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• Legal tender: FORINT (Ft, HUF). Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 Ft. Banknotes: 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000 Ft
• There is no obligatory daily minimum amount of Conversion. When changing money, remember that most payments are still made in cash. Money can be exchanged in exchange offices, banks, travel agencies, hotels, post offices and in countless ATMs. Banks and travel agencies offer the best rates. The exchange offices are generally open 0900-2100, those in the Inner City (Váci utca, Deák Ferenc utca, Vörösmarty tér, Kristóf tér) are open round the clock. No commission is charged for the transactions. Exchanging money on the black market is illegal, nor can you get better rates.
• Any Forints you have left can be exchanged back up to 20,000 Ft: above that only with the exchange receipt.
• Exchange places and the larger post offices also cash fixed sum travellers Checks and bank Checks in convertible currency listed by the National Bank of Hungary. EUROChecks made out in Forints can only be exchanged together with the check book, up to a limit of 35,000 Ft per check (no more than 3 checks at a time), mainly in the post offices.
• All the major Credit cards are accepted in Hungary in places displaying the emblem at the entrance. All post offices make cash payments against credit cards.
• Postal Cheques can be cashed in larger post offices.
Here you can convert your
currency into Forint to see updated rate:
Currency Converter
"The whole city in your pocket" is the motto of the Budapest Card, introduced by our office in 1997. The Card offers its holder more than a hundred services:
unlimited travel on public transport
free entry to 60 museums and to some sights
sightseeing tour for half price
reduced price tickets for cultural and folklore programs
discounts in restaurants and spas
discount for the airport minibus service, car rental, sports facilities and in
many other places
The services of the card are detailed in a 100-paged, colored
publication in Hungarian, English, German and Italian languages.
This publication introduces the use of the Budapest Card and the servicing
enterprises.
(with photo, address, opening hours, entrance fees and discounts)
Valid:
for 48 or 72 hours
Price:
HUF 5200 for 48 hours
HUF 6500 for 72 hours
Each Card is valid for one adult and one child up to 14 years of age.
Available:
More than 250 places in Budapest: main metro ticket offices, tourist information
bureaus, travel agencies, hotels and the airport, and abroad at major tour
operators, and several representations of Malév Hungarian Airlines.
Can be used in the following fields:
Public transport
Museums and sights
Citytours
Cultural programmes
Baths and spas
Catering and restaurants
It's highly recommended !
Tourists from most countries can enter Hungary on
producing a valid passport, while citizens of Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France,
Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland need
their identity cards only. I No visa is required for citizens of most European
countries, except Albania and Turkey.
Of non-European countries no visa is required for citizens of | Argentina,
Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Israel, Japan,
Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Republic of Korea, Republic of South
Africa, the Seychelles, Singapore, the United States of America, Uruguay and
Venezuela.
• Visas can be obtained at the foreign missions of Hungary. The visa | fee is
higher if you apply for one at the highway border crossing points, at Ferihegy
International Airport and the Budapest International Boat Station. Visas are
valid for 90 days.
Should you lose your passport, you must report it to your I country's consulate,
or, in the absence of that, at the embassy. For | addresses, phone numbers and
office hours, contact the tourist information offices. Otherwise addresses and
phone numbers I are under the heading "Külképviseletek" in the phone book.
You can get much more information on the homepage of
Travel Document Systems (www.traveldocs.com)
TDS is a visa agency that has been helping international travelers since 1985.
They work closely with the U.S. Passport Agency and Embassies representing many
governments, so that international travelers can depart on very short notice,
for many worldwide destinations
1 January - New Year's Day
15 March - National holiday marking the anniversary of the uprising against the Habsburgs in 1848
1 May - May Day Celebrations
20 August - St Stephen's Day
23 October - Anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising and the proclamation in 1989 of Hungary's democratic constitution
25/26 December - Christmas
• You will land at Budapest Ferihegy Airport 2,
Terminal A or B, I which is 24 km from the city. Terminal A: flights of Malév
Hungarian
Airlines, Terminal B: all airlines other than Malév. Entry is smooth, with fast
passport control. For customs clearance you can use the usual green and red
corridors.
