The Hungarian Parliament Building at night, glowing over the Danube river, and a cruise passing in front.

Best 12 Night Cruises & Boat Tours in Budapest

A curated guide of the best night and evening boat tours in Budapest

Disclaimer: we’re an independent blog but some of our posts contain affiliate links. If you buy through those links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost to our readers.

Searching for the best Budapest night or evening cruise for you? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve curated the best-reviewed options available and compiled this guide, offering a detailed look at the best night boat tours in Budapest. 

Whether you want to relax, learn about the city, enjoy its beauty, watch a live show or simply party, there’s a Budapest night cruise for every occasion.

Going to Budapest? Travel smart.

• Get a miniBUD transfer between the airport and the city center
• Stay in Budapest with Booking.com
• Find the cheapest flights with Kiwi.com
• Get an Airalo eSim to use your smartphone abroad
• Find the best tours with GetYourGuide and Viator

1. Budapest River Cruise at night with welcome drink

Duration: 1 hour
Highlights: Budget-friendly night cruise
Starting times: 6:15 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:15 PM, 9:30 PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

For a short yet delightful cruise on the Danube at night, this is a great option. Boarding at Dock 42 near Szent István Park, you’ll be welcomed with a complimentary drink, whether alcoholic or not. As you relax, soak in panoramic views of Budapest’s best landmarks like the Parliament, Buda Castle, or the Chain Bridge.

Not only is this one of the most affordable choices, but it’s also one of the most popular, with excellent reviews. It offers a stunning display of Budapest’s nighttime beauty, illuminated and reflected over the Danube.

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks (only one)

 Guide

❌ Food

❌ Music

2. Evening Sightseeing Cruise with Unlimited Prosecco

Duration: 75 minutes
Highlights: Unlimited prosecco
Starting times: 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, 7:45 PM, 9:45 PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

If you’re looking for more than just a beautiful view of the city by night, this Budapest river cruise offers a bit of extra fun. While you’ll still enjoy the iconic nighttime sights of Budapest, you’ll have the added bonus of unlimited refills of sparkling wine or homemade lemonade throughout the journey.

Also, for an even better experience, you can consider the food options available: the “Dip ‘n’ Crust” package includes three savory dips with rosemary focaccia. And you can also try a truffle pasta made fresh in a giant Parmesan wheel. Meanwhile, an audio guide will be pointing out the key landmarks, ensuring you don’t miss a thing.

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Guide (Audioguide)

✔️ Unlimited prosecco

✔️ Food options available

❌ Music

3. Dinner Cruise with Operetta and Folk Show

Duration: 2.5 hours
Highlights: Live Performances
Starting times: 7:30 PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

If you’re seeking a memorable evening that blends exquisite dining with live entertainment, this dinner cruise is the perfect choice. Ok, it’s pricier than some others; and no, there’s no guide. But this is not exactly a tour: you’ll get to try a sumptuous 4 or 7-course meal crafted by the ship’s chef, with both Hungarian and international food.

The best part? Throughout your journey, you’ll have an amazing live show featuring gypsy music and folk dance. And you’ll hardly find a better way to experience the local culture, while taking in the stunning night views of Budapest. Two and half hours made of fine dinning, live performances and incredible views. You’ll get what you pay for.

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks 

✔️ Food (4-7 course meal)

✔️ Music (music & dance show)

 Guide

4. Dinner Cruise with Piano Show

Duration: 2.5 hours
Highlights: Piano show
Starting times: 7:30 PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

Looking for a more romantic night cruise? This might be your boat. For a refined evening on the Danube, this 2.5-hour dinner cruise will give you a great dinner (4 or 7 courses) and a live music concert, as you embark from under the Elizabeth Bridge on the Pest side.

The highlight of the evening is a unique piano show, featuring two talented pianists. The hostess provides insightful commentary on the melodies, and, as you sail from Margaret Bridge to the city’s final bridge and back, you’ll enjoy views of landmarks like the Parliament Building, Fisherman’s Bastion, and the Royal Palace. A truly unforgettable experience, especially if you’re feeling romantic. 

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks

✔️ Food (4-7 course meal)

✔️ Music (music & dance show)

 Guide

5. Boat Party on the River Danube

Duration: 2.5 hours
Highlights: 2-hour party
Starting times: 9:30 PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

This cruise’s name says it all: while you’ll still catch glimpses of the city’s famous sights between Margit and Lágymányosi bridges, this boat is made for those who want to experience Budapest in full party mode. 

Depending on the package you choose, you’ll be treated to a selection of drinks to keep the celebration going. And after the cruise, the party continues as the staff escorts you to a party bus that takes you straight to a downtown club, where guaranteed and skip-the-line entry awaits to cap off an unforgettable night.

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks

✔️ Music

❌ Guide

❌ Food

6. Evening Cruise including Drinks and Live Music

Duration: 1.5h or 2h
Highlights: Budget-friendly live music cruise
Starting times: 7PM,10PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

If you’re seeking a budget-friendly Budapest river cruise that still delivers on drinks and live music, this option is a great pick. While there’s no guided commentary, you’ll be treated to stunning views of the city’s iconic sites illuminated at night along the Danube. The highlight is a live Hungarian folk music show, adding an authentic touch to your evening. 

One of the best features of this Budapest river cruise is the customizable drink packages, although you’ll pay more if you want more. You can choose from a variety of options depending on your budget: starting with a glass of sparkling wine or soft drink, you can also opt for Tokaji wine, two cocktails, three beers, bottomless prosecco, or even an open bar. Not bad, considering that the maximum prices won’t be super high.

