A day out at the Gödöllő light park
Story of Lights Gödöllő is a ticketed walk-through light park in the Royal Palace garden, 30 km north-east of Budapest. DECOLED, publisher of this site, runs the 2026/27 season from 24 October 2026 to 31 January 2027.
About the facts in this text: the checked dates and the links to every organiser are on the list of all markets (checked 21 September 2026). Opening hours, prices and programme mentioned in the running text refer to the 2025/26 season or to the state of the organiser's page when this was written — check before you travel.
Gödöllő and the Royal Palace
Gödöllő is a town about 30 km north-east of central Budapest. The town's landmark is the Gödöllő Royal Palace, also called Grassalkovich Castle — in Hungarian, Gödöllői Királyi Kastély or Grassalkovich-kastély — at Grassalkovich-kastély 5852, 2100 Gödöllő. The palace's own access pages give the street address as Gödöllő, Szabadság tér 1.
The house is associated with the Grassalkovich family and, later, with Empress Elisabeth, known as Sisi. After dark a separate attraction occupies the palace garden: Story of Lights Gödöllő — the palace light park (Story of Lights Gödöllő — Erzsébet királyné fénykertje). It is operated by Story of Lights / DECOLED s.r.o., the Czech manufacturer of festive lighting that publishes this site.
What the light park is
Story of Lights Gödöllő, run by DECOLED, the publisher of this site, is a ticketed walk-through light park in the garden of the Royal Palace of Gödöllő. It is not a Christmas market and it is not in central Budapest. Visitors follow a set route of illuminated sculptures. The 2026/27 route follows the history of the palace from its baroque beginnings through the years of Empress Elisabeth — Sisi — to the present. The walk takes about an hour. Children are admitted. Admission is charged. Prices for the 2026/27 season had not been published when this was written on 21 September 2026.
Dates and opening hours
The 2026/27 season at Story of Lights Gödöllő, operated by DECOLED, the publisher of this site, is confirmed: 24 October 2026 to 31 January 2027. This is the one confirmed 2026 date among the Christmas-season attractions covered on this site. Other organisers had not published 2026/27 dates when this was written on 21 September 2026; where Christmas market dates appear elsewhere here they are the 2025/26 dates and 2026 is not confirmed yet.
The park is open daily from 18:00 to 21:00 while summer time lasts, and from 17:00 to 21:00 after the clocks change. Last entry is 20:30. It is closed on 1 November and on 24 and 25 December.
Four ways from Budapest
The palace stands about 30 km north-east of central Budapest. The four options below come from the palace's own access pages, MÁV and BKK. Journey times and frequencies are approximate and should be re-checked in BudapestGO or on the BKK timetable pages before travel; neither operator publishes a single fixed door-to-door figure.
