Lo g in / create acco unt

Page Discussion

Read Edit View history

Go

Search

Help Wikitravel grow by contributing to an article. Learn how .

Budapest
Navigatio n
Main Page
Pro ject Ho me
Travellers' Pub
Recent changes
Rando m page
Help
Uplo ads & bug repo rts
Wikitravel Extra
feeds
Travel news and trivia
Destinatio n Do cents
Abo ut Do cents
To o lbo x
What links here
Related changes
Special pages

Europe : Central Europe : Hungary : Central Hungary : Budapest

Budapest is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and
accommodation listings consider printing them all.
Budapest [1] [2] is the capital
city of Hungary. With green filled
parks full of charming pleasures,
museums that will inspire, and a
pulsating nightlife that is on par with
its European counterparts, Budapest
is one of Europe's most delightful
and enjoyable cities. Thanks to the
perfect location, inhabitants'
hospitality and memorable
monuments is it mentioned as "Little
Paris of Central Europe" and "Pearl
of Danube".

Districts

[edit]

Although Budapest is
administratively divided into 23
numbered districts which are always

The Hungarian national parliament

PDFmyURL.com

Special pages
Printable versio n
Permanent link
related pages
New Year ho lidays in
Hungary
In o ther languages
ca: Budapest
de: Budapest
eo : Budapeto
es: Budapest

written in Roman numerals, it can

most simply be divided into the two
cities of which it is comprised (Buda
and Pest) and one historic district:
Buda - The hilly West side of the
Danube (Districts I- III, XI- XII, XXII).
Cast le Hill - District I of Buda,
the oldest part of the city
containing the eponymous Castle
and many of Budapest's bestknown attractions (Fishermens
Bastion, Labyrinth and Mathias
Church)

hu: Budapest

Pest - The flat East side of the

Danube, covering the modern
commercial core of the

it: Budapest

Co nt e nt s

fi: Budapest
fr: Budapest

ja:
nl: Bo edapest
pl: Budapeszt

1 Districts
2 Understand
2.1 Histo ry

pt: Budapeste

2.2 Official To urism Info rmatio n

ro : Budapesta

2.3 Quality o f life

ru:
sv: Budapest
o ther sites
Wikipedia
Open Directo ry
Wo rld6 6
Wikitravel Shared

3 Get in
3.1 By plane
3.1.1 Terminals
3.1.2 Co nnectio ns
3.1.3 Airpo rt transfer
3.2 By train
3.2.1 Train statio ns
3.3 By bus
3.3.1 Bus statio ns
3.4 By bo at
4 Get aro und
4.1 Orientatio n
4.2 On fo o t
4.3 Public transpo rt
4.3.1 Tickets and passes

125 Hotels in
Budapest
Budapest's Chain Bridge and Castle Hill

city(Districts IV- IX).

[edit]

Understand
Travelers are
quickly recognising
the appeal of
Budapest, with
tourism accounting
for approximately
2.7 million visitors
per year. Consisting
of two very different
cities, Buda on the
Districts of Budapest
West bank of the
Danube River and
Pest on the East bank, Budapest (pronounced "BOO- dah- pesht")
offers travelers Viennese romanticism at an affordable price.
However, Budapest is unique in its own right. Hungarians are proud
of what this ancient capital has to offer and its contributions to

Bo o k yo ur ho tel in
Budapest o nline. Find
yo ur ho tel o n a city
map!

www. booking. com/

Hotels- Budapest
Ad s b y G o o g le

Int e rCo nt ine nt al

Budape st
Luxury ho tel just steps
away fro m the Chain
Bridge & Parliament.
www. Inte rCo ntine ntal. c o m

Ho t e ls & Re so rt s at
Pe ru
Plan yo ur trip to Peru find
all acco mmo datio n right
here.
Pe ru.trave l

Che ap Flight s t o
Ge rm any
Bo o k Yo ur Ticket Online
No w! Fly in Style and

PDFmyURL.com

4.3.1 Tickets and passes

4.3.2 Metro
4.3.3 Tram
4.3.4 By bus
4.3.5 Tro lley-bus
4.3.6 Suburban rail
4.3.7 Other
4.3.8 Night services
4.4 By car
4.5 By taxi
4.6 By bicycle
4.7 By Skatebo ard
5 See
6 Gallery
7 Do
7.1 Festivals
7.2 Perfo rming arts
7.3 Cinema
7.4 Baths
7.4.1 Traditio nal public baths
7.4.2 Mo dern baths
7.4.3 Others
7.5 Active Leisure
7.6 Caving
8 Learn
9 Wo rk
10 Buy
10 .1 No n-speciality sho pping
11 Eat
11.1 Co ffeeho uses
11.2 Restaurants
11.3 Ship Restaurants
11.3.1 Chains
11.4 Vegetarian/Vegan
11.5 Gro cery Sto res
11.6 Ko sher
11.7 Others

European culture, especially in the field of music, a language one

doesn't need to speak to appreciate.

History

[edit]

Budapest first appeared on the world map when the Romans

founded the town of Aquincum around 89 AD, in what is today
buda. It soon became the capital of the province of Lower
Pannonia, and the Romans even founded a proto- Pest known as
Cont ra Aquincum on the other side of the river.
The Romans were replaced around 900 by the Magyars, who went
on to found the kingdom of Hungary (Magyar Kirlysg ). The
Mongols dropped in uninvited in 1241, but the Magyars bounced
back and built the Royal Castle, which still dominates Buda, in 1427.

No w! Fly in Style and

Co mfo rt
ic e land air. us / G e rmany

Budape st Airpo rt
Transf e r
Fixed prices, Superio r
service. 19 /2p, 20 /4p
Pay o n arrival!
www. b o o kinb ud ap e s t. c o m/
trans fe r

Fre ight line r Trucks

Turn MPG Into ROI.
Aero dynamic Trucks with
Fuel-Saving Techno lo gy.
www. fre ig htline rtruc ks . c o m

In 1541, Buda and Pest fell to the Ottomans and stayed in the hands
of the Turks until 1686, when the Austrian Habsburgs conquered the
town. Now at peace, both sides of the river boomed, and after an
abortive Hungarian revolution in 184849, the great Compromise of
1867 made Budapest the united capital of the Hungarian half of the
Dual Monarchy of Austria- Hungary.
Budapest emerged from World War I battered but now the capital of
an independent Hungary. Its population reached one million in 1930.
Air raids and a terrible three- month siege towards the end of World
War II resulted in the death over 38,000 civilians, and up to 40% of
Budapest's Jewish community were murdered during the Holocaust.
A total of 400,000 Jews in the area were murdered by the Naz is and
their Nyilas sympathiz ers. Various people helped members of the
local Jewish community including Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish
humanitarian sent to Hungary under a diplomatic cover, who tried to
make a difference by distributing Swedish passports to as many
Jews as possible, and the Italian Giorgio Perlasca, that, pretending
to be a Spanish diplomat, rescued a good share of Budapest's
Jewish community.
After the war, the city recovered and became a showcase for the
more pragmatic policies of Hungary's hard- line Communist
government. It was, however, site of the 1956 Hungarian uprising
PDFmyURL.com

12 Drink
13 Sleep
14 Co ntact
14.1 Pho ne
14.2 Internet
14.2.1 Wi-fi
14.3 Wifi Netwo rks
14.3.1 Internet Cafes
15 Stay safe
15.1 Crime
15.2 By night
15.3 To urist traps
15.4 Mo ney
15.5 Impo rtant pho ne numbers
16 Stay healthy
17 Co pe
17.1 Embassies
18 Get o ut

against unpopular policies such as collectivisation. The revolution

against communist rule only ended when the Soviets sent in the
tanks as they felt Hungary slipping out of their influence and control.
Today's Budapest is by far the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan
city in Hungary and is increasingly popular with tourists. In 1987, it
was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for the cultural
and architectural significance of the Banks of the Danube, the Buda
Castle Quarter and Andrssy Avenue.

Official Tourism Information

[edit]

Tourism Of f ice of Budapest [3] , 1115 Budapest, Bartk Bla t

105- 113., tel: +36 1 438- 8080. You can get some very good and
free brochures. amongst it: map of Budapest, a map of hungary with
all the youth hostels and prices, a very complete brochure about the
northern part of Hungary (available in many languages).
Tourism Inf o Cent er 1051 Budapest, St utca 2 (Dek Ferenc
tr)
[edit]

Quality of life

Homelessness is a big problem in Budapest. People who are homeless are commonly seen in the inner
city metro stations and sleeping in doorways in both Buda and Pest.
[edit]

Get in
By plane

[edit]

Budapest Franz Lisz t Int ernat ional Airport (IATA: BUD)

[4] , Budapest Liszt Ferenc Nemzetkzi Repltr
(pronounced "list- ferents"), formerly, and colloquially referred
to Ferihegy ; is the country's largest airport, located about 16
km (10 miles) southeast of the city centre. The airports central
telephone number for information is: +36- 1 296-9696 or on
+36- 1 296-7000. Luggage services can be contacted on +361
296-5449 in connection with flights to and from Terminal 1 and
+36- 1 296-5965 for Terminal 2.

Terminals

Budapest Opera

[edit]
PDFmyURL.com

The airport has two terminals. It is wise to double- check your arrival and departure terminal. While Terminal
2A is within a short walking distance from Terminal 2B, the distance between Terminal 1 and 2 is quite
siz eable - the trip takes 6- 8 minutes by car or 12 minutes by bus.
The small, renovated Terminal 1 (gates 1- 10; opened in 1950) is used by low- cost airlines (such as
Wiz z Air and EasyJet ) both from Schengen and Non- Schengen destinations.
As of June 1 2012 Terminal 1 is now closed and all flights depart and arrive from Terminal 2.
The more spacious Terminal 2 (opened in 1985) is divided in two: Terminal 2A (gates 20- 30) serves
all Schengen Area destinations. Terminal 2B (gates 11- 19) serves all Non- Schengen Area destinations.
Duty free stores are operated by Travel Value [5] . Customs authorities in German airports may not allow
you to bring duty- free items purchased at the airport in Budapest through Germany. In Terminal 2, Hugo
Boss and Swarowski are the only dedicated brand shops. The alcohol- tobacco- sweets assortment shop
has a decent choice of local wines, mainly by Gundel. Several cafs are present. There are Caff Ritaz z a
[6] eateries on Terminal 2A. One is in a pre- checkin area; another is in the boarding area, after passport
control. Terminal 2B pre- boarding area has half a doz en cafes. The cafe on the second floor of terminal 1
(outside of the security area) offers computers with internet access.
[edit]

Connections

Hungarian discount airline Wiz z Air operates flights between Budapest and 21 European cities. American
Airlines operate direct flights between Budapest and New York City . Many discount airlines also operate
service to/from Budapest.
As of 2012, the following discount airlines operate to and from Budapest (using Terminal 1 unless otherwise
stated):
Aer Lingus [7]
EasyJet [8]

(from Ireland) - Terminal 2B;

(from France, Germany, Great Britain and Switz erland);

Germanwings [9]
Jet2 [10]

(from Germany);

(from Great Britain);

Norwegian Air Shuttle [11]

(from Denmark, Norway and Sweden);

RyanAir [12] (from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Finland,
Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Poland);
transavia.com [13]

(from the Netherlands);

Wiz z Air [14] (from Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden).

