hydration, ideally using oral rehydration solutions. Most cases are mild and resolve within a few days, however seek medical attention if symptoms are severe, persistent, or associated with dehydration.
Rabies
+
Rabies is rare in Hungary, but the virus can occasionally occur in wildlife such as bats and some wild mammals. Although the risk for travellers is low, it is still important to avoid contact with unfamiliar animals.
Travellers should not approach or handle wild animals or stray dogs and cats, even if they appear healthy. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is usually not necessary for most travellers to Hungary but may be considered for those working with animals, exploring caves, or spending extended time in rural areas.
Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure from a potentially infected animal should be assessed by a medical professional as soon as possible, as rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop if untreated.
Lyme disease
+
Lyme disease occurs in Hungary and is transmitted through the bite of infected Ixodes ticks, particularly in forested or grassy areas. Travellers spending time hiking, camping, or exploring rural landscapes may be at greater risk.
Early symptoms can include fatigue, fever, headache, and an expanding circular rash known as erythema migrans, although this rash does not occur in every case. If untreated, lyme disease can affect the joints, nervous system, and heart, so seek prompt medication for early diagnosis and effective antibiotic treatment. Prevent tick bites by wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent, and checking for ticks after outdoor activities.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
+
While the risks posed by crime and civil unrest in Hungary are generally low, travellers should check Smartraveller for the latest updates before and during their trip. Travellers should remain aware of their surroundings, keep valuables secure, and be cautious in crowded locations such as train stations, markets, and major attractions.
Deep vein thrombosis
+
Travelling from Australia to Hungary usually involves long-haul flights that reduce leg movement, slow blood flow, and increase the risk of blood clots in the legs, referred to as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
To reduce risk during long flights, travellers should stand and walk regularly, perform simple leg exercises while seated, and remain well hydrated. Individuals with additional risk factors such as previous clotting disorders, pregnancy, recent surgery, or certain medical conditions should seek personalised medical advice before travel. Wearing below-knee compression stockings may also be recommended in some cases.