Safety Through Collaboration HeliOffshore Annual Conference and AGM , Saturday 13th – Sunday 14th May 2017

THE DESTINATION: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

General Information Budapest is the capital city of Hungary situated along the Danube river. With a unique, youthful atmosphere, a world-class classical music scene as well as a pulsating night life increasingly appreciated among European youth and, last but not least, an exceptionally rich offering of natural thermal baths, Budapest is one of Europe's most delightful and enjoyable cities. Due to its scenic setting and its architecture it is nicknamed "Paris of the East".

Modern Budapest is the result of a historic amalgamation of the separate cities of Buda and Pest (as well as the smaller and more distant Óbuda). Administratively, the city is also divided into 23 numbered districts.

It is the economic, historic, and cultural capital of Hungary, with approximately 2 million inhabitants and approximately 2.7 million visitors per year. Hungarians are proud of what their beautiful capital has to offer and of its contributions to European culture. They also take pride in their unique language which is very different from all other European languages.

Getting Around Public transport in Budapest is the responsibility of the Budapest Transport Company, or BKV or BKK by its Hungarian acronym. 59% of the Budapest people use public transport to go to work.

You don’t need to use transportation to explore the most important highlights of the city. You can explore it by walking.

Culture, Leisure and Recreation The city leaders consider it their fundamental task to make Budapest a liveable and pleasant city. A place where local people and visitors can find a variety of leisure activities and entertainment. In recent years the lively café life that had characterised Budapest in the early 20th century has also been rekindled. Walking around the city, visitors are lured by a multitude of cafés and restaurants with terraces, particularly in the increasing number of pedestrian zones. A favoured entertainment area is Liszt Ferenc Square and its vicinity, and renewed Ráday Street.

The cultural life of Budapest would be inconceivable without buoyant nights in the theatre. Many of the renowned old theatres have been remodelled over the past few years including the Operetta Theatre and Thalia Theatre. In 2002 the National Theatre, demolished in the 1960’s, was rebuilt on a new site. Szabó Ervin Central Public Library had also undergone spectacular renewal and expansion which was accomplished in 2001, making it one of the largest and most moderns public libraries in Central Europe. Renewal of the network of branches has also been started recently.

Parks and green areas are the most popular places of recreation, especially Margitsziget or . From spring to autumn, hundreds of people visit the island to find rest or active recreation among its trees and bushes. Surrounded by the Danube, the island’s 5.3 kilometres circumference is eminently suitable for running, jogging or cycling.

The City Park on the Pest side hosts several major events every year. Created originally to serve as a site for the Millennium Celebration in 1896, the park near downtown Budapest offers entertainment to local people and visitors alike with its monuments, ponds, outdoor restaurants and cafés. Its lanes and alleys and open spaces are also favoured by sport lovers: cyclists, roller skaters and joggers.

The Zoo is a favourite place of entertainment for both locals and visitors. Boasting many buildings preserved as monuments, the Budapest Zoo launched a major reconstruction project in the mid- 1990’s which continues today. As a result, the old buildings regained their original splendour and the number of visitors has continued to increase. The designers pay special attention to providing an appropriate environment to both animals and plants, while preserving the constructed environment evoking the atmosphere of the first decade of the 20th century, which is considered a significant part of their national heritage.

Language The only official language of Hungary is Hungarian.

Most young people speak English very well, and you will also have no problem speaking English at restaurants and bars. Many restaurants have English menus. People studying after 1990 and even some older people can speak English.

Time Zone (in May) UTC +2 (Central European Summer Time)

Currency Hungary's national currency is the Hungarian Forint, or HUF.

Typical vendors accept only local currency, although euros may be accepted at major attractions or very touristy places.

Fortunately, credit cards are widely accepted, even for a few euros worth of a meal at a fast food restaurant.

Electricity Electrical sockets (outlets) in Budapest are one of the two European standard electrical socket types: The "Type C" Europlug and the "Type E" and "Type F" Schuko. If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need a travel plug adapter to plug in.

Temperature Average May temperature: 16oC / 61oF May average high: 21oC / 70oF May average low: 11oC / 52oF

Opening & Business Hours Shops and stores Monday-Friday: 10:00 to 18:00 Saturdays: shops close at 13:00 and remain closed on Sundays Shopping centres are open seven days a week.

Grocery stores Monday-Friday: 07:00 to 19:00 Saturdays: stores close at 14:00 Several smaller non-stop shops scattered around the city and shopping centres are also open seven days a week.

Museums Museums are closed on Mondays, except for the Jewish Museum, which is closed on Saturdays.

Office hours Monday-Friday: 08:00 to 17:00

Banks Monday-Thursday: 08:00 to 14:00, OTP National Savings Bank is open from 08:00 to 16:00 Fridays: all banks are open from 08:00 to 13:00

Post Offices Most post offices are open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00. The two main post offices near the Nyugati (Western) and the Keleti (Eastern) Railway Stations are open longer, Monday-Friday 07:00 to 20:00, Saturday 08:00 to 14:00. A 24-hour service is available at the TESCO Post Office at Pillangó utca 15 in District 14.

What to Pack Expect sunshine in May, but be prepared for rain, too. A water resistant jacket, waterproof shoes, umbrella are suggested.

THE HOTEL: INTERCONTINENTAL BUDAPEST HOTEL

The InterContinental Budapest Hotel enjoys an excellent location on the banks of the Danube next to the Chain Bridge. All important sights are within easy walking distance.

The Váci shopping street, the Central Market Hall and the Gellért Baths are nearby, as well. Tram stops can be found right outside the hotel.

The elegant rooms feature sleek interior design, and some offer stunning views of the river and castle.

Take a dip in the indoor pool or enjoy a workout in the 24-hour gym. Guests can savour or modern fusion dishes at the on-site restaurant.

YOUR ARRIVAL AND HOW TO GET TO THE HOTEL

About the airport Most travellers will arrive via Budapest Franz Liszt International Airport (IATA: BUD), also commonly referred to by its old name “Ferihegy”. This is Hungary's largest airport and is located about 16km (10 miles) southeast of the city centre. It is a small airport by international standards, easy to navigate, and well connected to the city by public transit. Tickets will direct visitors to either terminal "2A" (gates 20-30, Schengen-area destinations) or "2B" (gates 11-19, non-Schengen-area destinations), but the airport is now only one terminal and 2A and 2B simply refer to two halves of the same building.

The facilities and services at Budapest Airport include: free WiFi access, secure luggage, currency exchange, ATM, post office, business centre and tourist information.

Getting to the hotel by Taxi It is the quickest way to reach the city centre. Főtaxi is the company that operates in the airport (Taxi rank is located in the arrivals level of Terminal 2). A ride to the city centre should cost around 6500- 8000 HUF (22-30 EUR).

Getting to the hotel by Public Transport At Terminal 2, the bus stop is on the lower level between terminals 2A and 2B, you need to take the Bus 200E and get off at Kobanya- metro station (line M3). Then take the metro towards Újpest- Központ and get off at Deák Ferenc tér station – a 10-minute walk and you should arrive at Intercontinental Budapest.

Note on Bus/Metro Tickets: Warning, if you use single tickets, you must validate a new ticket on every vehicle you use. The only exception is the metro – if you validate one ticket you can use it on every metro line for 60 minutes. But you cannot leave the metro, and cannot use it to go back. Bus tickets are HUF 450 one way from the driver, or HUF 350 if bought in advance from stands.