Airport transf er

[edit]

Public t ransport . There is a railway station called Ferihegy connected to Terminal 1. Passengers from
PDFmyURL.com

Terminal 2A or 2B can also reach it by local bus 200E to the stop "Ferihegy vastlloms" (8 min). Bus
tickets are available in airport terminals for HUF 320 at the newspaper vendors, or HUF 400 if you
purchase from the driver. This bus also continues on until Kbnya- Kispest where you can transfer to
Metro M3 (an additional ticket is required for the metro for another 320 HUF, though with this ticket you
can transfer to another metro line once). To transfer to the Metro wait until the final bus stop; the second
last stop is also called Kbnya- Kispest, but the final stop is closer to the metro station.
Half- hourly suburban trains run westwards to Budapest- Nyugati plyaudvar via Kbnya- Kispest and
eastwards to Monor via Vecss and ll, though it should be noted that these suburban trains are operated
by the Hungarian rail operator MV, and by no means included in the HV network. These suburban
t rains are labelled "Sz emly" while long- dist ance t rains use ot her labels. Travel time to BudapestNyugati is 23 min. A single ticket costs 365 HUF and can be bought from the ticket vending machines at the
station, though local travelcards (which you can buy at the newspaper vendors at the airport) are also valid
[15] . Do not assume that it's always best to get off at Budapest- Nyugati even for the city centre. Nyugati is
located in the north central part of the large city centre and depending on the location of your hotel, it may
be quicker to get off the suburban train at either Kbnya- Kispest or Zugl and continue by metro or bus
from there. Be sure to check this out.
Long- distance trains also operate from the airport to destinations such as Kecskemt, Sz eged,
Pspkladny, Debrecen, Nyregyhz a, Miskolc and Zhony at the Ukrainan border. You may also
encounter Intercity trains with Budapest- Keleti station as the destination, BUT UNDER NO
CIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER SHALL YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING THIS TRAIN IF
YOU'RE GOING TO BUDAPEST. It will take you to Budapest, yes - in 5 h 4 5 min, and at a cost of
6660 HUF. (to clarify, this is a ring line which starts at Nyugati and goes through Ferihegy and eastern
Hungary before terminating at Keleti, and the other way around). Using long- distance trains to Nyugati is
not recommended either, as this will require a seat reservation, and this might be expensive.
Minibus service. If you travel alone, consider the Airport Minibus service [16] , a shared taxi operation
that collects passengers going in the same direction and will take you to or from anywhere in Budapest
for HUF 3.200 per person or HUF 5.500 for a round trip. Join the queue at the airport and you will be on
your way in 15 minutes. For the trip back, call the centre at +36-1 296- 8555 at least 24 hours beforehand
and Airport Minibus will pick you up.
Taxi. Ft axi [17] is the only contracted taxi operator from Lisz t Ferenc airport. Depending on your
destination, a trip to Budapest costs between HUF 3.900- 6.500 (3900 is valid around the airport,
downtown hotels usually HUF 5,800 or 21 and above that). Queue at the taxi stand to receive a written
quote for your fare, then pay it when you arrive at your destination. This system is designed to eliminate
unjustified price hikes. IMPORTANT: unless you have pre- ordered a taxi from a different company, do
not accept offers from taxi drivers waiting in the terminal or near the terminal entrances (but when you
pre- order you get a better price than the Fotaxi rates). On your trip into town you might receive a
PDFmyURL.com

business card from Ft axi quoting cheaper fares bound to Lisz t Ferenc airport (i.e. 16 from Pest).
Reserve a car by phone and quote the offer to save some money.
[edit]

By train

Trains connect Budapest with almost all countries in central and eastern Europe. All trains arrive at Budapest
Keleti station, unless stated otherwise.
Berlin: 11h, two direct EC trains daily, one connection with change at Beclav and a night train Metropol.
Munich: 7h, four daytime Railjet trains and one night train Wiener Walzer . These trains stops in
Salz burg and Linz too.
Tickets from Germany are much cheaper if bought online [18]

, at least 3 days in advance.

Vienna: 2h, every two hours, departing from Wien-Meidling station. For tickets from Vienna, as well as
from other cities in Austria, note: the earlier you book them, the cheaper they are. One- way ticket price
from Vienna begins at 19.
Prague: 7h, three direct EC trains, two with change at Beclav and night train Metropol. There is a through
sleeper car departing from Prague one hour before Metropol and later attached to it, so you have more
time to sleep. Online tickets [19] are much more cheaper than normal tickets (the price begins at 19),
but you should buy them at least 3 days in advance. If e- tickets are sold out or you have to buy a ticket
immediately before departure, buy a (domestic) ticket Prague- Kty Gr. (the CZ/SK border point) and
international tickets Kty Gr.- trovo and trovo- Budapest. This combination costs about 65% of the
direct ticket. For the two international tickets you can get RailPlus discount and return ticket discount.
Bratislava: 2h, six EC trains a day. Thank to bilateral agreement between Slovak and Hungarian
Railways there are reasonably priced tickets from many important Slovak cities, sold at station counters.
Warsaw: 10, four trains a day, one direct during night with through seat, couchette and sleeper cars
(11h) and three EC trains through daytime with one transfer in Beclav or Ostrava Svinov (10- 11h).
There is a limited amount of SparDay and SparNight discounted tickets, sold at Polish stations, from 29
in seat car and 39 in a couchette.
Bucharest: 16h, two night trains Dacia and Ister and one daytime connection with change at Timisoara.
For Ister train you can buy a discounted Fortuna ticket for 29 for seat or 39 for couchette, but you
should do it at least 7 days in advance. It cannot be booked online. Normal ticket cost about 50 oneway, 77 return (a RailPlus discount is possible) and couchette reservation fee is 15.
Venice: 13h, an night Euronight train via Slovenia. There is a limited amount of Smart tickets for 29 for
seat and 39 for couchette, if bought at least 7 days in advance. You can buy it online [20] and
change it to real ticket at station counter in Venice. If the discounted tickets are sold out, the normal ticket
cost 55 for seat and 69 for couchette.
Ljubljana: 9h, a daytime IC Citadella, arriving at Dli station. There are discounted Budapest-Special ticket
PDFmyURL.com

for 29 one- way and 39 return. Apart from this there is a nightime train from Venice through Croatia, but
it isn't much useful, as it departs from Ljubljana on 2AM and costs two times more.
Zagreb: 6- 7h, three daytime trains a day. The train Maestral, arriving at 16:45, ends up at Dli station.
Return ticket valid 1 month costs about 30 and it's even cheaper than one- way ticket.
There is a seasonal sleeper train from Split, departing every Wednesday and Saturday from 11 Jun to 27
Aug.
Belgrade: 8h, two daytime trains Avala and Ivo Andric and one night train Beograd. They are often
delayed. There is a special offer Budapest Special /Beograd Special , 15 for one- way and 26 for return
ticket. These tickets are sold only at Budapest and Belgrade stations (you can also buy special tickes in
Novi Sad at the same price). Couchette reservation is 16.40 for 6- berth couchette, but there are
reservation- free seats even on the night train. Notice that the night train, arrives in Budapest very early at
5AM, and border crossing is around 2AM.
The train Avala has seasonal sleeper cars from Podgorica and Bar, departing every Monday, Thursday
and Sunday from 19 Jun to 19 Sep.
Sarajevo: 11h, IC Drava over Croatia. One- way ticket costs about 54 and return ticket valid 1 month
costs only only 2 more.
Sofia: 18h, Balkan Express with a through couchette car via Belgrade. Direct ticket is expensive, the
better solution is to buy a ticket Sofia- Belgrade (see Belgrade#By train) and then Belgrade- Budapest
ticket at Belgrade station. The through car waits 2.5h in Belgrade and even if Balkan Express is delayed
(a quite common situation), you have a time until the through car is shifted to the train to Budapest. Balkan
Express leaves Sofia at noon and arrives to Belgrade at evening, so you can travel to Belgrade in a
sitting car, and buy a cheaper couchette reservation only from Belgrade to Budapest.
Kiev and Moscow: 25h/39h, fast train Tisza, a typical Russian long- distance train going over 2 nights.
International ticket is much more expensive than domestic Russian and especially Ukrainian domestic
ticket. If you are on a tight budget, use another train from Kiev (departing on 18:52 or 20:06) to Chop
(arriving on 10:04 or 10:52) near UA/HU border. In Chop buy a ticket to to local train to Zhony (HU) and
in Zhony buy a ticket to IC to Budapest (arriving on 18:37). You have more than 3h time in Chop and 1h
in Zhony to buy your tickets - and there are later trains from Zhony to Budapest too. The overall trip is
even shorter that the direct train and you'll pay less than a half of the official international fare. Beware
that Ukraine uses Eastern European Time, which is one hour later after Central European Time.

Train stations

[edit]

The main railway stations (plyaudvar) are Kelet i plyaudvar (Eastern Railway Station), Dli plyaudvar
(Southern Railway Station) and Nyugat i plyaudvar (Western Railway Station). The stations are not named
PDFmyURL.com

for their geographic location in the city, nor for the direction of the destinations served by each.
Most of international trains, as well as domestic trains to Miskolc, Eger, Gyr and Sz ombathely leave from
Keleti. Some trains to Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herz egovina, Lake Balaton and south- western regions
of Hungary leave from Dli. From Nyugati leaves domestic trains to Debrecen, Nyregyhz a and Sz eged.
The stations are well connected to each other and to the rest of the city. Keleti and Dli Railway Stations are
located on Metro 2, Nyugati Railway Station is on Metro 3. A transfer should take less than 15 minutes during
peak hours, slightly more on weekends and evenings.
Depending on where you are coming from, some outer stations can be useful to you; trains arriving from
Vienna and Lake Balaton or other western locations stop at Budapest Kelenf ld station, which is a good
public transport hub for Southern Buda. Trains arriving from Romania, Ukraine and Eastern Hungarian cities
regularly stop at Kbnya- Kispest station, a good place to get to Eastern Budapest or to Ferihegy
Airport.
Train stations in Budapest are not up to Western quality standards; they are hard to access for people with
disabilities and their facilities are very limited. Be prepared for long queues at the ticket office. English is
rarely spoken. Do not expect luggage trolleys or clean toilets. Food or a coffee purchased at the stations is
unlikely to give you a gastronomic buz z ; it is also difficult to find a good nearby cafe if you didn't research
in advance. Do not accept any offers from taxi drivers waiting around the station entrance. For further
information read also Stay safe section.

By bus

[edit]

Hungarys national bus network is operated by Voln Associat ion [21] . If you arrive to Budapest from
another Hungarian city, bus is often the best option. For services, discounts, schedules and on- line booking
possibilities check Hungary#Get_around.
International bus routes are operated by Eurolines +36-1 318- 2122 [22] . Most connections run two or
three times a week; connections to/from Austria and Slovakia run daily. Orangeways [23] 36-30 8309696, offers cheap tickets to and from Austria, Cz ech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Netherlands, Poland and
Slovakia.

Bus stations

[edit]

Budapests long distance bus stations are located outside the city centre, but are very well connected to the
rest of the city. The main stations are:
Npliget Bus st at ion (Npliget autbuszlloms , metro 3, Npliget station). Buses from abroad and
most of Western Hungarian destinations arrive and depart here. It is a fairly modern station with reliable
facilities. Do not forget to check- in if you travel abroad.
St adion Bus St at ion (Stadion autbuszlloms, formerly known as Npstadion autbuszlloms, metro 2
PDFmyURL.com

St adion Bus St at ion (Stadion autbuszlloms, formerly known as Npstadion autbuszlloms, metro 2
Stadionok station). This is the biggest hub for Eastern Hungarian destinations, quite modern but
somewhat dirty station built underground.
rpd Bridge Bus St at ion (rpd hd autbuszlloms , metro 3 rpd hd station ). This is a smaller
station for some Northern destinations and suburban traffic; use it to and from Sz entendre, Esz tergom or
Visegrd.
Et ele t r Bus St at ion (Etele tri autbuszlloms , bus 7E, 173E). This is a newly built station next to
Kelenfld Railway Station, at the future terminus of metro line 4. Useful for getting to Statue Park and
some suburban destinations.
[edit]

By boat

Mahart , +36-1 484- 4000, [24] operates a scheduled hydrofoil service on the Danube to and from Vienna
and Bratislava between early April and early November.
Hungaria Koncert 00361 317 1377 hunkonc@ticket.info.hu [25] operates cruises with lunch or dinner
daily at 14:00, 19:00 and 20:00. This service is 90 minutes with hot buffet lunch or dinner. During the cruise,
the Parliament, Chain Bridge, Royal Castle, Palace of Arts etc. can be seen.

Get around

[edit]

Orientation

[edit]

Orientation is not a big problem in Budapest. The river Danube splits the city
into two areas: Buda and Pest. Aside from the very center, the city's structure
is quite logical. Landmarks in Buda as the Royal Castle or Citadella Castle
also help you to find your way. Besides the Danube itself, the best reference
points for orienting yourself are the bridges crossing the river. From North to
South, they are:
rpd Bridge (rpd hd ), A modern bridge linking to Northern Margaret
Island. The longest bridge in Budapest at 973 meters.
Margaret Bridge (Margit hd ), Easily identified thanks to its distinctive
shape: it makes an approximately 35 degree turn half way across, at the
southern tip of Margaret Island. Trams 4 and 6 cross the Danube here.

The Chain Bridge and a

view of Pest

Chain Bridge (Szchenyi lnchd ), Completed in 1849, the oldest, arguably most beautiful and certainly
the most photographed of Budapest's bridges, floodlit at night.
Elisabet h Bridge (Erzsbet hd ), Completed in 1903. Its original chain structure was destroyed in World
War II, and was eventually substituted by a modern cable bridge opened in 1964.
Libert y Bridge (Szabadsg hd ), Elegant but simple, opened in 1896; it connects the Gellrt Baths
PDFmyURL.com

(Gellrt frd) in Buda with the Great Market Hall (Nagyvsrcsarnok) in Pest. Recently renovated.
Pet f i Bridge (Petfi hd ), For a long time the southernmost bridge, it links the inner ring road
(Nagykrt) of Pest with Buda.
Lgymnyosi Bridge (Lgymnyosi hd ), The newest bridge in Budapest, with modern architecture and
a spectacular lighting system where mirrors reflect the beam of the upward facing floodlights. Built very
next to a railway bridge on its southern side.

On foot

[edit]

Many of Budapest's highlights are easy to approach walking, and in the center you find more pedestrian
z ones from year to year. Car drivers tend to respect pedestrians and often give advantage on a cross- walk
even if there is no traffic light. Due to the lack of bike lanes, cyclists have to weave around pedestrian traffic;
be prepared. Don't wear high- heeled shoes in the downtown as there are lots of stone pavements,
especially in the Castle Hill.

Public transport

[edit]

NOTE: A new bus and tram numbering system has recently been introduced in Budapest.
Various tram and bus lines have now new numbers and many routes have been
reestablished or modified. Don't believe your guide book and map edited before
September 2008 or you will inevitably get lost.

