Hungarian bank holidays & other special days in 2025
 

• 23 October (Thursday): commemoration of the revolution in 1956

• 24 October (Friday): rest day to create a 4-day long weekend (23 October – 26 October)

• 1 November (Saturday): All Saints’ Day or All Hallows’ Day

• 13 December (Saturday): working day in exchange for a rest day on 24 December, Wednesday

• 24 December (Wednesday): Christmas Eve, rest day to create a 5-day long weekend

• 25 – 26 December (Thursday – Friday): 1^st and 2^nd day of Christmas

• 31 December (Wednesday): New Year’s Eve, “short day”

• 1 January 2026 (Thursday): New Year’s Day
   

Earlier:
 

• 1 January 2025 (Wednesday): New Year’s Day

• 15 March (Saturday): commemoration of the revolution in 1848

• 18 April – 20 & 21 April (Friday – Monday): 4-day long weekend with Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday

• 1 May (Thursday): Labor Day

• 2 May (Friday): rest day to create a 4-day long weekend (1 May – 4 May)

• 17 May (Saturday): working day in exchange for a rest day on 2 May

• 8 and 9 June (Sunday and Monday): Pentecost

• 20 August (Wednesday): St. Stephen’s Day or the Day of the New Bread

• 18 October (Saturday): working day in exchange for a rest day on 24 October, Friday
   

In 2025, several holidays will fall on weekends, resulting in minimal impact on regular working hours. However, bank holidays occurring on a Saturday or Sunday differ from regular weekends, often leading to changes in opening hours or the application of different wage supplements.

Some public holidays will fall on weekdays, creating extended weekends with additional rest days. These extra rest days must be compensated by working on certain Saturdays.

Long Weekends and Working Saturdays

Hungarians generally prefer long weekends rather than single days off during the week. When a bank holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, the preceding Monday or the following Friday is designated as a rest day, creating a four-day weekend. In return, a nearby Saturday is declared a working day.

This practice is regulated by law and marked in official calendars.

On these working Saturdays (or exchanged Saturdays), the day is treated as a full workday. Schedules, such as opening hours and public transportation timetables, typically follow Friday patterns, while the preceding Friday is adjusted to operate like a Thursday.

For example, if employees usually work until 4 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. on Fridays, they will work until 4 p.m. on the Friday before the exchanged Saturday and 2 p.m. on the exchanged Saturday.

As an employer, you have flexibility in managing employee schedules. Many businesses allow employees to leave earlier or use the day for special activities like training or team-building. However, employees may request paid time off on working Saturdays, so planning ahead is essential to avoid staffing shortages.

Short Days: Special Days That Are Not Holidays

Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are unique because they are not official bank holidays, but they are treated differently due to their celebratory nature. Businesses typically close early, and public transportation switches to night schedules around 4 p.m.

In 2025, Christmas Eve will be a rest day and operate as if it were a Saturday. New Year’s Eve, however, will remain a regular working day but function as a "short day," so businesses and employers should plan accordingly.