Oh, and there are two available departure times that you can choose—7 PM to 9 PM, or 10 PM to 11:30 PM.

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks (different options)

✔️ Music (Live Music)

❌ Guide

❌ Food

7. Organ Concert in the St. Stephen's Basilica & Night Cruise

Duration: 3.5 hours
Highlights: Concert at the Basilika + wine and food tasting
Starting times: 8 PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

This Budapest night cruise is part of a truly special experience. You can start your evening with an organ concert at St. Stephen’s Basilica, the largest church in Budapest, and a stunning example of Neoclassical architecture. The concert is curated by the top organist Miklos Teleki and has musicians like Kolos Kováts and flutist Eleonóra Krusic.

After the concert, you’ll be guided to the pier for a 90-minute night cruise along the Danube. With the basic option, you get to enjoy live music and two cocktails per person. But if you’re looking for an even richer experience, opt for the upgraded package, with the live folk dance performance and a 5-course guided wine and food tasting aboard the Gróf Széchenyi ship. 

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks (wine tasting)

✔️ Music

✔️ Food (food tasting)

❌ Guide

8. Budapest Sunset Cruise with 3 Cocktails

Duration: 80 minutes
Highlight: 3 Cocktails included
Starting times: 5 PM, 6:45 PM, 8:30 PM, 10:15 PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

Maybe you want a night cruise with more than a welcome drink but less than an open bar? If so, this Danube cruise trip is the ideal choice. Board the boat and decide whether to enjoy the open terrace for a prime view of Budapest’s  sunset or relax in the air-conditioned lower deck, which is perfect for cooler evenings.

During the cruise, you’ll be treated to three complimentary cocktails while you admire the city’s beauty. The upper deck offers a fantastic spot to capture striking photos of the city lights beginning to twinkle, in case you opt for the sunset option. 

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks

✔️ Music

 Food (but you can buy snacks onboard)

 Guide

9. Night Walking Tour & Night River Cruise

Duration: 3 hours
Highlights: Walking tour included
Starting times: 7:30 PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

Going on a night cruise in Budapest is an excellent option to watch the city’s beauty, but a walking tour is always more insightful. So why not combining both? Begin with a guided walk through Pest, taking in the sights of the Opera House, Andrássy Avenue, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and Liberty Square, and making sure you learn about the history and legends of Hungary and Budapest. This route will ensure you visit the city’s most beautiful nighttime landmarks.

The evening wraps up with a relaxing 1-hour Danube cruise, complete with a complimentary drink. No doubt a great blend of historical exploration and the breathtaking views of Budapest at night.

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks

✔️ Food

✔️ Live Music / dance show

 Guide

10. Historic Cruise with Tokaj Frizzante

Duration: 1 hour
Highlights: Historical ship with audioguide and a drink
Starting times: 1 PM, 2:30 PM, 4 PM, 5:30 PM, 7 PM, 8:30 PM, 10 PM

Powered by GetYourGuide

For something a bit more fun but still with an audioguide, this historical cruise might be what you’re looking for. From the majestic Budapest Parliament Building to other stunning sites, this tour gives a great historical ambiance to your sightseeing experience. In total, you get to see the city’s top 14 attractions in just one hour. And you do this on a scenic Budapest boat tour, while sipping a glass of the local Tokaj Frizzante wine.

The audioguide is available in more thab 15 languages, and provides great engaging information about each landmark, so it’s perfect to learn about Budapest.

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks (open bar)

✔️ Music

✔️ Guide (audioguide)

 Food

11. Fireworks Cruise with unlimited drinks

Duration: 3 hours
Highlights: Fireworks on St. Stephen’s Day
Starting times: 7 PM 

Powered by GetYourGuide

If you’re in Budapest in August and want to catch the St. Stephen’s Day fireworks, why not do it from a cruise? There’s really no better way to make the experience more special. Picture this: you’re sailing along the Danube at night, surrounded by the glowing lights of Budapest’s attractions, with fireworks lighting up the sky above…with an unlimited drink menu.

And when it comes to food, you’ve got options. The Dip ‘n’ Crust package includes fresh rosemary focaccia with savory dips, while the tapas platter has cured meats and artisanal cheeses. Want to share? Go for the Picnic Box with mini sandwiches, chicken strips, and sweet treats. And if you’re in the mood for something warm, they have a Truffle or Tomato Pasta option.

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks (open bar)

✔️ Music

✔️ Food

❌ Guide

12. Budapest New Year's Boat Cruise

Duration: 4 hours
Highlights: Unlimited drinks / New Year’s eve
Starting times: 10 PM 

Powered by GetYourGuide

For a special occasion, a special cruise. Ring in the New Year with a stylish evening boat along the Danube in Budapest. You can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with no formalities, and cruise past the beautiful sights of Budapest while eating and drinking. And when the clock strikes midnight, toast to the New Year with a glass of Champagne as you pass by the iconic Parliament Building.

After the midnight celebration, continue cruising for another half hour to an hour, with the party lasting until 2:00 AM. Enjoy a memorable New Year’s Eve with great views, delicious food, and endless drinks on this festive cruise.

✔️ Free cancellation

✔️ Reserve now & pay later

✔️ Pay in your currency

✔️ Drinks (unlimited drinks)

✔️ Music

✔️ Food

❌ Guide

More tours & activities in Budapest with our partners

We’ve just showed you a selection of the best walking tours in Budapest by rating and number of reviews. But if you’re interested, there’s a lot more to do in Budapest. Find more below.

Scroll to Top