📋 Tender Overview
From February 1 2026 the MAV Group will launch new scheduled international bus services between Budapest and Losonc touching Salgotarjan and Fulek which will provide direct comfortable access between the Hungarian capital and important cities in Southern Slovakia. The new connection not only facilitates cross-border commuting and studying but also further strengthens the regions tourism and family ties. The details of the new services launch were presented at a press conference on January 28 by representatives of the Ministry of Construction and Transport as well as from Banska Bystrica and Nograd counties and MAV Passenger Transport Ltd.
The MAV Group is launching new international bus services between Budapest and Losonc touching Salgotarjan and Fulek starting from February 1 2026 which will provide daily direct travel opportunities between the Hungarian capital and the southern Slovak regions of Fulek and Losonc. The new services will depart from Losonc to Budapest at 5:35 AM and from Budapest to Losonc at 2:40 PM every day. The buses will stop at the same stops as the currently operating express services between Budapest and Salgotarjan on the main road 21 and in addition they will touch the Beszterce housing estate in Salgotarjan as well as the Somoskoujfalu municipal office stop. In Slovakia the buses will stop at the central bus stops of Satorosbanya (Siatorska Bukovinka) Ragyolc (Radzovce) Fulekpuspoki (Biskupice) and Fulekkovacsi (Filakovske Kovace) and in Fulek and Losonc they will also stop at one additional busy downtown stop beyond the bus stations. The services between Budapest and Somoskoujfalu can be used with domestic fare but for the entire length of international travel an international ticket is required. Only international travel is possible on the Slovak section between Satorosbanya and Losonc.
In addition to the Budapest services another pair of services will operate between Salgotarjan and Losonc departing from Salgotarjan to Losonc daily at 4:35 AM and from Losonc to Salgotarjan daily at 7:00 PM except on Sundays. To better serve weekend travel needs an additional service will typically depart from Losonc to Budapest at 5:35 PM on Sundays.
International tickets can be purchased in advance at the ticket offices of Budapest-Nepliget Budapest-Stadion and the Salgotarjan bus station in euros and forints. Advance tickets also include automatic seat reservations. Tickets can only be purchased on board the buses for available seats and only in cash in forints and euros. The full-price ticket costs 8 euros/3200 HUF between Budapest and Fulek and 9.5 euros/3800 HUF between Budapest and Losonc. Young people aged 14 to 25 are entitled to a 50% discount while children under 14 and seniors over 65 can travel for free.
At the press conference introducing the new service Laszlo Taso the ministerial commissioner responsible for the development of road and rail transport in Northeast Hungary at the Ministry of Construction and Transport stated: Bus transport dominates in Nograd County so it is important that we have good quality roads. Since 2010 we have spent about 57 billion forints on road renovations and the 21 road has been renewed in several phases since 2015. We have already seen the planned route of the Vac-Hont-Parassapuszta highway on the drawing board and we hope it can be realized in the near future. In the coming period further development of transport will be a huge task and we must work together to ensure that residents of the region can continuously advance both physically and metaphorically without borders.
Nandor Skuczi the president of the Nograd County Municipality emphasized: Since 2017 we have been thinking together with the leaders of Banska Bystrica County who have helped access local tourist attractions and recreational opportunities by launching ski buses. Since March last year buses have also been arriving in Salgotarjan from Losonc and in 2024 we initiated the launch of a direct bus service from Budapest to Losonc. I thank the leadership of MAV and the government of Hungary for making this request a reality. Our common goal is to connect Nograd and Banska Bystrica. Infrastructure development greatly supports the economic development of the regions and we can also strengthen cultural and social connections so that those born here can thrive here.
Akos Kameniczky the managing director of MAV Passenger Transport Zrt. stated: Last March five new daily services were launched from Losonc. Now we are only launching one new direct service early in the morning from Losonc and returning in the afternoon from Budapest yet we have created a transport corridor that overall provides 7-8 connections between the two cities daily. With the December timetable change the number of services between Salgotarjan and Budapest increased by 30% and during peak times it is possible to travel from the county seat to the capital every 30 minutes. The services between Salgotarjan and Losonc can connect to this transport system and the direct service will fit into this as well. When we started its preparation we aimed to consider not only the professional traffic between the two cities but also the students from Losonc studying in Budapest which is why an extra service will depart on Sunday afternoons to assist their travel. Additionally we have made further progress towards restoring the previous intense Slovak-Hungarian bus traffic.
Together with the services operated by the Slovak SAD Lucenec between Losonc - Fulek - Salgotarjan there will already be 6 services available daily in each direction between Salgotarjan Fulek and Losonc. In addition to the direct service starting on February 1 we also provide additional travel options with transfers between Budapest and Losonc as the Slovak providers services between Losonc Fulek and Salgotarjan offer favorable transfer opportunities at the Salgotarjan bus station to domestic bus services operating between Budapest and Salgotarj