NOTE: A number of places (streets, squares, parks) were redenominated in mid- 2011,
which resulted in the renaming of a number of stations and stops. On the schedules you
may find the new names, if unsure, inquire! Most people are well aware of the changes and
would be pleased to help you find your direction. Also many schedules were modified, some buses
circulate less frequently, while other means of transportations may have an their operating time
extended. Schedules are placarded at every stop unless vandalised.

You'll find several points of interest within walking distance, but Budapest is a siz able city, so unless you
drive your own car, you will inevitably use some form of public transportation. The good news is that the
urban area is well covered by three metro lines, blue urban buses, yellow trams and red trolley- buses, and
PDFmyURL.com

the whole system is easy to understand. The bad news is that the schedules are less than reliable, vehicles
are not always clean, and tickets have become increasingly expensive.
Public transportation in Budapest is run by Budapest Transport Limited Company (BKV) [26] , which has
some useful English- language pages on their site including current schedules and fares. Vehicles run from
around 5AM to 11.30PM (or, on Christmas Eve, to 4.00PM). After that an extensive night bus network is
available.
If you only visit Budapest for a few days as a tourist, you may
find the following lines part icularly usef ul :
Met ro 1, 2, 3 connect the suburbs with the biggest
transport hubs, numerous touristic highlights and central
hotels.
Tram 2 runs along the river Danube on Pest side.
Tram 4 , 6 follow Nagykrt, Pest's inner ring road.
Bus 7, 7E, 173 and 173E connect Keleti railway station
with the city center and many points of interest in Buda and
Pest.
Bus 16, 16A and 116 go to Buda castle.
Bus 105 connect Hsk tere (Hero's Square), goes up and
down Andrssy boulevard to Dek square/Erz sbet square
before it goes across the Chain Bridge to Buda and passes
by Dli plyaudvar (Southern railway station).
Bus 200E serves the airport.
If you stay longer, it's worth to buy a public transportation map
at any BKV ticket office. You can also find detailed public
transport maps in some tram stops, especially along the 4- 6
tram lines.

T ickets and passes

[edit]

Met ro 4 Favourit e Worst

Night mare
When the government decided in the
early 70's that a new metro line should
connect South Buda with Central Pest
by 1978, no- one thought that it would
become a synonym for incompetence
and perpetual lack of money. Everything
had been at a standstill until 2007, when
works finally began after endless
political debates. Is everybody now
happy? Of course not. The Metro 4
construction is widely criticised for its
high cost and supposedly failed and
obsolete trace. Officials say it won't be
completed by the official deadline
(2010) (and in February 2012 we can
say that no, it is nowhere near
completed), and construction keeps the
city paralysed, which is locals' favourite
conversation theme for now.

If you intend to travel a lot (and you probably will), travel cards
are far less expensive than single tickets. As of 2009 most useful tickets and travel cards for tourists include
the following:
Single t icket (vonaljegy): Valid for one journey within the city limits ,
transfer not allowed on buses and trams, but one transfer is allowed
between metro lines (a new rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 320.
HUF 400 if purchased from the driver (available on designated lines).

Single ticket, valid for one

PDFmyURL.com

Transf er t icket (tsz lljegy): Valid for one journey within the city limits ,
one transfer allowed. HUF 470.

journey

10 single t icket book: 2800 HUF (April 2010)

One- day t ravel card (napijegy): Valid for 24 hours after purchase (not only on the day of purchase - a
new rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 1550.
Three- day t ravel card (hromnapos turistajegy): Valid for 72 hours after purchase (not only on the day
of purchase and the two following days - a new rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 3850.
Seven- day t ravel card : Valid on the day when purchased and on the following six days. HUF 4600.
Fourt een- day pass (ktheti Budapest- brlet): Valid for 14 consecutive days with a photo pass (take a
passport siz e photo to the ticket office). Valid also on MV trains and suburban yellow Voln buses (a
new rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 6200.
One- mont h pass (havi Budapest- brlet): Valid for 30 or 31 consecutive days with a photo pass (take a
passport siz e photo to the ticket office). Valid also on MV trains and suburban yellow Voln buses (a
new rule introduced in January 2009). HUF 9400.
Mont hly pass f or st udent s : Valid for 30 consecutive days, with a Hungarian student ID, HUF 3850.
You will be able to buy one without a Hungarian student ID, but if you are stopped, you will probably be
fined, even if you have ISIC, or other student ID.
Budapest card (Budapest krtya) [27] allows you unlimited free travel in the city, and also gives you
discounts at museums and restaurants. Two- day card HUF 6300, three- day card HUF 7500.
Sooner or later, you WILL run into t icket inspect ors, especially on Sunday in trams and buses, and they
are posted daily at almost every single metro entrance and exit. They have a notoriously bad reputation
with the locals, often being rude and curt (when they are not deep in conversation amongst themselves).
They rarely speak English and sometimes pick tourist out of the pack banking on their lack of knowledge of
the public transit system. If you happen to get caught for "blitz ing" (commuting without paying), you will be
asked to pay a fine on the spot of HUF 6000 but they may threaten you to pay HUF 12,000 by saying they
will call the police. Don't be af raid as t he police usually never come. They can also try to make you
feel as though they are doing you a favor by only asking for 6000 if you don't ask for a receipt. Ticket
control inspectors can, but don't actually have a legal right to, ask for any type of ID (passport, ID cards,
etc.) as they are not considered peace officers under Hungarian law. Therefore, you are not required (and
you should not) give them any of your IDs, passports or credit cards as they have NO RIGHT to ask for
them in the first place. Don't even show them you have ID on you or they may try to grab these from your
hands. (On the other hand how can they tell if you are over 65 AND EU citiz en entitled to free travel without
checking your ID?) If you do pay on the spot, ask for a receipt to prevent them from pocketing the money.
To have a care- free trip throughout Budapest, you should always have a pass/ticket with you at all times. If
you feel threatened or in trouble, call the police or your Consulate in Budapest (some locals may also help
you to get away), but the best way is to have a Budapest Card, or any unlimited travel pass. Keeping in
PDFmyURL.com

mind that ticket inspectors are not considered peace officers, and since they have no legal right of arrest,
detention or even of asking for your ID documents, if you are stopped on a tram for not having a ticket,
once you get off the tram and are standing on the open street platform, you are free to JUST WALK AWAY!
This only works for trams and buses where you have an escape path (i.e. outside the encapsulated subway
system). Once you disembark completely from the public transit vehicle, simply keep walking. Again, it
should be re- emphasiz ed, that if you want a care- free time in Budapest, just pay the fare or get the
day/week/monthly pass or the Budapest Card and you won't have to worry about validating a ticket all the
time or the inspectors.
Most major subway stations check your tickets/passes on entrance and exit, especially at major stations.

Metro

[edit]

Budapest's underground net work is an excellent way to get around, it

connects the suburbs with railway and autobus stations, several centrally
located hotels, museums and sights. The system consists of three lines,
crossing at Dek tr station (Dek square, in Pest center).
Met ro 1 (yellow line) connects Mexiki t (Mexiki road, a transport
hub in Central- Northeast Budapest) with Vrsmarty tr (Vrsmarty
square in Pest's commercial and touristy center), and also passes the
Opera and Hsk tere (Heroes' square). It was built to commemorate
the 1000th year of Hungarian nationhood in 1896 (thus often called
Millennium Subway). It was the first underground built in the Continental
Europe and second in the world after London. Although the vehicles
are not original, the beautifully rebuilt, tile covered stations are a
gorgeous historical memory of Budapest's richest period (1880- 1910).

The rebuilt Sz ll Klmn

tr(former Mosz kva tr) metro 2
station

Met ro 2 (red line) connects Dli plyaudvar (Southern Railway Station, in Central Buda) with rs vez r
tere (rs vez r square, the biggest transport hub of Eastern Pest), and also takes you to Sz ll Klmn
tr (former Mosz kva tr, Buda's biggest transport hub), Kossuth tr (Kossuth square, around the
Parliament in Pest center) and Keleti Plyaudvar (Keleti Railway Station, in Pest). Although the
construction started in the 50's, the line was only opened between 1970 and 1972. Having been
completely rebuilt since 2004, its stations seem brand new, but trains are still the old, Soviet- style ones.
Met ro 3 (blue line) goes from jpest- Kz pont (residential area in Pest's Northern suburbs) to KbnyaKispest (transport hub in Central- Eastern Pest, terminus of bus 200 to the airport), passing Nyugati
Plyaudvar (Western Railway Station) and different stations in central Pest. Opened between 1976 and
1990.
All the metro lines are well represented on maps scattered on platforms.
PDFmyURL.com

There is one important fact for Senior Citiz ens resident in the EU. For EU Residents, over the age of 65,
travel on the Metro, Buses and Trolley Buses is Free, but an Identity Document must be carried proving the
above to Inspectors if requested. This also applies to some train journeys.
[edit]

Tram
Budapest's 25 t ram lines are a tourist- friendly way of getting around.
They are slower, but more scenic than the subway and particularly useful
on the nearly subway- less Buda side of the river. Be careful about doors,
they open on different side of the tram on different stops.
Particularly useful lines for tourists are:
Tram 4 and 6 both run along Nagykrt, Pest's inner ring road,
providing access to all three metro lines at multiple stations, and
crossing over to Buda on Margaret Bridge (Margit hd) another
beautiful view. Although technically two lines, 4 and 6 only diverge for
their last two stops that the tourist is unlikely to visit.

In 2006 the world's longest

trams started their service on
lines 4 and 6

The two lines running along the Danube river (19 in Buda and 2 in
Pest) are considered a part of the cityscape. Both offer beautiful view of the opposite side.
[edit]

By bus
Budapest has a dense bus network, which also connects the
agglomeration and suburban z ones with several metro and train stations
and the city center. Numbering system is now easy to understand.
Numbers below 299 indicate regular bus routes. Numbers with an added
'E' (for example 7E or 173E) indicate express services that don't stop at
all stops. Numbers with an added 'A' have shorter routes than their
regular counterparts (for example bus 30 has a longer itinerary than
30A). Numbers above 900 indicate night services. (Numbers between
800 and 899 are suburban services provided by Voln company, BKV
tickets and most tourist passes are not valid on them.)

Blue urban bus in Buda

Particularly useful lines for tourists include:

Bus 7, 73, 7E, 173E, all connect Keleti railway station with Blaha Lujz a square (Blaha Lujz a tr,
junction with tram 4, 6), Pest city center and many points of interest in Buda.
Bus 16/16A/116 go to Buda Castle from Sz ll Klmn tr (former Mosz kva tr). Bus 16 starts from Deak
Ference Ter, the main metro line hub.
Bus 200E runs to Ferihegy Airport from Kbnya- Kispest Metro 3 station.
PDFmyURL.com

Be aware that in September 2008 many lines have been provided with new numbers.
[edit]

Trolley-bus

Budapest's 13 trolley- bus lines run in Northeast and Central Pest. Unless you are a trolley buff, you're
unlikely to use them frequently. However, some of them pass through the City Park (Vrosliget) and cross
Andrssy avenue (Andrssy t), giving you beautiful views while using this eco- friendly mode of transport.
Line 70 from Kossuth square (Kossuth tr, next to the Parliament) to City Park (Vrosliget) also passes
through the lively Nagymez utca, Budapest's "Broadway".
[edit]

Suburban rail
Green suburban railway lines (called HV) connect central Budapest with several suburbs, but most of
them are of little use to visitors. Note that your tickets and travel passes are valid only within the city
boundaries, otherwise you should purchase a supplementary ticket (kiegsz t jegy) at a ticket office.

Line Bat t hyny t rSz ent endre goes upriver to the picturesque village of Sz entendre. The same train
takes you to Sz iget Fesz tivl [28] , Central Europe's biggest summer music festival. It connects at
Batthyny tr with metro 2, at Margit hd (Margaret bridge) with tram 4/6.
Line rs vez r t ereGdll takes you to the beautiful royal castle of Gdll from rs vez r tere
metro 2 station.
[edit]

Other
Some other means of public transport can be useful if you get tired of
regular buses and trams, or if you want to escape from the hustle and
bustle to the lush green hills surrounding Budapest.
Cogwheel railway (Fogaskerek vast) is a tram- like railway running
from Vrosmajor terminus (two stops from Sz ll Klmn tr metro 2
station by tram 59 or 61) to Sz chenyi hill (Sz chenyi hegy), Buda's
popular picnic, excursion and sledging place. BKV tickets and passes
are valid.
Boat . Budapest currently has only one regular boat service,
theoretically running around five times a day from May to September,
from Borros tr (South- Central Pest) to Rmaifrd (Northern Buda),
making 8 intermediate stops. BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid.