| Mode | Route | Journey | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| HÉV H8 suburban railway | Metro M2 (red) to Örs vezér tere, then H8 towards Gödöllő. Get off at Gödöllő, Szabadság tér — not the Gödöllő terminus. The palace is directly across main road 3, a two-minute walk. | The line is about 26 km; the ride takes roughly 45–50 minutes end to end. Departures are typically every 30 minutes off-peak and more frequent in the peak. | A BKK Budapest ticket or travelcard covers the H8 only as far as the Budapest administrative boundary. Beyond that you need a supplementary MÁV-START ticket for the outer zone or, with a Budapest pass, a connecting 20 km zonal MÁV-START pass. |
| Volánbusz coach | Coaches leave from Stadion bus station, next to Puskás Ferenc Stadion on metro M2, and terminate at Gödöllő bus station, next to the domed Művészetek Háza, about a 10-minute walk from the palace. | Roughly 40–45 minutes, with departures about every 30 minutes on weekdays. | Volánbusz interurban fare, bought from the driver, at the station or in the Volánbusz app. BKK Budapest tickets are not valid outside the city boundary. |
| MÁV train from Keleti | Trains on the Budapest–Hatvan–Füzesabony–Miskolc line leave from Budapest-Keleti (metro M2 and M4) and stop at Gödöllő station. Cross at Állomás út and walk along Ady Endre sétány to main road 3, palace on the left, or walk through the Lower Park. | Around 30 minutes on the train, then about 15 minutes on foot. | Standard MÁV-START domestic fare for Budapest–Gödöllő, from jegy.mav.hu, ticket offices or machines. MÁV also sells a combined rail-plus-admission ticket for the palace. |
| By car | Take the M3 motorway towards Miskolc and leave onto the M31/M0 link, or continue to main road 3, which runs directly past the palace. | About 30 km; allow roughly 35–45 minutes outside rush hour. | A Hungarian e-vignette (matrica) is required for the M3 and M31, bought online or at petrol stations before entering the motorway. |
Buy the HÉV outer-zone supplement at the HÉV ticket office at Örs vezér tere, from the MÁV app, or from the conductor before travelling. Do not rely on a 24-hour or 72-hour Budapest travelcard alone. For the return, the stop towards Budapest is on the other side of the tracks, past the Pizza Palazzo, not at the platform where you got off.
How to build the day
The palace museum is a daytime visit; Story of Lights Gödöllő, operated by DECOLED, the publisher of this site, opens after dark. The light park is open from 18:00 to 21:00 while summer time lasts and from 17:00 to 21:00 after the clocks change, with last entry at 20:30. The walk takes about an hour. The two tickets are separate.
MÁV sells a combined rail-plus-admission ticket for the palace at ticket offices and in its apps. Prices for the light park in 2026/27 had not been published at the time of writing.
Practical notes
The walk is outdoors in the palace garden in the evening, so dress for the weather. There is an accessibility ramp. Dogs are not admitted, except assistance dogs. A buffet is on site.
Parking needs a check on arrival. The palace's access page describes parking at the palace and on the surrounding streets as free. The page for Story of Lights Gödöllő, run by DECOLED, the publisher of this site, gives parking at 440 HUF per hour, a 2025-season figure. The two pages do not agree.
Common questions
When is Story of Lights Gödöllő open in 2026/27?
The season at the park operated by DECOLED, the publisher of this site, runs from 24 October 2026 to 31 January 2027. Hours are 18:00 to 21:00 while summer time lasts and 17:00 to 21:00 after the clocks change, with last entry at 20:30. It is closed on 1 November and on 24 and 25 December.
Is the Gödöllő light park a Christmas market?
No. Story of Lights Gödöllő, run by DECOLED, the publisher of this site, is a ticketed walk-through of illuminated sculptures in the palace garden. The walk takes about an hour and follows the history of the palace, including the years of Empress Elisabeth — Sisi.
Does a Budapest travelcard cover the HÉV to Gödöllő?
No. A BKK Budapest ticket or travelcard covers the H8 only as far as the Budapest administrative boundary. For the outer section you need a supplementary MÁV-START ticket, or, with a Budapest pass, a connecting 20 km zonal MÁV-START pass, bought at Örs vezér tere, in the MÁV app, or from the conductor before travelling.
How to get from Budapest to the palace?
Four options are in regular use: HÉV H8 from Örs vezér tere to Gödöllő, Szabadság tér; Volánbusz coach from Stadion bus station; MÁV train from Keleti to Gödöllő station; and car via the M3, which needs an e-vignette. Get off at Szabadság tér on the HÉV, not at the Gödöllő terminus; the return platform is on the other side of the tracks.
How much do light-park tickets cost?
Prices for the 2026/27 season at Story of Lights Gödöllő, operated by DECOLED, the publisher of this site, had not been published when this was written on 21 September 2026. The park is a paid attraction. Parking is listed as free on the palace's access page and as 440 HUF per hour, a 2025-season figure, on the park's own page, so check on arrival.