• Order our Airport Transfer! Fixed prices!
• The Budapest Transport Company BKV runs a "Reptér-Busz" service between the
Kőbánya-Kispest terminus of M3 (blue line) and the airport. Fare to be paid to
the driver.
• Air Traffic and Airport Administration (LRI) operates Centrum buses
between the city (Erzsébet tér, Hotel Kempinski) and the terminals. They depart
every 30 minutes from 0530 to 2200. Journey time: 45 min. Fare to be paid to the
driver.
• Airport minibuses, run by LRI as well, are a kind of collective taxi at
a reasonable price, which travel between any requested destination in town and
the terminals. Ticket on arrival at the Airport Passenger Service desk, where
you can buy also your retour transfer ticket. Before departure call 296-8555 and
the service will pick you up at your hotel or apartment and take to the airport
• Passenger information:
Flight schedules: 235-3888 and www.malev.hu
Arrivals, departures: 296-7155
Lost and found Terminal 2A: 296-8108, Terminal 2B: 296-7690
• MALÉV Ticketing - City Office:
V., Dorottya u. 2. Tel: 235-3565 Mon-Wed, Fri 0830-1730, Thu 0830-1800
• 38 foreign airlines have offices in Budapest. For addresses, see the Budapest
phone book.
• If you arrive in a private aeroplane, the following airport is open: LRI
Terminal for small planes (Ferihegy 1)
Public, border crossing point. Tel/Fax: 296-6292, Fax: 296-8449
• Budapest has two large international railway stations:
Keleti (VIII., Baross tér) and Nyugati (VI., Nyugati tér), both
having metro stations.
• MÁV (Hungarian State Railways) runs the RailbUS Service, which takes
passengers to any address in town. Information, reservation of return journey:
Tel: 353-2722, Fax: 353-2187.
• Tickets can be purchased at the railway stations, in the office of Wasteels
(Keleti Railway station, Mon-Fri 0800-1900, Sat 0800-1300 or in the MÁV Ticket
Office (VI., Andrassy tit 35. Mon-Fri 0900-1800 April-Sept.; 0900-1700
Oct-March).
• Information on international services: Tel: 461-5500 (day and night).
• The following international rail passes are valid in Hungary: INTER RAIL, BIJ,
EURO DOMINO, RES, CITY-STAR-TICKET. Passengers from non-European countries may
use EURAILPASS, EURAIL FLEXIPASS, EURAIL SAVERPASS, EURAIL YOUTHPASS, EUROPASS
SAVERPASS, EUROPEAN EAST PASS, HUNGARIAN FLEXIPASS.
• Volánbusz Rt., being a member of Eurolines, operates
scheduled services to and from the following countries: Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece,
Holland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey and Yugoslavia.
• Coaches from and to Western Europe use the V., Erzsébet tér station, while
those from and to Eastern Europe the XIV., Népstadion station.
• Information on international and domestic coach services:
485-2100(0600-2200)
Why don't you ever travel differently? There is a scheduled
hydrofoil service on the Danube, calling at Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest
between early April and end of October.
• Voyage time: from Vienna to Budapest 5 hours, from Budapest to Vienna 6 hours.
After the voyage, which takes you through scenic areas, you arrive in the heart
of the town.
• Information in Budapest: Mahart Passnave Tel: 484-4025, Fax:318-7740.
• information in Vienna: MAHART Office 1020 Vienna, Handelskai 340. Tel:
43-1/729-2161, Fax: 43-1/729-2163.
• In terms of documents, you only need a valid driving licence, registration document, green card and a country sticker to enter Hungary. Third-party liability insurance is obligatory in Hungary.
Stickers are introduced on motorways Ml and M3 - available at highway border crossings and filling stations. Just before reaching Budapest, at Budaörs on the joint section of Ml and M7 (from Lake Balaton), you will find the information bureau of the Tourism Office of Budapest ("• p. 3), where you can pick up a copy of the Budapest City Map and other information materials.