The cogwheel railway at

Vrosmajor terminus

Buda Cast le f unicular (Budavri sikl). This handsome, short funicular line takes you from Chain
Bridge (Lnchd) Buda end to Buda Castle. Built in 1870, completely destroyed in World War II, rebuilt
only in 1986. BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid. As one might expect, it is relatively expensive and
touristy.
PDFmyURL.com

Sz chenyi Hill Children's Railways (Sz chenyi- hegyi Gyermekvast) it's a narrow gauge line,
operated partly by children. The 11,2km long line is running on the Buda Hill's, giving a beautiful look at
the nature around Budapest. You can reach the endstation "Sz chenyi hegy" by the Cogwheel railway or
the other one "Hvsvlgy" by taking the tram number 61 from "Sz ll Klmn tr". Before using it, you
should take a look at it's home page for the timetable at [29] . BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid.
Zugliget Chair- lif t (Zugligeti libeg) It's a chair lift, taking you from "Zugliget" to "Jnos hegy". You will
have a nice view while traveling. BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid. [30]
[edit]

Night services

Budapest is covered by 34 night bus lines. Numbers are triple- digit, starting with '9'. Buses run every 15- 60
minutes from around 11PM until 4AM. The main linking points of the night bus network are Sz ll Klmn
square (former Mosz kva tr) tr in Buda and Astoria (junction of Kossuth Lajos utcaKroly krt) in Pest.
Daytime tickets and passes are valid.
Most useful night buses are:
923 Running along the Nagykrt, Pest's inner ring road, basically as tram 4 and 6 do during the day.
907 Substitutes daylight bus 7.
914 , 950 In the city center substitute metro 3.
On line map and schedule are available on BKV's home page [[31]

On Friday and Saturday nights ticket inspectors gather around the stops and don't let you hop on the bus
without a valid ticket or pass. They also sell tickets for HUF 350.

By car

[edit]

Apart from the summer holiday, Budapest has heavy traffic with long- lasting traffic jams in the morning and in
the afternoon. If you don't want to spend your visit to Budapest in a traffic jam, leave your car in the hotel's
garage, and use the public transport.
If you drive across downtown, plan your journey, otherwise you can get into tough situations. For example
you cannot turn left in most of the crossings of the inner ring road (Nagykrt) or on the main avenues like
Andrssy t, Vci t, lli t or Rkcz i t.

By taxi

[edit]

Budapest's taxi drivers are not always prepared for English speaking clients, but it does not necessarily
mean that they intend to overcharge their foreigner guests use one of the major taxi companies with
English speaking switchboards to avoid problems. Most companies' websites now have pages in English. If
you wish to call any of the following phone numbers from abroad, use the +36- 1 (Hungary- Budapest) code
before the numbers.
PDFmyURL.com

TaxiCab, www.taxibudapest.eu fixed prices +36/70/645- 4444 English language: [32]

TaxiCab, www.taxicab.5mp.eu fixed prices +36/70/594- 50- 11 English language: [33]
Volan Taxi, [34]

+36-1 4- 3333- 22.

Budat axi, [35]

+36-1 233- 3333.

Cit y Taxi, [36]

+36-1 211- 1111.

Ft axi, [37]

+36-1 222- 2222.

Taxi 2000, [38]

+36-1 200- 0000.

Tele 5 Taxi, [39]

Zna Taxi,[40]
6x6 Taxi, [41]

+36-1 555- 5555.

+36-1 365- 5555.

+36-1 266- 6666.

Budapest Taxi, [42]

+36-1 433- 3333.

Mobil Taxi, [43]

+36-1 333- 1757.

Radio Taxi, [44]

+36-1 777- 7777.

Taxi Plus, [45]

+36-1 888- 8000.

Do not accept of f ers f rom t axi drivers wait ing in t he airport t erminals or railway st at ions. Use
your common sense, sit only in t axis logoed by bigger companies. If possible, as stupid as it may
sound, try to pick a taxi with the meter in a place where the driver can't fiddle with it while driving. While the
fare per kilometer stays the same, apparently it's possible to "bump" the price by adding extra basic fees.
Also note that most taxis parked in the downtown areas do not belong to radio taxi companies and charge
much more than the usual HUF 200+ per km. Ask about their price in advance or call any of the taxi
companies above.
Please note that any of the above companies will take you for less than the taxis they book for you in
hotels.
[edit]

By bicycle

Budapest may be one of the most exciting places of Europe, but it's still not a cyclists' paradise. There are
bikeways separated from automobile roads in the downtown, but unfortunately often used as car- park or
pedestrian z ones. Generally, the city is not prepared for cyclists' presence, but the situation is slowly
changing. Budapest has been home to Europe's biggest cycling demonstration, Crit ical Mass [46] ,
where in 2008 more than 80 000 people participated.
If you are ready, renting a bike is not a problem, but still not cheap. Expect to pay around HUF 2000- 3000
for a day.
Budapest offers a variety of bike rental companies. Some of them are:
Budapest Bike, [47]

+36-30 944- 5533. Rent a bike starting at 2,000 HUF for 6 hours.
PDFmyURL.com

Yellow Zebra Bike, [48]

Bikebase, [49]

+36-1 266- 8777. Rent a bike starting at 1,500 HUF for 1- 5 hours.

+36-1 269- 5983. Bike rentals available for 2,000 HUF for 24 hours.

Cyclists are not very patient, so be aware while you are walking, if you hear a shout, be prepared to get out
of the way quickly. This is because a bell is something people haven't really heard of (both cyclists and
pedestrians alike) so using one while cycling might not result in people moving to the side; they might not
even react at all! Also, beware of pedestrians wandering onto marked bicyclepaths.
[edit]

By Skateboard

Pest is ideal for skateboarding. Sidewalks are wide and smooth without too many pedestrians to avoid.
Police won't pay you any attention as long as you are using your skateboard for transport and not trying to
do tricks. Longboards are ideal because of their stability and bigger wheels.
[edit][add listing]

See
Individual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles

Most of Budapest's famous sights are concentrated on Castle Hill on the Buda side, in downtown Pest and
along the riverside walkways.
The main sights on Cast le Hill are:
The Royal Palace (Kirlyi palota). The most popular
attraction on the hill. Home to the:
Nat ional Gallery (Nemzeti Galria) [50] . Inside the
Royal Palace wings B, C and D houses an astounding
collection of paintings.
The Fisherman's Bast ion and lookout terrace
(Halszbstya). For impressive views across the Danube
to Pest.
Mat t hias Church (Mtys templom, aka Church of Our
Lady). Dominant neogothic church crowning Budapest's
cityscape - nowadays is under reconstruction.

The Danube River and the leafy hills of

Buda

Other museums on the Castle Hill:

The Hist orical Museum of Budapest [51]
Palace.

. Exhibition of medieval Budapest and history of the Royal

The Music Museum. Includes a collection of musical instruments and the Bartok archive.
The Milit ary Museum [52] . Uniforms, weapons, maps and other Hungary- related military objects from
11th century until nowadays.
PDFmyURL.com

Marz ipan Museum.

Pharmacy Museum . Collection of pharmaceutical objects from the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Museum of Medieval Judaism. Presents the medieval Jewish objects of Buda.
The Danube Bridges (see Orientation above), especially the Chain Bridge (Szchenyi Lnchd ) are really
attractive and make it worthy to promenade along the river bank. Lnchd (pronounced laance heed)
means chain bridge and the suspension structure of the bridge is made of chains whose links are huge
dog- bone shaped metal bars linked by pins at their ends.
You can have a superb glimpse over the bridges from the Citadella on the top of Buda's Gellert Hill
(Gellrthegy ).
Riding a boat is ideal as you can enjoy both riverbanks at the same time. For romantic views of the city, go
at night.
Margaret Island (Margitsziget ) and its large parks (see Buda) are a very pleasant place to relax and
wander. Perfect for a sunny afternoon.
Downt own (Belvros) of Pest is the administrative and business centre
of Budapest and the whole of Hungary. The main sights here are:
The Parliament Building (Orszghz). A neogothic jewel, beautifully
situated overlooking the Danube. It is very much worth going inside,
but you can only do that during guided tours, which are FREE for
inhabitants of European Union (ignore those trying to pick you up
outside the Parliament). Tickets for guided tours can be obtained each
The Parliament Building
day from 8AM. It is recommended to do it in advance because the
tickets can be sold out quickly in the morning. You will have to go in
front of the Parliament and queue at the ticket line. Again, ignore those that ask you if you want a guided
tour. Just pick up your ticket inside and come back at the hour on the ticket. Guided tours in English are
held each day at 10, 12 and 14.
St . St ephen's Basilica (Szent Istvn Bazilika) [53] . The main church of Budapest is an important
example of neoclassical architecture, recently renovated. The mummified right hand of Hungary first
king, St Stephen is kept in the chapel. The 96 meter high dome can be seen from anywhere in the city
and inside is decorated with mosaics.
Great Synagogue and t he Jewish Museum (Dohny utcai Zsinagga ) [54] The biggest Synagogue
in Europe, and the most impressive in the world. Next to the Synagogue is a small but impressive
museum. In the rear of the Synagogue is a memorial for victems of the Shoah. The synagogue was
recently restored to its former grandeur. A block away you'll find a smaller, but nearly identical
synagogue built long before the Great Synagogue. The plaque in front explains that this was used as
PDFmyURL.com

some sort of assembly grounds for those persecuted during the Holocaust before they were deported. It
has not been renovated, and you can see through the boards on the outside how decrepit it still is. A
chilling sight.
Et vs Lornd Universit y (Facult y of Humanit ies)
[55] is on Mz eum krt, opposite Hotel Astoria, and
between the National Museum and a modern office block.
It was founded in 1635 by Pter Pz mny, Cardinal
Archbishop of Esz tergom. The university is one of
Hungary's most widely recogniz ed institutions of higher
education. The campus of the Faculty of Humanities is
situated among historic walls, and is attended by nearly
8,000 students and a vibrant international student
community from all over the world. The former library and
The historical building of the Faculty of
study of Lornd Etvs, the famous Hungarian physicist
Humanities of Etvs Lornd University
and eponymous founder the university, had his library and
study in Building "D", but several other hidden treasures
can be found at the Faculty. It is worth dropping by for a short visit. Visitors can rest in the lush Tref ort
Garden or have a refreshment in the popular Blcssz Terasz , an open- air cultural garden that has
musical performances as well as food.
Museums in at the city centre:
Museum of Et hnography [56]
Nat ional Museum [57]

Museum of Applied Art s [58]

Nat ural Hist ory Museum [59]

Mainly minerals at display.

Ludwig Museum of Modern Art [60]

Holocaust Memorial Cent re [61]

Museum of Transport .
Jewish Museum at the main synagogue [62]

Bible Museum.
The Andrssy t boulevard in Pest stretches from Downtown (Belvros) to the Cit y Park (Vrosliget ). It is
listed on UNESCO's World Heritage List and has some important sights along it, including:
The St at e Opera House This is one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world. The main
staircase was an important element of the building in the 19th century for ladies to show off their new
gowns.
The House of Terror (Terror Hza ) [63]

. Housed in the secret police headquarters of the communist

PDFmyURL.com

era, this museum objectively documents the terror of the Naz i and Communist eras. Visiting is hard work,
but essential for anyone wishing to understand Hungary's recent past.
The Hopp Museum of East Asian Art [64] . Collection of 20,000 pieces from China, Japan, India,
Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Nearby is another similar collection, namely Gyorgy Museum .
Ernst Museum [65]

. Contemporary Hungarian art.

The Cit y Park (Vrosliget ) is at the far end is probably the most
pleasant of Pest's districts and features several interesting if low- key
attractions which are often overlooked:
Heroes' square (Hsk tere) - with the Millennium Monument.
Museum of Fine Art s (Szpmvszeti Mzeum) [66] has an
incredible range of European artwork from Greek and Roman times
to the present. Especially valuable is its collection of Spanish
Baroque painting.
Zelnik Ist van Sout heast Asian Goldmuseum (Aranymzeum)
[67] has the leading collection in Europe of southeast asian gold
artifacts from the 1st millenia BC

Heroes' Square

Vajdahunyad Vra is a castle on a little island on a lake built for the 1898 World Fair. In the winter,
the lake is turned into the city's biggest ice rink. Nowadays it houses an agricultural museum.
On Buda side there are:
Aquincum [68] was a city in the Roman times, its remains are turned into a great open- air museum.
It's situated in the buda district of northern Buda. There are some ruins of thermal baths, made by
stones and decorated with mosaics and paintings. Visiting these places was social events for Romans.
Gl Baba Trbje [69] is the shrine where Gl Baba (literally Rose Father, from whom the Rzsadomb
(Rose Hill) was named) lies.Offers a nice view and the little street which leads down the hill from there
contains more houses that won the "House of the Year" award.
Kassk Museum at the Zichy Castle shows works of the modern Hungarian artists as well as modern
Hungarian art.
Kiscelli Museum [70]

- The Budapest Picture Gallery.

St at ue Park - Rather than smash the statues of the Communist era, the Hungarians arranged them with
a twist of irony in this park to the south of Buda.
Vict or Vasarely Museum shows many works of the famous Hungarian- born post- modern painter
Vsrhelyi Gyz (1908- 1997).
Music related Museums: Music lovers, beware that all four museums are closed in August.
Kodly Museum .
PDFmyURL.com

Lisz t Museum. Home of Ferenc Lisz t, most famous Hungarian composer. Collection of his personal
objects and instruments can be visited.
Bart k's House.
The Music Museum. Includes a collection of musical instruments and the Bartok archive.
Additional Museums:
Fashion Museum.
MEO Budapest's art fair.
House of t he Fut ure [71]

There are several travel agencies, tour operators offering city tours or walking tours, if you don't have much
time, you can use one of them and you can visit the main sights within 3 - 4 hours.

