Safety in Budapest at night - Solo female traveler

Hopefully our resident Budapest expert will respond. We were there in the summer prior to the pandemic and felt perfectly safe in the evening. Now, our perception of safe is formed from many hours in Chicago and New York.

There is one statistical website that tracks crime and safety by city, and Budapest is very, very, very safe. I stay on a street that I'd a popular shortcut between two town centers and I see single women walking alone until late in the night. https://www.numbeo.com/crime/in/Budapest

You will use the 2 Tram, 47/49 Tram. 1 Metro and Vaci utca to reach the majority of the markets. All safe.

Solo traveler here, 6 visits to beautiful Budapest and counting--I have been out and about later in the evening returning from train trips and theatrical productions and the opera and usually stay near the Oktogon--never felt afraid to be out walking alone. Keep your wits about you as you would anywhere. I saw your other post re Vienna and I also felt perfectly fine going around and taking transit in the evening there.

Mister E,
While I too found Budapest safe at night, the website you site that generates a safety score is -- how to put this politely? -- not good.

Per the website: "These data are based on perceptions of visitors of this website in the past 3 years."

Hmm. Nothing like cold hard "crime perception of visitors to our web" stats.

I demand a recount!

I’ll be in Prague, Budapest and Vienna starting in 2 weeks. I come back Nov 8. I’ll report back when I get home but I’m expecting no problems. Also solo traveler, 73 years old. Keeping to lighted areas and adjacent to groups of people etc, just common sense precautions will work I feel.

Our experience is that a lot of Europe tend to dine later in the evening so that puts more people moving about in that 8 till 10, 9 till 11 time period. Always view lots of people on the street as a positive sign. Common sense should always govern.

I have wandered alone at night ( not the middle of the night) regularly during my 3 weeks there last Oct. and March, and I am sure I will again on my next week. The Christmas markets will be full of people out enjoying the lights and festivities as well! Use common sense, but it’s a safe city in the areas you will be in. Have fun!

The biggest danger I have found thus far into my 8 nights solo in Budapest is little curbs and tiny steps that are unexpected and unforgiving.

They've tripped me up, literally, more than once.

There have been plenty of people on the streets after dark to both feel safe and, kindly, help me back onto my feet.

Like any major city there are areas that are less comfortable, but they are far enough out from the city center that it would be near impossible for a tourist to wander in by accident.

Interesting, in the US only NYC, LA, Chicago and Houston have a greater population than Budapest (1.7 million),. The land area is about the same size as Chicago.

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies. Can't wait for my trip.