While Hungary’s hills aren’t high enough to host world-class slopes, several pleasant pistes welcome skiers and snowboarders for wintertime fun complete with lifts, equipment rental, and cozy lodges for relaxing between runs with hot chocolate or cold beer. Here we present three Hungarian ski resorts that are perfect for a day trip from Budapest – including one that’s accessible with public transportation – along with specific directions for how to visit them from the city.
Dobogókő winter resort
With a peak elevation of just 699 meters, the hilltop village of Pilisszentkereszt will never host a Winter Olympics, but this Danube Bend high point is located just 39 kilometers north of Budapest and can be reached entirely by public transportation from downtown on an intrepid one-day excursion. The charmingly humble Dobogókő winter resort features two slopes that both have an altitude of 168 meters; one stretches 860 meters while the other is 1,260 meters long. Experienced skiers can have a little fun on the steep upper portion of slope 1, but overall this is a perfect place for beginners of all ages – ski rental and lessons are available. Unfortunately, Dobogókő offers only one platter-style surface lift which is difficult for snowboarders to use, so skiing is pretty much the only option here. However, the nearby Zsindelyes lodge (a welcoming cabin-like bar and eatery built with Hungarian folk-art architecture and panoramic windows) is a fine place to hang out for a few hours, so even non-skiers can have a good time if joining a group day trip to Dobogókő – and for overnight wintry adventures, check out the resort’s heated yurts that can each accommodate eight hardy guests.
Prices: Lift tickets – from 400 forints per single ride to 4,000 forints for an adult day pass on weekends. Rental equipment – complete sets of skis, boots, and poles are available Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (usually) for 2,500 forints for two hours to 4,000 forints for a full day; other ski equipment (helmets, goggles) is available for rental, but no snowboards are offered. More details
Online info: The official Dobogókő website offers plenty of English-language information about the resort, including frequently updated snow conditions; the resort also maintains a Facebook page.
How to get there from Budapest: By public transportation, begin at the HÉV commuter train station at Buda’s Batthyány Square and take the H5 train toward Szentendre, getting off at Pomáz. Walk across the street from the Pomáz HÉV stop to the local bus station and catch the bus to Dobogókő; the ski slopes are located 500 meters away from the Dobogókő bus stop. By car, take road 11 north of Buda towards Szentendre, turning left onto Dobogókői Avenue through Pomáz and continue on this road to Dobogókő.
Nagyvillám ski resort
A little (but not much) further north of Budapest, also located in the Danube Bend region on a hillside just outside of Visegrád, the four pistes of Nagyvillám present basic-but-complete winter-sports facilities welcoming skiers, snowboarders, and even sledders for all kinds of amusing downhill action. Here the slopes include a fairly challenging run from the highest point, a winding forest trail, some fun short stretches with floodlights for night skiing, and a dedicated ski-school descent – and almost anyone can enjoy the separated 150-meter sledding area or the snow-tubing section. All skiing and snowboarding equipment, sleds, and snow tubes can be rented onsite, while a heated hutte welcomes visitors for filling food and hot or cold (or hard) beverages. There is no chairlift at Nagyvillám; although the main J-bar surface lift is a little easier for snowboarders than Dobogókő’s platter lift, skiiers still have an advantage when ascending here. Regardless, anyone who reaches the upper summits can admire panoramic views featuring the centuries-old Visegrád Castle and the curving Danube River, providing truly picturesque peak experiences. Read more about Nagyvillám in this article.
Prices: Lift tickets – weekdays from 3,000 forints for two hours to 3,800 forints for eight hours for adults; weekends from 3,900 forints for two hours to 4,900 forints for eight hours. Rental equipment: complete sets of skis, boots, and poles are available for 3,000 forints for two hours to 5,500 forints for the full day; snowboards and boots are available for 3,500 forints for two hours to 6,500 forints for the full day. More details about lift tickets and rentals (in Hungarian)
Online info: The official Nagyvillám website offers basic English-language information about the resort, including frequently updated ski conditions; check the Facebook page for more details.
How to get there from Budapest: By car, take road 11 north of Buda through Szentendre and continue until taking a left turn just past the riverside village of Szentgyörgypuszta (if you go into Visegrád, you’ve missed the turn); look for the “sípálya” sign on the left side of the road, and there take a left uphill. Snow tires are necessary for the slippery road up to the base station, but a highway pass is not needed for this trip.
Intersport ski arena
Tucked atop the forested mini-mountains of Eplény, found north of Lake Balaton and west of Budapest, Intersport is Hungary’s premier winter-sports wonderland – and since it only takes about an hour and a half to drive there from Budapest, this is a reasonable destination for a day trip. Even expert athletes must test their skills to get down the most difficult slopes here – including one that starts off as an easy run before suddenly dropping dramatically – but beginners and moderate-level skiers and snowboarders will find plenty of delightful downhill options among the 16 pistes spanning a total of almost eight kilometers. Along with five surface lifts, this is the country’s only ski resort with a chairlift, making it especially popular among snowboarders; the chairlift is also used during summertime for mountain-biking descents. The two-story wooden lodge offers complete ski and snowboard rentals, an equipment shop, and a large dining hall that turns into something of a party scene during night-skiing sessions. While Intersport can be thoroughly experienced within a one-day excursion from Budapest, several nearby hotels and guesthouses make this a lovely destination for a weekend getaway.
Prices: Lift tickets – weekdays from 4,900 forints for two hours to 8,400 forints for the full day; weekends from 5,700 forints for two hours to 9,500 forints for the full day. Rental equipment – complete ski and snowboard rentals are available; prices vary depending on equipment levels. More details about lift tickets and rentals (in Hungarian)
Online info: Unfortunately, the official Intersport website does not contain any English information, although it is thoroughly updated with current snow conditions; the Facebook page can be useful.
How to get there from Budapest: By car, take highway M7 southeast of Budapest towards Lake Balaton (make sure to purchase a highway pass) before exiting onto road 8 around Székesfehérvár; continue on road 8 until turning right toward Hajmáskér. Continue past Hajmáskér on Kossuth Lajos Street until reaching road 82, and take a right leading directly to Eplény; the right turn to the ski resort is just past the central part of town.