Gallery

[edit]

PDFmyURL.com

Do

[edit][add listing]

Experience an opera at Budapest's spectacular State Opera House or a performance of f orklore or

classical music at any of Budapest's many concert halls.
Buda Hill Labyrint h. The Labyrinths are accessible by two points on the Buda hills. Originally parts
were formed from hot water springs and then during WW2, they were linked with some of the cellars on
the hill to create an air raid shelter for up to 10,000 people and a military hospital. The labyrinth is now a
popular tourist attraction. It is a bit cheesy, but would be good for families travelling with children. The
Labyrinths has been permanently closed by the Green Militia as of July, 29, 2011.

Walk around and look at the market stands and the entertainment on some of the bridges in the evening.
And the best of all: get a map, circle the things you want to see, divide up your time and see the city by
yourself. Locals are always ready to help and they even tell you what to see and what is better to stay
away from. They even guide you for a short time to keep up their English by having a good
conversation. Don't hesitate to ask questions!
With your children go to the City park. Great fun can be made here. Walk arround the lake and feed the
ducks. See statue of Anonymus in a fairytale- like building, the Vajdahunyad Castle. Next to the lake the
Sz chenyi Spa is really enjoyable for kids as well, or a performance with international artists in the Great
Capital Circus or adventure in the fun Fair. As a finish of the day more than 800 special animals can be
visited in one of the oldest z oos in the world.
Rent a bike and go round the city (~ 1600 HUF for half a day), it's lovely! You can easily go outside the
city as well. Sz entendre is a 2hrs ride max from the center and you get to see nice places like a lake
when you follow the river.
Take a bike tour. A great way to start your visit. 2 1/2 hours gets you some exercise and introduces you
to the local geography. Staff at Buda Bike [underground garage at the plaz a in front of St. Stephan's
Basilica] are very friendly. They also rent bikes.
PDFmyURL.com

[edit]

Festivals

The Sz iget Festival at budai Island (=Sz iget) [72] attracts rock fans, world music hippies and the
usual festival crowd every year in august. With cheap beer, great acts and a multitude of cultural, culinary
and musical offers, it's definitely a good deal. Day tickets cost 45 and festival passes, including
camping privileges cost 170 if purchased before April 15th and 200 thereafter. Festival passes without
camping privileges cost 30 less. Sleeping in a tent under the open sky instead of a hotel room gives
the complete festival feeling. Be careful with your personal belongings though - you should leave them in
the safe boxes.
Spring Fest ival - around the end of March

Performing arts

[edit]

Hungary has a surprisingly rich theater scene and, not surprisingly, Budapest is the epicenter of it. Season
begins in mid- September and ends in June. Productions range from classic dramas and traditional operas
to post- modern performances. There is much to discover around Budapest theaters, even if you don't
speak Hungarian; the following venues can be particularly interesting for non- Hungarians. Tickets are
bookable about one month beforehand at Interticket [73] , the Hungarian theaters' official booking engine
for a small (10% + HUF 50) booking fee.
Hungarian St at e Opera House, Magyar llami Operahz [74] , 1061 Andrssy t 22, metro 1 station
Opera, tickets HUF 300- 10,900. One of Europe's architecturally most breathtaking opera house's
company performs traditional opera and ballet. The quality of its huge repertoire is not always up to
international standards, but if you don't expect too much, you will spend a decent night here. Cheaper
tickets offering reduced visibility are a good deal if you don't want to pay HUF 2500 for the official guided
tour [75] to the building. The company also performs at Theat re Thlia, (Thlia Sznhz 1065
Nagymez u. 22- 24, metro 1, tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Oktogon, tickets HUF 2900- 4900), [76] , while
Theat re Erkel, the Opera's chamber theater is closed due to reconstruction.
Palace of Art s, Mvszetek Palotja [77] , 1095 Komor Marcell utca 1, tram 2 stop Millenniumi
Kulturlis Kz pont, tickets HUF 700- 9,800, standing tickets for students are available for HUF 200 one
hour before every show, (be sure that your student card is valid, otherwise you won't get in). This
modern, power plant- looking building hides an excellent modern art museum, a festival theatre and the
marvellous Bla Bart k Nat ional Concert Hall (Bartk Bla Nemzeti Hangversenyterem ), which offer
great concerts from classical, jaz z and world music to Hungarian and international pop, special children
programmes and the best opera performances in Central Europe. The annual Wagner festival in June is
a must. Spectacles are held all around the year. Book your tickets at the Palace of the Arts home page
without additional booking fee.
Theat re Madch, Madch Sznhz [78]

, 1073 Erz sbet krt 29- 33, metro 2 station Blaha Lujz a tr,
PDFmyURL.com

tram 4, tram 6 stop Wesselnyi utca, tickets HUF 500- 8900. If you want to see the Hungarian version of
blockbuster musicals like The Phantom of the Opera or Producers, this is your place. Madch is widely
popular among musical fans, and some of their recent shows have been critically acclaimed, so book
well in advance.
Budapest Operet t a Theat re, Budapesti Operett Sznhz [79] , 1065 Nagymez utca 19, metro 1,
tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Oktogon, tickets HUF 950- 15000. Grandmothers' eternal favourite, the
Operetta Theatre performs old- fashioned operettas for the nostalgic hearted and tries to be Madch's
main rival in musicals.
Traf House of Cont emporary Art s , Traf Kortrs Mvszetek Hza [80] , 1094 Liliom utca 41,
metro 3 station Ferenc krt, tram 4, tram 6 stop lli t, tickets HUF 1000- 2500, 25% discount for
student card holders. In a renovated transformer building, Budapest's most important contemporary
cultural center presents Hungarian and international experimental dance, theatre and music
performances. A disco hall in the cellar and a lively bar upstairs also serve your entertainment.
Millenris [81] , 1024 Fny utca 20- 22, metro 2 station Sz ll Klmn tr, tram 4, tram 6 stop Sz na tr,
tickets HUF 1000- 6000. This huge cultural center has been built around former factory buildings. The
complex includes a park, a small artificial lake, cafs, an interactive museum called Csodk Palotja
(Palace of Miracles) and a theatre which hosts music, theatre and sometimes great contemporary opera
performances. You could book your ticket at their home page, which is available in Hungarian and
English
Merlin Int ernat ional Theat re, Merlin Nemzetkzi Sznhz [82] , 1052 Gerlcz y utca 4, metro 1/2/3
station Dek tr, tickets HUF 600- 2000. Merlin, within stone- throwing distance of Vci street, Budapest
touristy and commercial heart, is a hub for some Hungarian alternative companies and also for
performances in English.
Nat ional Dance Theat re, Nemzeti Tncsznhz [83] , 1014 Budapest, Sz nhz utca 1- 3, bus 10, bus
16, stop Dsz tr, tickets HUF 1100- 3500. The main dance theatre of Hungary hosts a wide range of
local and international performances. Although not always revolutionary modern, it's always worth to
check the program.
Experidance Company [84]
conception.

. This popular company performs Hungarian popular dances in modern

MU Theat re, MU Sznhz [85] , 1117 Krsy J. utca 17, tram 4 stop Fehrvri t, tickets HUF 1500, for
student card holders HUF 1000. MU, one of the well- known Budapest dance theatres hosts
contemporary dance performances.
Cent ral European Dance Theat er, Kzp-Eurpa Tncsznhz [86] , 1071 Bethlen Gbor tr 3,
metro 2 station Keleti Plyaudvar, tickets HUF 1200, for senior citiz en HUF 700, for student card holders
HUF 800. CEDT's company performs renowned contemporary dance theatre.
PDFmyURL.com

Theat re Sz kn, Szkn Sznhz, 1111 Megyetem rakpart 3., Budapest University of Technology and
Economics (BME)'s theatre hall, bus 7, bus 73, stop Sz ent Gellrt tr during the construction of metro
4 station in Sz ent Gellrt tr use temporary stairs next to the river for reaching the building, [87] .
Sz kn hosts, among others, Bla Pint r and Company [88] (Pintr Bla s Trsulata , tickets HUF
1500), many alternative theater goers' favourite. Their 2006 autumn premier, Korcsula (Korula the
name refers to a Croatian island), a Central European black commedy, is subtitled in English. Book your
ticket by email.

Danube Palace (Duna Palot a), 1051 Zrnyi u. 5 (5 minutes walk from Dek Ferenc tr ), [89]
perfomances every day at 20:00. 3,600- 6,400 HUF, discounts available for students . e d it

. Folklore

Cinema

[edit]

Budapests cinema life has developed around malls. Since the shopping center revolution in the late 90s,
more than two thirds of the citys cinema screens are run by international chains and franchises. Mainstream
cinemas mainly show subtitled (or not) Hollywood films and Hungarian romantic movies. For contemporary
European and Hungarian titles turn to Budapests excellent art house movie chain, Art moz i [90] , most of
their branches are provided with a caf or pub and offer pleasant atmosphere to spend your evening.
Most centrally located mall cinemas are Palace West end [91] in Pest (in Westend City Center, Vci t
1- 3, metro 3, tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Nyugati plyaudvar) and Palace Mammut [92] in Buda (in
Mammut Center, Lvhz utca 2- 6, , metro 2 station Sz ll Klmn tr, tram 4, tram 6 stop Sz na tr);
Palace MOM PARK in Buda, which is the "ORIGINAL LANGUAGE MOVIE" in Budapest, so you can
watch all the foreign movies here with subtitles too. check Palaces web site [93] for programme and
booking. Tickets cost HUF 1250, for student card holders HUF 990, on cheap days HUF 800.
Corvin [94] (Corvin kz 1., metro 3 station Ferenc krt, tram 4, tram 6 stop lli t). One of the
oldest, although completely modernised cinema in the city- - gives multiplex feeling for those tired of
malls. On Corvin's wall memorial tablets and reliefs are reminescent of the 1956 revolutions heavy
fightings around the building; the memorial itself is worth a visit. Tickets HUF 1150, before 16.00 HUF 950,
on Wednesday HUF 750.
Urnia Nat ional Movie Theat re [95] ,(Urnia Nemzeti Filmsznhz , Rkcz i t 21, metro 2 station
Blaha Lujz a tr, tickets HUF 890- 990). Combines mainstream European artistic movies with new
Hungarian films, the latter ones sporadically subtitled in English.
Cinema Puskin(Puskin Mozi, Kossuth Lajos utca 18, metro 2 station Astoria, metro 3 station Ferenciek
tere, tickets HUF 800- 1050). Pushkin is the most mainstream among the art house movie theatres in
Budapest, an elegant, decorated multiplex offering quality, but generally easy- to- watch Hungarian and
PDFmyURL.com

foreign films. Its caf is recommended.

Cinema Mvsz (Mvsz Mozi, 1063 Terz krt 30, metro 1, tram 4, tram 6 station/stop Oktogon,
tickets HUF 920- 1050) is probably the most popular Art Moz i theatre in Budapest. Many Hungarian
movies are on show with English subtitles; ask for them at the desk.
Movie Museum rkmoz g (rkmozg Filmmzeum, 1073 Erz sbet krt. 39, tram 4, tram 6, stop
Kirly utca). Perpetual motion (thats what the name means) is your best choice if youre in mood to
see a movie from the times when Leonardo DiCaprio was a child. Most of the oldies speak their original
language and are subtitled in Hungarian.

Baths

[edit]

Budapest is a famous spa city, so go "bathing". The baths are really the last vestige of Turkish culture in
Budapest, left over from their occupation of the city. Budapest does not have a large Turkish culture the
way a city like Berlin or Munich does; instead the Hungarians have modified and molded this tradition into
something of their own.
All baths are built around hot springs, and their central part is one or several thermal pools. They are
usually complemented with several steam baths, saunas, massage services and other therapies including
drinking cures. Unlike in some Scandinavian or German baths, at Budapest baths almost all places require
you to wear your bathing suit to the sauna too!
Tourist mix: After locals, Russians seem to be most frequent in Budapest's baths; Italians and Americans
come next (and for many Americans, baths are the main reason for visiting Budapest).

Traditional public baths

[edit]

Traditional public baths (like Gellrt, Sz chenyi) have quite a complicated navigation and Soviet- time
service and admission system, but it's worth going through to experience authentic bathing with locals
around you. At the cash desk at the entrance, you are expected to select treatments / areas to access in
advance. Time to spend in baths is not restricted, but if you're finished earlier, some part of your payment
may be returned. The only thing that can't be paid at the entrance is rental of towels and bathrobe (and/or
deposit for it)- - it should be paid inside, right where they are given (with the exception of Gellrt - towels,
etc are paid for at the entrance). There are two types of place to change clothes: a common room with
lockers is cheaper (male/female- separate, of course); cabins can be used by families and may differ in
siz e (2 or 3 persons). For cabins, you're handed a token with a number, which is also written on a
chalkboard inside as a security code; you need to remember cabin number. To open your cabin, show your
cabin and a token to attendant, and s/he'll check it against the number inside. In swimming pools, swimming
caps are recommended (and are available for rent), although this is not always strictly enforced.
Gellrt Bat hs, Buda, Kelenhegyi utca 4 (Gellrt Hotel at the base of
PDFmyURL.com

Gellrt Hill), (36- 1) 466- 6166, [96] . 6.00AM- 7.00PM weekdays;

6.00AM- 5.00PM on Sat and Sun (between Apr 30 and Sept 30)..
While the Kiraly baths may be a more authentic Turkish bath
experience, those at the Gellrt can't be beat for style- - and they are
equally popular among locals and tourists. This is probably the finest
Art Nouveau pool in Europe, and the baths are beautiful as well as
relaxing. The entrance fees and deposits can be quite confusing, as
well as where to go and how to get around once you get in. Ask the
information desk to clarify if you're not sure about how to proceed.

