Hike route signs in Hungary

Official signs

Line markers generally indicate routes starting from important points, such as railway, tram, boat and bus stations and stops, leading to other equally important points, and marking hiking trails through mountain ranges.

• The blue line sign marks the nationally significant roads leading through at least one mountain and several landscapes (e.g. National Blue Tour, Kohász Blue, Bükki Blue, Börzsönyi Blue, Balaton Blue).
• The red line sign indicates paths passing through at least one mountain (e.g. Central Transdanubian Red, Southern Transdanubia Red Tour, Rákóczi Tunnel).
• Yellow and green line signs are used to indicate mountain hiking trails (e.g. the Jubilee Circle Tour, the Mecsek Mountains Green Trail).

Cross sign indicates a crossover or connecting (or shortening) path that usually leads from a road marked with a line sign to another road with the same sign (e.g., Márianosztra – Nagyirtás – Kisirtás P+). This type of sign may be used also to mark a route leading from a route with a line sign to a specific destination point (e.g. station or stop), such as Kóspallag – Szokolya, kisvasút or K+.

Square sign is used to indicate routes starting from line-signed routes to accommodation facilities, or residential areas and vice versa (e.g. Nagybörzsöny – Nagy-hideg-hegy K□). This kind of sign also may indicate a road starting from a line-signed route to an important destination point, such as a station or a stop (e.g. Bükk-tető, S – Nagybarca S□). If the route is shorter than 2 km, it should be indicated with text as well.

A circle sign indicates routes of maximum 2 km, leading to springs (wells, or other places where drinking water can be found). This sign usually starts from roads with a different sign of the same color (e.g. Mátrafüred, Kalló valley – Rákóczi spring PO).

Triangular signs indicate the paths to the tops, peaks of a mountain (lookout tower). If the route is longer than 2 km, this must be marked with text as well. This sign usually starts off from a different sign (eg Dömös, Szentfa Chapel – Hedgehog Stones – Preaching Chair – Király-fountain PΔ).

L-shaped signs lead to ruins, monuments, and indicate a route shorter than 2 km. This sign usually leads from roads with a different sign of the same color (e.g. in Drégelyvár PL or Bükkszentlászló – Nagy-Sánc SL).

Omega signs indicate short paths (not longer than 2 km) leading to caves. The sign usually starts from routes with a different sign of the same color (Nagymaros, Szent-Mihály-hegy S – Remete-hegy. SΩ).

The circular arrow sign indicates shorter trails, routes returning to a specific starting point (e.g. parking place) without a change of sign (e.g. around the Dobogókő P and K signals).

Colors

The above-mentioned signs can have 4 different colors: blue, red, yellow and green. They indicate the importance of a route in that order.

Unofficial signs

“M” sign marks the Mária road, a religious path leading from Mariazell to Csíksomlyó.

“T” sign marks nature trails with educational purposes.