Film production in Budapest
Between June and December, usable daylight in Budapest moves by 7h 29min — from 15h 57min down to 8h 28min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Budapest rises at 04:47 and sets at 20:43; the evening golden hour starts at 19:55 and runs for 48 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:26–15:54, with a 53-minute golden-hour window from 15:01.
In practice, a spread of 7h 29min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:28 | 16:20 | 8h 52min | 15:30 |
| February | 06:51 | 17:07 | 10h 16min | 16:23 |
| March | 05:58 | 17:49 | 11h 51min | 17:08 |
| April | 05:56 | 19:33 | 13h 36min | 18:51 |
| May | 05:08 | 20:14 | 15h 06min | 19:29 |
| June | 04:47 | 20:43 | 15h 57min | 19:55 |
| July | 05:02 | 20:38 | 15h 36min | 19:52 |
| August | 05:40 | 19:58 | 14h 18min | 19:16 |
| September | 06:22 | 18:59 | 12h 37min | 18:18 |
| October | 07:03 | 17:58 | 10h 56min | 17:16 |
| November | 06:49 | 16:10 | 9h 21min | 15:22 |
| December | 07:26 | 15:54 | 8h 28min | 15:01 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Budapest starts at 21:08 in June and ends at 21:24 — a window of 16 minutes. In December it is 14 minutes from 16:16. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (17:49) and September (18:59) there are 70 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Budapest averages 13 rain days in May and 8 in March. A three-day exterior shoot in May statistically loses 1.3 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.6 °C | 10 | 4.9 |
| February | 3.7 °C | 9 | 6.3 |
| March | 6.7 °C | 8 | 8.4 |
| April | 11.6 °C | 9 | 10.1 |
| May | 16.3 °C | 13 | 11.1 |
| June | 21.5 °C | 12 | 12.7 |
| July | 23.4 °C | 9 | 12.8 |
| August | 23.2 °C | 8 | 11.9 |
| September | 17.7 °C | 8 | 9.6 |
| October | 11.9 °C | 8 | 7.2 |
| November | 6.0 °C | 9 | 5.1 |
| December | 2.0 °C | 9 | 4.0 |
Filming permits
The responsible body is die Budapest Film Commission bzw. die zuständigen Bezirke; das National Film Institute Hungary koordiniert den nationalen Anreiz. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: nfi.hu
Incentives and rebates
Ungarn gewährt einen nationalen Steueranreiz auf ungarische Ausgaben; Registrierung über das NFI. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: nfi.hu
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Budapest?
In June it starts at 19:55 and lasts 48 minutes; in December it starts at 15:01 and lasts 53 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Budapest get?
Between 8h 28min in December and 15h 57min in June. The 7h 29min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Budapest?
Combining daylight and rain days, July comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.