Gellert Bath

e d it

Prices: The full entrance price to both the swimming pool and the man and woman thermal facilities is
3500 HUF, which also includes a cabin rental, where you can change clothes and a towel (bed
sheets style). At weekdays this ticket is 4050 HUF Ticket and 30 minute massage can be reserved
in advance.
If you rent a towel or a bathrobe, you are charged a deposit as well as a fee for the rental. You get
the deposit back at the front desk when you leave, upon presenting the original receipt ticket you
received when paying upon entrance. You'll need to get your receipt ticket back from the attendants
inside when you return your item, otherwise you forfeit your deposit. Unfortunately, the managers are
quite unforgiving in this matter and won't believe you if you try to collect your deposit without your
item or a receipt. Consequently, its recommended that you bring your own towel or bathrobe, as the
rental "towels" are more like bedsheets.
The massage therapists mean business. Prices: from 2500 HUF for Refreshing, 15 min. to 3800 HUF
for Powder, 30 min.
They also offer very good Tai massages. 1h is 11500 HUF and 1.5h is 15500 HUF (march 2010)
Changing: Besides individual lockers and family cabins, there's some number of single- person
changing rooms in both men- only and women- only area.
Indoors: Common area for men and women has only a 50m(?) swimming pool and a soaking pool
with massage bubbles, both with 36..38C water. Using swimming caps in the swimming pool is
prescribed by signs, but not enforced at all. There are separate Turkish- style thermal baths for men
and women, which encompass several different areas: two soaking pools (one with 36C, another
with 38C), the showers, the dry sauna and Turkish steam bath, and the cold pool (designed to
scare the living daylights out of one's body after it's been happily lounging in the warmth).
Outdoors: A large open- air complex of pools (open only in summer time).
Special Note: For the separate male/female baths, if you are uncomfortable sitting in a giant tub of
water with other naked people of the same sex, this will not be your scene. You will notice tourists
unfamiliar with this environment are a bit taken aback when they first encounter this, and either leave
PDFmyURL.com

immediately or simply adapt to local culture. The men area requires bathing suites or a little towel
that hide the front part in the pools, though nudity is still common in the changing area.
Sz chenyi Spa (Szchenyi Frd ), Pest, llatkerti krt. 11 (right
next to the Zoo; metro: Szchenyi frd, M1 yellow line), [97] .
Indoor part open daily from 6AM to 7PM; outdoor 6AM- 10PM in
winter; summer- time hours may be different.. Built in 1909 in the
present- day City Park, this is the largest spa in Europe, and
probably the nicest one in Budapest. A vast bath complex amidst
beautiful architecture, it contains 3 outdoor pools including a large
lap pool, at least 3 sauna rooms, and several indoor pools at
different temperatures. e d it

Inside Sz echenyi bath

Prices: 3,100 HUF entrance fee, includes rental of a locker

(locked by an electronic wristband which also acts as your
admission ticket) or 3,400 HUF entrance fee, includes rental of a changing cabin (locked by a key).
300 HUF refund for leaving within 2 hours. It is recommended not to store valuables in these lockers
- - use the safe boxes. Signs warn they are not responsible for losses except for safe boxes.
Safe boxes are available for 500 HUF (well worth the peace of mind). The boxes are approximately
5" high x 12" wide x 18" deep (13cm x 30cm x 46cm). The attendant will ask you to write a "code"
word on a piece of paper; this paper is placed in the box along with your valuables, and you will be
given a physical key. When retrieving your items, the attendant will ask you for the "code" and check
it against the paper in the box. These safe boxes can be used if the larger locker or changing room
is not required.
Its recommended that you bring your own towel or bathrobe, as the towels available for rent are
more like bedsheets.
Outdoors: Two hot soaking pools (30 degrees C and 38 degrees C) and one swimming pool (26- 28
degrees C) are all open- air (even in winter), and form the center of the baths. All facilities are shared
by men and women (except shower and toilets). There's a swimming tube (a whirling corridor):
round- (outdoors) or rectangle- shaped (indoors) pool with artificial flow, a feature difficult to find
elsewhere. Another specialty is a tradition to play chess while sitting in the water - even in winter. One
or two cafes/juice bars are available directly from the swimming deck, near the cabins, year- round.
Indoors: Several saunas, one steam bath. Cold- water pool, hot tubs, aqua- gym pool with weights.
Northern part of indoors baths is more modern and clean.

Modern baths

[edit]

There are also very modern baths (like Danubius Grand Thermal Hotel) which are usually called spas,
although their central component are thermal pool and multitude of steam baths/saunas, which is not always
PDFmyURL.com

typical for spas in the rest of the world.

Danubius Grand Hot el/Thermal Hot el Margit sz iget , (northern end of the Margaret Island
(Margitsziget)), +36(1)889- 4700 (resind@margitsziget.danubiusgroup.com , fax: +36(1)889- 4939),
[98] . until 9:30PM. . High- level and modern baths and spa also offers a great choice of medical
treatment. Admission fee (5,700 HUF weekdays, 7,000 HUF weekends) doesn't limit your time inside,
and gives access to all spa facilities including a great gym (remember to bring your fitness suit).
Solarium and medical treatments should be paid separately, remember before entering the changing
rooms (1,300 HUF for 10 minutes). e d it
What's inside?: Two body- temperature soaking pools and a cold- water corridor with stones on the
floor; one swimming pool; separate steam baths; common sauna. There's a drinking fountain with
mineral water extremely rich in minerals- - find on a way from baths to the gym.
Changing: Towels are handed at reception- - without fee or deposit. Also, there seems to be
bathrobes available for rent- - ask at the reception. For changing clothes, only lockers are available,
without attendant- - you have a key. There's no cabins (as families typically live in the same hotel).
Every shower cabin have a curtain, and there's some liquid soap available.
Visitors mix: Almost no locals; in New Year season (and 1- 9 of May?) about 80% are Russians who
are also residents of the hotel.
Corint hia Grand Hot el Royal Spa, Erz sbet krt 43- 49 , +36(1)479- 4000
(royalres@corinthia.hu , fax: +36(1)479- 4333), [99] . A symbol of history, culture, architecture and the
tradition of hospitality opens its doors in all its original splendour. The Royal Spa has been beautifully
restored to its original splendour and now offers the latest state- of- the- art spa facilities and treatments.
The Royal Spa is one of the most expensive in Budapest costing 10,000 HUF for a day pass. It is a
spectacle of opulence and luxury in the amaz ing art deco setting. Included in the price is bath robe,
towels, lockers, hydromassage, fruit juices and water. Although expensive it is a truly unforgettable
experience . e d it

Others

[edit]

Kirly Bat hs . Buda, F utca 84 (metro: Batthyny tr). Old, authentic and pretty small; personnel speak
limited English. The baths used to alternate between male- and female- only days, but now every day is
mixed for both men and women. Kirly Baths have been known for some years as a meeting place for
gay men. Following an expose on Hungarian TV, the management introduced a rule that swimwear has
to be worn in the baths. Some gay activity may be visible, but you can enjoy this unique place without
any problem if you are not gay.
The baths have a main pool with adjoining very small pools, steam room and dry sauna. The emphasis
is more on relaxing and enjoying the waters rather than swimming. It's possible to get a massage here
as well. Ask the attendants in the changing room or massage room area.
PDFmyURL.com

The Palat inus Out door Bat hs , on the Margaret Island (Margitsz iget), have three pools filled with
therapeutic water- - and a total of 11 pools (totaling 17.5 acres). In front of the baths is a beautiful rose
garden, and nearby, an open- air stage where opera and ballet performances are held, plus an open- air
cinema used during the summer.
Rudas, in Buda. This is where to go if you are looking for an authentic Turkish feel with its 16th century
dome encrusted of colored glass. It is quite popular amongst locals. While it was a men- only bath, it
now allows access to men and women. It is much more authentic than Gellert or Sz echenyi. Like Kirly,
the baths have a main pool(36C) with adjoining small pools(12C, 28C, 30C, 33C and 42C), steam room
and dry sauna. Rudas has more small pools than Kirly and seems in better condition (renovated in
2007). There are two parts of the bath - the Turkish relaxation bath and a swimming hall. Both charge an
entrance fee (as of February 2008): 2.200 HUF for the Turkish bath, 1.500 HUF for the swimming hall.
Both can be booked for 3.300. Bring a towel and your swimwear and you are set for the swimming hall
(but you will look like a tourist in the bath section with a swimwear - they will provide you with a very
small towel). There is also a very nice rest room, where you can chill outside the water. The staff has got
very limited English.
Massages are offered as oil or soap&water versions. 15 min. cost 2,500 HUF, 30 min. 3,500. Be aware
that this type of massage has nothing to do with the relaxing Asian variants. Parts of Schwarz enegger
movie Red Heat was shot here.

Dagly is a large complex of baths and pools located just north of rpad Hd Metro station on the Pest
side and directly on the Danube. There is an outdoor 50m lap pool open year round and a covered- inwinter 25m lap pool. There are 2 large outdoor hot baths. One heated to 33C and the other to 36C. In
summer, several huge pools are also available and plenty of open grass and trees for sunbathing or
shade. The architecture is classic modern. Admission is ~ 1,300 HUF. One changes clothes in a small
cubicle before passing through to the large unisex locker room where attendants lock your clothes in a
locker. Tip HUF 100 on your way out. Be sure to bring some bath sandals to wear to the pool edge. The
floors are not always clean. One sees lots of families here, elderly people and fitness swimmers. Staff
do not speak English, but is helpful and patient.

Active Leisure

[edit]

If you live a sporty life you should not have a break during your holiday. Wide variety of health clubs,
yoga & pilates clubs, riding schools, swimming pools and squash and tennis courts give sporting
opportunity. On Margaret Island you will find joggers, and swimming opportunity in the Hajs Olympic
Pool. Practicing the mentioned sports is cheap in Budapest.

Caving

[edit]
PDFmyURL.com

Note that caving in Budapest ranges from well lit and renovated Sz emlhegyi cave, where you can even
go to parts of the cave in a wheelchair, to some of the more extreme tours in the Pl- vlgyiMtyshegyi cave system, where you have to squeez e through several meters long passages with no room to
spare.
Sz emlhegyi cave, 1025 Pusz tasz eri t 35 (Take the No. 29 bus from Kolosy tr, and get off at the
Szemlhegyi barlang stop.), +36 1 325 6001. Wed- Mon 10:00 AM to 4.00 PM. e d it
Pl- vlgyiMt ys- hegyi cave syst em, (Take the No. 65 bus from Kolosy square. You have to step off
at the fifth bus stop, named Pl-vlgyi cave.), +36- 20- 9284969 (info@barlangaszat.hu ), [100] .
e d it

There is a joint ticket for the standard tourist areas of the Pl- vlgyi and the Sz emlhegyi caves. The
caves are walking distance to each other - ask for a map from either cave ticket office. These areas are
easily accessible and well- lit making them better for the slightly claustrophobic among us, though to
enjoy the true beauty of the caves you must go on the longer more strenuous tours. Due to the times that
the tours start, you're better of starting at Sz emlhegyi then taking the 15 minute walk to Pl- vlgyi. This
way it is possible to not have a very long wait between your caves, and the outdoor area at Pl- vlgyi
is far more pleasant in nice weather than the Sz emlhegyi cave museum.
The Pl- vlgyiMtys- hegyi cave system is recommended for the adventurous (and non- claustrophobic)
who wants a great taste of "proper caving" instead of the more "tourist friendly" alternatives. The tours lasts
between 2.5- 3 hours and much of the time is spent crawling or climbing, so some degree of physical shape
is needed. The guided tour includes a helmet, headlamp and overall so bring good shoes! Guides are
very professional. English guided tours are usually on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays late in the
afternoon, but can be pre- booked by groups at other days as well. For booking you need to be with at
least 4 people.
Please do not litter, write your name on the cave wall or damage the cave in any other way! Part of the
experience is the feeling of being in unspoiled nature.

Learn

[edit]

Cent ral European Universit y [101] offers a small undergraduate business program and an extensive
graduate program in a wide variety of subjects.
Int ernat ional Business School (Nemz etkz i z leti Fiskola, IBS- NF) [102] offers numerous
undergrad and postgrad programs, mostly providing Oxford Brookes University and Hungarian Degrees
in English and/or Hungarian languages.
Budapest Universit y of Technology and Economics [103] , B.Sc. and M.Sc. Offers engineering
courses available for foreigners in English, French and German language at the International Education
Center of the university.
PDFmyURL.com

Et vs Lornd Universit y [104] . The oldest University in Hungary, B.A, B.Sc., M.A, M.Sc. and Ph.D
level programs are available in English language.
Lisz t Ferenc Academy of Music [105]
Debrecen Language School [106]
Budapest, Debrecen and Sopron.

