Hours are simple. The Parliament opens to visitors every day of the year apart from Christmas and New Year’s Day, from 08:00 until 18:00 in summer or 16:00 in winter, with the 45-minute tours running through the day. What can catch you out is a sitting of the National Assembly or a state event, either of which can stop visits at very short notice. The other thing to get right is which slot to book to avoid the tour groups.
Opening hours
Summer (1 April to 31 October)
| Monday | 08:00-18:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00-18:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00-18:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00-18:00 |
| Friday | 08:00-18:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00-18:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00-18:00 |
Tours run through the day. Visits pause at short notice for sittings and state events.
Winter (1 November to 31 March)
| Monday | 08:00-16:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00-16:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00-16:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00-16:00 |
| Friday | 08:00-16:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00-16:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00-16:00 |
Tours run through the day. Visits pause at short notice for sittings and state events. In 2024 and 2025 visits stopped on 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January, and on 31 December there were no tours from 14:00.
Best times to visit
Time of day
The first tour of the day is the quietest, and late afternoon is the second-best window, once the day-trippers have headed back.
The mid-morning to early afternoon stretch, roughly 10:00 to 14:00, is when school groups, coach tours and same-day buyers tend to cluster, and those slots go first. For the building lit up after the last tour, see the Parliament at night.
Day of the week
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are consistently quieter, and their slots are less likely to be pulled for a sitting. Weekends are open as normal but visitor numbers spike; if a Saturday or Sunday is your only option, aim for the first tour.
Season
March to May and September to October are the best months to go, with comfortable weather for the riverside walk, fewer visitors than summer, and the long summer hours from April.
November to February is the quietest period, with a shorter day (the building closes at 16:00) but slots available closer to the date. The interior is the destination, so the weather outside barely matters.
June to August is the busiest season. The 18:00 closing helps, but book early.
How long to spend
The tour is fixed at 45 minutes, and the official figure includes the security check. Any time beyond that goes on finding the entrance and on whatever else you’re seeing that day.
Tour only, 45 minutes
The fixed-pace walk through the Grand Staircase, the Dome Hall with the Holy Crown, the Upper House lounge and the Old Upper House Chamber, led by Parliament staff.
At the Visitor Centre, about an hour
Arrive 15 minutes early, clear security, take the tour, and exit. Add a few minutes to find the underground entrance at the north end of the square.
Half-day with the riverfront, 2.5 to 3 hours
Pair the Parliament with Shoes on the Danube and a walk over to the Buda side for the postcard photo across the river.
Guided city tour with the Parliament, 4 hours 30 minutes
A live guide and a coach through the Castle District, Gellért Hill and City Park, finishing with a guided tour of the Parliament.
Insider tips
An empty date is not always a sold-out date
The official booking calendar can show only the next few days. A later date that shows nothing may simply not be on sale yet, so check back rather than assuming the worst.