Budapest Guide Budapest Guide Money
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BUDAPEST GUIDE BUDAPEST GUIDE MONEY Currency: Forint (Ft, HUF) = 100 fillér (no longer in Gasoline (1 liter) – 400 Ft Essential Information use). Hostels (average price/night) – 1,500 Ft Money 3 4* hotel (average price/night) – 28,000 Ft The best option is to exchange your money in Car-hire (medium-sized car/day) – 15,000 Ft Communication 4 Not only architecture connoisseurs state that the city center, but only in authorized bureaus or Museum entrance fees are quite low and there’s Budapest belongs to the most beautiful cities banks (K&H and OTP have the best rates). Never a wide variety of discounts offered to visitors. Holidays 5 in Europe. Its historical core, cobbled streets, change money on the street and try to avoid kiosks at the airport and railway stations as they Transportation 6 shady parks and beautiful Baroque and Art Tipping Nouveau buildings appeal to every tourist. offer worse rates. Another option is to withdraw In Budapest, it is customary to tip for the service Food 8 Budapest is a city of superlatives: it boasts money from an ATM. The rates are good but a you receive – waiters, taxi drivers, hotel staff, doc- one of the most extensive UNESCO-listed areas service fee is usually charged – check with your tors, spa attendants. The standard amount is 10% 9 Events During The Year in Central Europe, the world’s second oldest bank in advance. with rounding up to the nearest 100 Ft. If the ser- underground railway, almost 100 geothermal vice was outstanding and you want to show your Things to do 10 Credit cards are widely accepted. The most com- springs and the world's largest thermal water gratitude, tip 15 to 20%. If not satisfied, don’t tip cave complex. mon ones are Visa, MasterCard and American Ex- DOs and DO NOTs 11 at all – it is always at your discretion. Sail the Danube river, walk the historical streets press. Don’t expect them to be accepted at bus stations or museums though – check the symbols Activities 13 at (but not only at) sunset, visit the numerous museums with their overwhelming collections, on the door. indulge in the thermal baths and eat the tradi- tional food: this is the best way to get to know Tax Refunds this proud but romantic metropolis. Budapest The VAT varies between 5% and 27%. Non-EU res- is a place where much is happening and its vi- idents can apply for a refund of this if they spend Emergency Contacts brant night life belongs to the most appraised at least 50,000 Ft in one shop on one day. To claim Medical emergency: 104 in Europe. Explore the bars and clubs of Kaz- your refund, you need to fill in an ÁFA receipt at Police: 107 inczy utca and you will never want to go home. the shop where you purchase the goods, have it Fire: 105 stamped at customs when you leave the EU (you Time Zone will need to show the purchased items there) and Central European Time – UTC/GMT +1 hour. claim your refund from the appropriate desks sit- Daylight saving time from March to October. uated in airport departure halls or from refund offices at country borders. Contacts Tourist Contacts Prices Meal, inexpensive restaurant – 1,200 Ft Lost and Found: +36 1 322 6613 Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant, three-course 24-hour medical assistance in English: +36 – 7,450 Ft 1 2000 100 Combo Meal at McDonalds – 1,290 Ft English Police hot-line, primarily for report- Bottle of water at supermarket – 110 Ft ing crimes: +36 1 438 8080 Domestic beer (0.5 liter, draught) – 350 Ft Airport Ferihegy flight information +36 1 Souvenir t-shirt – 2,200 Ft 296 7155 2 3 COMMUNICATION HOLIDAYS Electricity January 1 – New Year's Day (Újév) The standard electricity supply is 220-240 V, 50 March 15 – National Day (Nemzeti ünnep) Hz. The primary socket types used are Europlug Easter Sunday (Húsvétvasárnap) and Schuko (two round pins). Easter Monday (Húsvéthétfő) May 1 – Labour Day (A munka ünnepe) Languages 50 days after Easter – Pentecost Sunday (Pünkös- dvasárnap), Pentecost Monday (Pünkösd- The main spoken language is Hungarian, a Uralic hétfő) language considered to be among the most diffi- August 20 – Saint Stephen's Day (Szent István cult ones in the world. Fortunately, many young ünnepe) people know English at least to some extent as October 23 – National Day (Nemzeti ünnep) the language is now compulsory in schools. Ger- November 1 – All Saints Day (Mindenszentek) man is widely spoken as well, especially by those December 25 – Christmas (Karácsony) near the Austrian border. December – 26 Second Day of Christmas (Karácsony másnapja) Mobile Phones The standard mobile network (GSM/GPRS/3G) Opening Hours has outstanding coverage all over the country. If The usual business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 coming from a non-GSM country, check compati- p.m., while the banks have the shorter opening bility with your operator in advance. times of 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Expect the majority of shops, post offices and tourist offices to be closed The international dialing code for Hungary is +36 on Sunday. If you need to exchange money, make and the area code for Budapest is 1. sure you come at least one hour before closing to ensure you find the exchange desk still in opera- Internet tion. Post offices stay open until 6 p.m. Shops are There are hundreds of free Wi-Fi hotspots in the usually open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. city; almost every café, restaurant or mall offers wireless Internet connection for free. There are Museums generally close on Mondays and/or also many hotels that have free Internet for their Tuesdays. The typical hours are 10 a.m. to 6 guests. p.m., but definitely check with the institutions ahead of your visit. Some restaurants may close Internet Resources on Mondays as well. Budapest Official Tourist Website (www.budapest. com) Official City Website (english.budapest.hu) Budapest Information Website (www.budapest. info) Hungary Official Tourist Website (visit-hungary. com) 4 5 TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION Public Transportation the whole length of the chosen line. You can Regional Transportation Blood alcohol limit – zero tolerance (0,0 pro mille) Budapest has a comprehensible and quite com- also purchase a 10-piece discount coupon book Hungarian National Railway runs MÁV (www. Seat-belts are compulsory. plex system of subways, trams, trolleybuses and for 3,000 Ft where one ticket can be used in the mav-start.hu) and GYSEV trains (www2.gysev.hu) ’ Children under 12 years or 150 cm have to buses all run by BKV (www.bkv.hu) Traveling by same way as a regular single ticket. There s also The train system may be quick and convenient travel in a child car seat. public transport is cheap and comfortable. the Budapest 24-hour travel card – unlimited if you travel from/to Budapest. If not, expect The use of lights is compulsory even in day- travel for 24 hours after stamping for 1,650 Ft it to take longer and to have an interchange at light. Metro – There are four lines. The major inter- and the group card for 3,300 that can be used by Budapest. change is Deák Tér, all lines meet there. The last a maximum of 5 people. The 72-hour travel card Hands-free is the only allowed way to use your cell phone. train departs at 11.30 p.m. is 4,150 Ft and the 7-day card is 4,950 Ft. Buses – the dense network is operated by almost thirty companies, but check the schedule carefully Walkability Trams – 25 lines covering the city center and There are always controllers at the entrance to – some lines operate only once a day, with numer- the metro, but they never really check your ticket, Budapest is a perfectly walkable city. The street some of the suburbs. The lines 2, 4 and 6 are ous exceptions. Check out Volán’s website (www. worth taking just for the sake of it – they make it is enough to hold it visibly in your hand. Con- volan.hu) – one of the bus transporters. layout is logical, there are wide pavements and for a tram tour through the old district, around trollers also rarely check tram tickets. there’s so much to see on your way. Walking is the major sights and they cross the Danube with Boats (www.mahart.info) are a great way to travel a great way to enjoy your stay in Budapest. The spectacular views. Note that the tram and bus lines were completely from Vienna to Budapest or to other cities along majority of streets in the center of Pest are paved, renumbered in 2008, so you’ll need to get an the Danube. There is a daily service with fixed so better not to wear high heels. Night buses – distinguished by their blue color, up-to-date map of the public transportation sys- schedules at least during the high season. they run from midnight until 5 a.m. tem from an information center. Unfortunately, accessibility is not great, especially on public transport which is not very wheel-chair Driving Boats – regular tickets are not valid on these. Taxis friendly, though this is continually improving. Driving can be really pleasant in Hungary. The Hourly service from Kopaszi-gát, Haller utca, Ró- Taxi scams are quite common. Always make sure roads are generally in a good condition and well maifürdő, Árpád út. you take a taxi of a well-known company, with a signposted.