. World- famous music academy in the heart of the city.

offers Hungarian language classes year round at all levels in

Corvinus Universit y of Budapest [107]

courses in many languages.

also known as Kz gz : Offers Bachelor and Master

[edit]

Work
Teaching English is a popular profession for travellers and people moving to Budapest.

Generally speaking, finding a full- time job is fairly difficult unless you speak Hungarian. You should also be
prepared that Western standards at job interviews regarding personal life and diversity issues do not
always apply. Do not be surprised if you are asked about your smoking habits. Also, companies are not
always prepared to fully understand and accept people from diverse backgrounds. You should be prepared
that most places wont hire you until you speak at least a little Hungarian. Restaurants with a specific
countries cuisine (such as Italian restaurants and piz z erias) tend to hire people from that country for making
the food more authentic.
[edit][add listing]

Buy
Most of the visitors from far away end up shopping in Pest in the middle
of the city: Vci utca and nearby. It is historically the most expensive part
of the city. You'll find Hungarian linens and lace, pottery, and other items,
in souvenir shops.
You definitely want to visit the Great Market Hall (Nagy Vsrcsarnok ) at
Fvm tr the recently renovated markethall with essential atmosphere
(it's at the south end of Vaci). Prices for the same items vary a lot
between sellers and aren't set in stone so be sure to compare and
bargain.

Non-speciality shopping

[edit]

Also, chain stores can be found along the Vci utca (C&A, H&M, Clinique,
Estee Lauder, New Yorker, etc).
The "Plaz as" are usually good for buying clothes, but prices may vary
wildly even in shops next to each other. For electronics, the cheap

Paprika and more, Great

Market Hall
PDFmyURL.com

supermarkets like Electro World and Media Markt are good targets, but
the quality is on par with the prices.
Absinthe is available for purchase at common liquor stores, a must- have
purchase for the European traveler. Many brands available in the Market
Hall and liquor stores are of poor quality (or not even "real" Absinthe).

Eat

[edit][add listing]

Individual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles

A Chocolate shop in
Budapest

Local specialties include papriks, gulys, Lake Balaton pike-perch

(fogas), prklt (a goulash- like stew with lots of onions), halszl (fishermen's soup served differently by
regions), stuffed cabbage, and liberal use of paprika. There is also a great variety of wonderful pastries,
many of which you will recogniz e if you are familiar with Viennese pastries. As in other spheres, the
Hungarian approach to food combines pride in their own traditions with a readiness to accept outside
influences. The result is a vibrant restaurant scene where an Asian- Hungarian fusion restaurant may well be
of genuine interest.
Remember, though, that "goulash soup" is indeed a soup, not the "goulash" that visitors may be familiar
with. To order that, you want "prklt".

Coffeehouses

[edit]

Coffeehouses (kvhz) are a Budapest institution and a visit to one should be on every traveller's agenda.
As the name implies, these are places for a cup of coffee and a delectable pastry, not a full meal.
The two most well- know, landmark coffeehouses are
Gerbeaud (Vrsmarty tr 7- 9) [108]
Mvsz Kvhz (Andrssy t 29) [109]

Restaurants

[edit]

Budapest has many great places to eat, but an unfortunate number of tourist traps as well. Avoid
restaurants in touristy areas like Vci utca, especially if the customers are all foreigners, or you'll more likely
than not be served mediocre food with an exorbitant bill padded with all sorts of biz arre charges. In other
restaurants too, note that anything you don't explicitly ask for, but appears on your table anyway, is likely to
be charged for. Don't take restaurant tips from anyone on streets, do it at your hotel.
A wide variety of decent food for reasonable prices can be found at in "Budapests Famous Restaurant
Street", Raday utca, near Calvin tr.
PDFmyURL.com

Top- notch quality food (1st category restaurants) charge a wide range of prices (from starters around 1000
HUF, main courses around 3,000- 10,000 HUF, and menus from 5,000 HUF).

Ship Restaurants

[edit]

Walking next to the Danube on the Pest side a lot of excellent standing restaurant and bar ships can be
found. Most of them serve traditional Hungarian and international dishes. Thanks for the beautiful panorama
of Danube, these restaurants provide unforgettable dining experience. Between them are some great place
to drink also.

[edit]

Chains
Only cross- district chains are listed here; see district articles for individual restaurants.
Wasabi [110]

. Excellent Japanese and Korean food. Lunch 3790 HUF (11AM- 5PM weekdays).

Pest . Podmanicz ky ut 21 (close to Nyugati station) 11:30AM- 11PM weekdays.

Buda. Sz pvlgyi ut 15 (train station Sz pvlgyi ut) 11AM- 11PM.
Trf ea Grill [111] . The best among all- you- can- eat (buffet) and all the alcohol you can drink. Best to
book a table in advance. Has 4 locations:
near Nyugati Train Station (Visegrdi u. 50A)
at the final station of Metro line 1 (Erz sbet kirlyn t 5)
downtown by Margaret Bridge (Margit krt 2)
in the XIth district (Hausz mann Alajos / Sz ermi t).(flagship outlet)
Gundel does a good value Sunday all you can eat brunch.
Leroy Caf e , Pest (5 locations), Buda (3 locations) . Mid to high- priced restaurant chain that offers
Hungarian classics with other Italian and European cuisine. Very fashionable interiors and popular with
the well- paid white collar crowd. Reservations are recommended during traditional peak times. When
eating here, always make sure that you won't be slapped on an extra 100% service charge. Read the
menu before entering the restaurant carefully and insist on talking to someone who speaks english. e d it

Vegetarian/Vegan

[edit]

Govinda Great vegan/vegetarian restaurant in Budapest. You can choose from different menus
everyday or you can just try separate dishes. All of them are moderately priced. Be aware that when you
are entering the restaurant you have to go down on the stairs and you can easily hit your head,
especially if you are really hungry and want to go down as fast as possible.. You can find two Govinda
restaurants Check out the map[112]
PDFmyURL.com

Vigyz Ferenc utca 4[113]

| Central Pest

Mon Fri 11:30 20:00, Sat 12:00 21:00

Edeni Vegan Cafeteria style restaurant, large portions, relatively cheap. Food may vary depending on
day, time, and dishes chosen. Tofu goulash recommended. Staff is very helpful at explaining the dishes
so ask what they are if you don't know. Note: CASH ONLY. There is an ATM at the bank across the street.
Iskola Utca 31, 1011 - - Located in Buda, 1 block from Batthny tr metro station.
+36 6203 0775 75
Open Mon- Thur 8- 21, Fri 8- 18, Sun 11- 19, closed Saturday.
[edit]

Grocery Stores

There are hypermarkets like "Auchan", "Tesco" [114] ,"Cora" where food is cheap, and they offer a usually
wide range of goods (If you want to take some paprika or sausage home as a souvenir, buy it here- - it's
much cheaper than those from souvenir kiosks). Around the downtown areas, you will find smaller grocery
chains such as GRoby, Spar, Kaiser's, Plus, Tesco Express and CBA.
[edit]

Kosher

Hanna's Kosher Kitchen Features classic Hungarian food, but Kosher. VII., Dob utca 35. Tel.:+361 3421072.
Kinor David VII. Dohany utca (next to the big Dohny Temple) Tel. (+361) 413- 7304 or 5.
Salamon glatt kosher restaurant (Next to King's Hotel)1072 Budapest, VII. Nagydifa u. 27 Tel: (++36- 1)
413- 1487, 413- 1488 Cell: (++36- 30) 743- 6938, (++36- 20) 966- 6160.
Rotschild Supermarkets (located throughout the downtown) offer Kosher goods too.

Others

[edit]

Halal food is uncommon in Budapest, as are kebabs: although they are becoming popular, they are still not
often on sale. You can buy gyros instead, which are very similar, but of Turkish origin and originally called
"Dner" (c.f. Dner Kebab). In addition to the Turkish meaning, Gyros is also a Greek word for "round". This
is because the meat is being cooked while it is rotated around the fire. This has been available in the
market for more than 35 years. One excellent Turkish Halal restaurant is Sz erj. To get there, take the
metro (blue- line) to Nyugati which is the same station where WestEnd mall is located. Then walk west along
Sz t Istvn krt and it's a big restaurant on your left. Self- service with lots of varieties of starters, kebabs,
sweets and refreshments. During lunch and dinner it can be really crowded, but it is open until 4am every
day.

Drink

[edit][add listing]

PDFmyURL.com

Individual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles

Budapest offers plenty of places to drink, from cool and ultra- hip to rowdy and down- market. If you are in
the mood for a particularly Hungarian experience, visit a so- called boroz (wine pub). These offer cheap
yet tasty Hungarian wine on tap at outright hilariously low prices if you manage to find one outside the tourist
circuit. Hungary is famous for its wines produced at Balaton area and Eger. Among red wines the best are
Kkfrankos, Egri Bikavr Bulls Blood and white wines the Sz rkebart and Chardonnay are popular. You
should try not to miss out on the hungarian spirit, palinka, made from fruits such as, plum, apricot, cherry or
williams pears.
Be sure to try Traubi Szoda and Marka. These are unique Hungarian soft drinks available only in Hungary.
Traubi is a white grape soda and Marka is a sour cherry soda.

Sleep

[edit][add listing]

Individual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles

Budapest offers a wide range of accommodation in all price classes from the hostels which start at 7 per
night, to small cheap pension, to the luxurious 5- star hotels, although the costs of staying here are notably
higher than elsewhere in Hungary.
Arriving trains are often met by touts offering free rides to hostels, as well as little old grannies offering their
apartments for rent. Try to figure out exactly where you're going before you choose - or, better yet, visit any
of the many travel agencies to browse the many options in a more comfortable environment.
The most expensive digs are on or near Castle Hill,doz ens of reliable backpacker hostels are mostly
across the river in Pest. However, Buda has better air quality due to the closeness of the hills and the
forests lying to the west from the city.
Apartments may be a cheap alternative for those making extended stays.

Contact

[edit]

Phone

[edit]

Calling outside Budapest press city code (Budapest is 36- 1) or mobile (06 - 30/ 70 /20 ) Calling
international press 00 + country code + area code + local number (Hungary country code is 36).
Mobile phones work in the metro, even in tunnels between stations.
PDFmyURL.com

Some phone booths take coins (including euro coins), but others only take pre- paid cards. The posted
number for credit card calls will lead to unexpectedly high charges (1USD for a one minute call to the US)
and is to be avoided. Unfortunately, you cannot trust T- mobile to charge reasonable prices on their pay
phones. You can make international calls from callshops and internet cafs at more reasonable prices.

Internet

[edit]

Wi-f i

[edit]

Budapest is one of the most Wi- Fi enabled cities in Europe. You can find hundreds of free WiFi hotspots all
over the city - in cafes, restaurants, shopping malls and hotels, or even parks or busy streets.
In VII district (Erz sbetvros), which is surrounded by Kroly krt, Kirly utca and Rkcz i t, free WiFi is
provided by the government all over the district - in the cafes, shops, in the streets.

[edit]

Wifi Networks

However, there are still some hotels and restaurants using offering paid wi- fi usage, including the following:
Hot Spot Syst em.com, [115] . Has both Free and paid (Pro) types of service- - chosen by operating
(restaurant, hotel etc.). For paid access, internet time can be purchased by credit card right from your
browser at the point of connection. Prices are set by operating business but can be like this (example
taken from Hotel Astra [116] ) 1hr =600ft, 2hrs =960ft, 24hrs =1950ft. Time can not be purchased in
other slots, and should be used at once (you can't pause it, nor to use it in several intervals during
several days). For Pro access, speed is: 384 / 128 kbit/s incoming/outgoing traffic, and unlimited traffic
within paid time. And the time left is only shown in popup that opens right at the start of connection- - if you
close it, you can't check how much is left. e d it

[edit]

Internet Caf es
There are many internet cafes throughout the city. Prices average 200 HUF/hour.

[edit]

Stay safe
Crime

[edit]

Vci ut ca dos and don't s

PDFmyURL.com

As a visitor to any other big city, having your pockets picked is

the most common crime against tourists. The rate of picked
pockets is relatively low by Western European and U.S.
standards, and you're unlikely to have any problem if you
follow some basic rules you wouldn't forget in Paris, Brussels
or Vienna. The most important rules are that you never wear a
backpack or purse on your back in public transportation or
other places with a lot of people, and make sure that you
have your wallet in one of your front pockets.
Hungarian policemen rarely speak English. Tourists have no
reason to be afraid of them unless breaking the law.
During the peak tourist season, police patrolling major tourist
areas are accompanied by bilingual or multi- lingual students
who assist with problems or complaints. Police have also
opened a 24/7 TourInform office in one of Budapest's busiest
areas. It is located at Suto Street 2, District V, and they are
able to receive complaints and render assistance in English
and German.
Luckily, Budapest has no off- limit z ones, particularly not in the
touristy areas or nearby. As a traveller, you should take only
normal precautions: don't show off your money and don't wear
flashy jewellery. Magyars tend to be friendly with foreigners;
racism or xenophobia against tourists is practically unknown.
Violent crimes are rare, and the main concern for locals is to
protect their home against break- ins rather than worry about
having their purse robbed.

