Free senior citizen travel in Hungary

Good morning,
I will ask my husband about this subject.
He also gets free travel within Hungary because he is over age 65, retired and a EU citizen.
Hungary from what we have read is the only EU country to give free, totally free travel to seniors.
Many other EU countries just offer discount prices.
HU is generous as it gives this perk to all EU citizens and not just their own people.
I know they have you pay extra if you wish first class tickets on trains and if you take a water ferry.
Those are about the only exceptions we know of.
Those age 62 with  with papers to prove retirement should also qualify for a discount monthly pass on buses and trams, also discount trains tickets. They issue a booklet mailed to your home with a couple of free tickets for trains each year.  A sort of bonus each year until age 65.

Just spoke to my HU husband. He has never traveled that much for free in HU, we use  our car since I have to pay full price for public transportation and petrol  works out about even time wise, stress wise etc.
Perhaps someday we will both travel for free within HU but sort of doubt I'll be there that long.
He says it makes sense to purchase the ticket, pay before boarding the train for travel within another country.
You just have to know your destination and pay from what they consider the HU boarder station to where you get out in another country.
So pay before boarding and heading out.

What I would like to know is this:
When I turn 62 next year and collect my own SS from the US ( taking an early out!!) can I qualify for a discount monthly travel pass since I am a HU resident although not a citizen of a EU country.
My resident permit for HU is a family permit to stay as I am dependent on my Hungarian husband for my right to stay in HU. As a person from a 3rd country we do not get the same rights as others even if we have family ties to HU?
I must say my husband had a very hard time with the office workers at BKV when he was 62 and applied for his discount monthly pass. He had all paperwork from the US SS office, his HU papers as well, he is a dual citizen of HU/US, born in HU.
He had a heck of a time getting his pass back then, He knows sometimes some workers resent others and don't want to give anything or help at all.
It is a mystery to him why from our experience and the experiences of other coming home to HU after many years away that some people are angry at them for leaving in the first place and don't offer any help or even do their jobs properly without one having to give a fight about it first.
Resentment maybe.  He wrote several letters to the head office of BKV before he got the pas which comes easy for all other HU citizens, why they hold out on some citizens is still a mystery.

So you mean that if I travel on the inter city from Budapest to Vienna, I buy a ticket from Hegyeshalom to Vienna at the Budapest international ticket office, together with my inter city supplement. I save my 30 euros and avoid breaking my journey?

Yes, that seems the way to go, no need to get off the train and buy a ticket at the end of the HU line and no need to take a chance with the ticket agent on board to write you up for not having a ticket between any off limit areas before buying for the later part of your trip outside the HU limits.
Good luck and safe travels.

I think you right! I could never figure how the HU Gov., was so generous about offering every EU citizen (and resident I guess) FREE travel on public trans etc., over the age of 65. I don't think any other EU country has reciprocated yet! Strange...

It is generous of the HU gov. to offer the free travel to all EU citizens.
I know many seniors in Hungary can barely afford to eat and pay bills let alone pay for travel.
Heard they were considering cutting this perk.If they do it would put many local seniors in a bind.
If they must cut this service I would hope they keep it for Hu citizens at least.

Yes leave this perk for Hungarians, citizens and residents would be fair but as long as the other EU countries don't reciprocate I would otherwise get rid of it as the HU BKV has money problems already!

peddington wrote:

Yes leave this perk for Hungarians, citizens and residents would be fair but as long as the other EU countries don't reciprocate....

EU law doesn't allow discrimination between HU and EU citizens.  It does allow differentiation on residential status.  EU law does not work on a reciprocal basis.

They are considering stopping free travel for over 60s in the UK too but they probably will not because as it turns out, many older people are doing things like volunteering or looking after grandchildren.  If they have to pay for travel, then they'd be less inclined to volunteer/travel to grandchildren etc.  Knock on effects could be substantial.

I know some senior Hungarians live on less then $200. a month.
Don't even want to think how far they must stretch their budget.
Tourists and ex pats in HUngary usually have allot more income and resources then that.
They do offer free lunches in senior centers around Hungary but  without transportation many would go without a meal. They do home delivery for shut in's but that is probably more pricey then giving free bus rides.
It is no joy ride most times for older people to catch a bus or tram.

The other extreme is some seniors have so much extra time and money that many trains and buses going to summer resorts area are full in the mornings with free senior riders, not even one person on board paid for a ticket.
Guess life is not fair but some people really do need a bit of help.
The sad thing is these low income seniors were the ones who built up Hungary after the war, grew up in hard times and knew nothing but long hours of work.
Not their fault that the system changed under their feet and their small SS just doesn't cut it.
Not speaking for myself or husband, just trying to be a bit socially aware of issues that face some people in my new home country.
A bit of sympathy for their suffering.Not saying anyone here does not feel for the poor, just it would really hurt allot of people if they cut this service.