By night

[edit]

Mostly there's no reason to have concerns about Budapest by

night. In practice, the whole city, including all the touristy areas,
Pest within the inner ring road (the line of Szent Istvn krt
Terz krtErzsbet krtJzsef krtFerenc krt ,
popularly known as Nagykrt ), and Buda are safe even
before dawn. Most locals avoid walking alone by night in outer
z ones of districts 8th and 9th in Pest, as these are shady,
though not particularly dangerous areas. Areas in 8th district

This narrow street begins at Fvm

square (Fvm tr) in front of Central
Market (Nagyvsrcsarnok ) and ends at
Vrsmarty square (Vrsmarty tr).
Supposedly being one of the main
tourist attractions of the city, Vci Street
is visited by all the tourists arriving to
Budapest. Enjoy this lively place, shop
in its fashion stores, buy Hungarian and
foreign literature in its great bookshop,
eat in the American fast food restaurants
if you intend to, but avoid being
victimiz ed by its many tourist traps and
scams:
Avoid it s eat eries and bars,
mainly between Vrsmarty sq and
Elisabeth Bridge (Erzsbet hd). Most
of them offer mediocre food at
exorbitant prices.
What ever rest aurant you go,
always see t he prices on t he
menu. Every restaurant is obliged to
put its full menu with prices outside
the restaurant. If you can't find this,
the place is most likely to be very
expensive.
Never ent er it s erot ic/t opless
bars. It would cost a hundred times
more than you can imagine in your
worst dreams and you will have to
pay anyway.
Don't t ry t o pick up girls . There
are many great places to meet
Hungarian women, but Vci Street is
not one of them.
PDFmyURL.com

though not particularly dangerous areas. Areas in 8th district

behind Npsz inhz utca - Jz sef krt can be a bit risky,
although the district is CCTV monitored by the police. If you
don't have special thing to do there, try not to have a walk at
night at Lujz a, Dank, Magdolna Streets and their
surroundings: also, it's not a very attractive area. Npsz inhz
utca itself is not a very nice place after dark but usually not
risky.

Change money only in exchange

of f ices. Though not as frequent as
it used to be ten years ago, Vci
Street still has street money
changers waiting for you. Don't use
their service.
See details in Tourist traps section
below.

Some big panel areas outskirts of the city (parts of jpest and
As a general rule, you find better quality
Kbnya) are also not the best places to have a walk without
and prices outside Vci utca.
knowing where to go. Area of Keleti plyaudvar is also not
very friendly, but usually nothing happens. Avoid homeless
people asking for money or selling something in the big underpasses. The subway at Nyugati tr collects
different types of people; it is generally not risky because of heavy traffic day and night, but try not to look
very "lost" there.
Bigger public parks as Vrosliget , are surely to be avoided. Don't take a healthy walk at Npliget after
dark. The famous 'chill- out' place at Rmai part (3th district) can be deserted especially after 1AM and in
the winter season, although it's usually safe. Don't go to the dark paths alone around Citadella at night.
Night buses and the tram no.6 passing through the city center can be very crowded at peak socialising
times on Friday and Saturday nights. You may come across aggressive drunk youngsters on the vehicles or
at the stops. Keep a low profile or avoid the public transportation system on weekend nights. Major night
lines are now guarded by security staff.
If you are arriving at night using public transport from the airport, be aware that the last station of Metro 3 at
Kbnya- Kispest is also not very friendly after dark, because of reconstruction work. It is better if you use
the train from Terminal 1 to Nyugati, or just taking a cab.

Tourist traps

[edit]

Like in several cities of the world, in Budapest the major scams for the inexperienced tourist are t axis and
rest aurant s.
Taxis used to be a traveler's nightmare, mainly for those arriving from or going to the airport. Luckily the
situation is slowly getting better: Zna Taxi, a company with exclusive right to wait for passengers at the
airport terminals, is reliable and works according to advertised prices; for details read the Airport transfer
chapter. Sometimes scam taxi drivers will solicit services in the terminal to take you for a ride with a very
hungry meter. Zna Taxi has a stand outside the terminal, so unless you, like some locals do, have called
for a cab from a different company to pick you up, do not accept a ride with any other taxi drivers. (As of
PDFmyURL.com

2011, however, Zna taxi was kicked out of Ferihegy Airport due to reasons behind the scene, which usually
means more money demanded by airport which was rejected by the taxi company. They lost their stand
and possibly you cannot find them there anymore. This is an ongoing battle, and the situation utilises its
habits to get worse again.). As of August 2011 Ftaxi is the official partner of the Budapest Airport.
The alternatives to Zna Taxi are to call for another trusted cab, saving 5- 10 on the trip, or to use the
Airport Minibus service. Airport Minibus has a booth inside the terminal and they will allocate you to a
minibus with several other travellers who are going to the same area of town depending on your luck you
will be the first destination otherwise the bus may go to a couple other destinations before reaching your
destination. However it is only cheaper than a taxi if you are travelling alone. If you travel the other way
around (from the city to the airport), pre- order your taxi on the chosen company's phone number or call for
the Airport Minibus.
Unfortunately, the situation around railway and bus stations is still not regulated. The worst is probably Keleti
Plyaudvar: never trust drivers hanging around the arrival side; rather, pre- order a car. If that's not possible,
take only taxis with a logo of the bigger companies, and with a proper sign on the roof and taxi licence
plate. As a general rule, make sure the taximeter is on (and not set to the special "extortionate rate for
unwary tourists") or agree the price with the driver beforehand. Many cases have been reported in which taxi
drivers have extorted hundreds of Euros from unwary visitors. Smaller crimes include being given change in
worthless, obsolete Romanian or other currency, which is not instantly recogniz able by tourists as nonHungarian currency. Other drivers take a longer route, which means a higher price, if you don't have an
agreed price. If you have an agreed price, you can be sure to arrive to your destination in the shortest route
possible.
Similar abuses have also happened in restaurants and bars, almost all of them in the vicinity of Vci utca in
the touristy heart of Pest. You should avoid the eateries and bars of the z one. However, the majority of
restaurants and pubs in Budapest are reliable. In Hungary it's compulsory to put the menu card outside the
entrance; if it's not the case, don't enter. Eat only where locals eat, drink where locals drink.
Don't take any tip on the streets, especially if the person is apparently a gift from heaven and is being very,
very nice to you.
Don't befriend the girls hanging around Vci utca, and never accept any invitation for a drink from them: you
can be sure that they will lead you to fake Champagne, but you will be left only with the bill, and it's unlikely
that a small conversation with them will be worth the hundreds of euros. You'll find the same sort of girls in
erotic and topless bars; avoid them unless you're ready to pay your monthly salary for a glass of wine.
Currently the standard trick is to produce a menu with small print at the bottom stating that the first drink costs
HUF 15,000 and consumption is compulsory. This modified menu might be produced only when the bill is
presented. Most of the erotic bars in Budapest are tourist traps. As of December 2009, this scam is still
happening on a daily basis.
PDFmyURL.com

A common scam[117] now (06/2008) is for attractive women to walk up to men and ask for directions to a
particular bar. If you respond "I don't know", they will ask you if you have a map and say "let's go together"
they commonly tell you a story such as "I just got in from Bratislava and am just looking for a good place to
get a drink..."
The most popular scam [118] involves a blond girl and a shorter girl with dark hair. They always act
together and ask for a cigarette or the time. Next, they invite single men for a drink, in a bar at Vci utca
only accessible by an elevator from the street. Once there, each drink costs around 50, but you only find
that out at the end when you receive the 500 bill. So never go t o t he elevat or bar (Vroskz pont ) at
Vci ut ca.
The U.S. Embassy maintains a list of blacklisted erotic- clubs and restaurants: [119]

If you don't want to pay more, have your forints ready at restaurants even if they accept euros as well. The
conversion rate they use is usually way worse than the rate you can get forints for at exchange offices. If
possible, avoid using exchange offices of airports and railway stations, those in the center of the city offer a
much better exchange rate.
If you see people gambling on the streets, usually in popular tourists' destinations like Buda Castle, stay
away! The modus operandi usually involves a guy playing the classic game of "hiding t he ball". This
involves covering the ball (or small trinket) with either a bottle cap or a match box and swirling it around with
two other bottle caps asking people to guess the position of the ball. The game is set in a way that you can
easily see the ball's position. This is done to lure the unsuspecting person into placing a wager. There are
usually two main players and, between them, they will lose and win money back and forth to give the
appearance that it is a fair game: do not be tricked! They are from the same gang. Once you get greedy
and get lured in, you will surely lose your money! The person in control of the bottle caps will remove the
ball from their position through sleight of hand and you will never see your money back. Besides the two or
three other players involved, there are usually at least two lookouts: one on each side of 'stage'.
Check out a video of the gang in action trying to lure tourists: [120]

Money

[edit]

Currently used coins: 5 HUF, 10 HUF, 20 HUF, 50 HUF, 100 HUF, 200 HUF
Currently used banknotes: 500 HUF, 1,000 HUF, 2,000 HUF, 5,000 HUF, 10,000 HUF, 20,000 HUF
Be sure when receiving change that all 1,000 HUF notes contain a vertical silver strip. Older notes without
the strip are no longer valid. 200 HUF banknotes are also no longer valid, look out for these too!
Also, when receiving change from a taxi journey, make sure that the money is actually Hungarian. Some taxi
drivers have been known to give unsuspecting passengers obsolete Romanian banknotes (lei).
Many reliable exchange shops can be found at the city center near Dek Ferenc tr metro station. For
PDFmyURL.com

example, there are two shops next two the tourist information. These shops as well as other shops in the
area offer a better rate than other banks at tourist spots such as international bus stations and the castle hill.
The rate might be even better than getting cash from ATMs. For example, in May 2012, you can get
295HUF/Euro from these shops while you will get 275HUF/Euro at international bus stations and
285HUF/Euro from ATMs. There is also no extra charge.
[edit]

Important phone numbers

Police 107 Fire:105

[edit]

Stay healthy
Ambulance: 104 Central Emergency: 112

Cope

[edit]

Embassies

[edit]

Aust ralia, +36 1 457 9777.

e d it

Belgium, Toldy Ferenc utca 13, 1015 Budapest, +36 1 457 9960, [121]
Canada, [122]

. M- F 9AM - 4PM.

e d it

China, Vrosligeti fasor 20- 22, +36 1 413- 2401, 413- 2419 (fax: +36 1 322- 9067), [123]
Croat ia, Munkcsy Mihly u. 15, 1063 Budapest, +36 1 354 1315 (vrhbp@mvpei.hr
M- F 9AM- 5PM. e d it
Finland, [125]
France.

e d it

e d it

), [124]

e d it

e d it

Germany.

e d it

Greece, Sz egfu u.3, Budapest, 1063, +36 1 413 2621 (gremb.bud@mfa.gr, greekem@tonline.hu , fax: 36 1 342 1934), [126] . M- F: 09:00 - 16:00. e d it
Israel, [127]
It aly, [128]

.
.

e d it
e d it

Macedonia, Andrassy ut 130 1, em 1- 2, +36 1 336 0510, [129]

Norway, [130]
Poland.

e d it

e d it

e d it

Romania, [131]

e d it

PDFmyURL.com

Sweden, [132]

e d it

Unit ed Kingdom, +36 1 266 2888, [133]

e d it

Unit ed St at es, Sz abadsg tr 12, +36 1 475- 4400 (After hours emergencies +36 1 4754703/4924, acs.budapest@state.gov , fax: +36 1 475- 4764), [134] . e d it
[edit]

Get out
Eger - small and charming town
Esz tergom - Site of the biggest basilica (church) in Central
Europe.
Gdll (30km east) - A town full of parks, and home to
Grassalkovich Kastly (Grassalkovich Palace), formerly a
Royal Palace. This palace was the occasional residence
of Sisi, Habsbourg Empress Eliz abeth. The great royal
park became specail with its old trees which could see Sisi
in the 18. century. (Reach from Budapest by MV suburban
rail Keleti plyaudvar;[135] or HV ("local/suburban
trains" supported by BKV [136] ) from rs vez r tere to
Gdll (to Csmr is wrong direction)

Royal Palace of Gdll

Sz entendre (19km north) - Home of the Hungarian OpenAir Museum, a huge site with many ancient buildings brought from all parts of the country, including
barns, outbuildings, and even churches. HV ("local/suburban trains" supported by BKV [137] ) runs
from Batthyny tr to Sz entendre
Vc - (32km north) Baroque style main square, Cathedral, Triumphal Arch, mummies of the Dominican
church (Memento Mori). Reach from Budapest by MV suburban rail Nyugati plyaudvar;[138]
Visegrd - Famous for its former royal palace partially rebuilt in Renaissance style, medieval residential
tower, and impressive citadel. Suburban bus service by Volnbusz [139]

PDFmyURL.com

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well

as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An
adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge
forward and help it grow !

Categories: Huge city articles | Usable articles

This page was last modified on 13 June 2012, at 19:49.

Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution- ShareAlike 3.0 , images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
Privacy policy

About Wikitravel

Terms of use

PDFmyURL.com