• International traffic rules generally apply in Hungary. Drink-driving is strictly prohibited: the alcohol level in your blood cannot exceed 0.0 promille. Dipped headlights are always compulsory for motorcyclists, while for passenger cars only outside built-up areas. Seat belts are compulsory on the front and the rear seats. Motorcyclists must wear helmets. The use of a cellular phone while driving is not allowed.
Speed limit for various types of vehicles (km/h)
| Type | Motorway | Major roads | Other roads | Built-up areas |
| Cars, motorcycles | 130 | 100 | 80 | 50 |
| Cars with trailer, coaches | 80 | 70 | 70 | 50 |
• You will have no problem with buying fuel. The
filling stations that are well-known in Europe offer the usual services across
the country, however credit cards are not accepted everywhere.
• The Hungarian Automobile Club operates a 24-hour international breakdown
service in Budapest.
Tel: 345-1755 (GB, D).
• If a foreign citizen is involved or causes an accident, the police must be
called and minutes taken. The claim has to be settled with the insurance
company, which is the Hungarian partner of the driver's insurance co.
Information Tel.: 372-5377. The police must be called when the accident has
involved any personal injury. You can leave Hungary in a vehicle with damaged
body only if you produce a certificate made out either at entry into Hungary or
on the spot of the accident.
• Almost all phone books of the World are
available at the Belvárosi Telephone Centre (V, Petőfi Sándor u. 17).
• Public phones operate with 10, 20, 50 and 100 Ft coins or phone cards. Phone
cards are available at hotels, post offices, filling stations and newsagents.
• To make a local call, dial the number required.
• International call: 00-Dial tone-Country access code, area code, subscriber s
number.
• Inland call: 06-Dial tone-area code, subscriber's number. Instructions on use
of the phone in foreign languages are displayed in the public phones which can
generally be called back.
• Mobile phone numbers have 11 digits. Depending of the service provider, the
first four digits could be 0620, 0630, 0660 or 0670. If you call a mobile phone
from a phone box, you must dial all the 11 digits. If you call one that is in
the same network, you don t need to dial the first four digits, but if the other
mobile phone is operated by another provider, you must omit 06 only.
• Emergency telephone numbers: general emergency 112 (English, German spoken),
ambulance 104, police 107, fire brigade 105, international information 199.
• Emergency treatment is free of charge
for foreigners. Hungarian doctors are highly qualified and helpful. Several
drugs are available over the counter in pharmacies. Pharmacists will certainly
help you to find the Hungarian counterpart of your usual medication. Payment is
subject to your insurance policy, which, as a rule, cover the first treatment
only.
• 24-hour medical care is offered by Falck SOS Hungary, which also has an
ambulance service (II., Kapy u. 49/B. Tel: 200-0100).
• 24-hour dental services: SOS Dental Service (VI., Király u. 14. Tel:
267-9602).
• Pharmacies with night service: II., Frankel Leó út 22.; III., Vörösvári út
86.; IV., Pozsonyi út 19.; VI., Teréz körút 41.; VIII., Rákóczi út 39.; , X.,
Kada út 120-122.; XII., Alkotás u. 1/B.; XIII., Szent István krt. 28.
• Hospitals, Clinics: American Clinic (I., Hattyú u. 14. Tel.: 224-9090, Mon-Fri
0830-1900, Sat 0830-1200, Sun 1000-1400), International Medical Services (XIII.,
Váci út 202. Tel.: 329-8423, 0900-2100), R-Klinika (II., Felső Zöldmáli út 13.
Tel.: 325-9999, 0700-1900).
FINDING YOUR WAY is relatively easy in Budapest. The
Danube flows in the middle, the right side is Buda, the left is Pest. The main
roads are the boulevards, with the streets running in radiation.
• As for house numbers, numbering usually begins at end closer the Danube and
one side is for odd, the other is for even numbers. Körút (krt.) = boulevard,
rakpart (rkp.) = embankment, sziget = island, tér = square, út = avenue, utca
(u.) = street.
• Major traffic junctions in Buda are Moszkva tér and Batthyány tér; Deák tér,
Ferenciek tere and Blaha Lujza tér in Pest. The three underground lines meet at
one point Deák tér.
TAXIS
• Cars with taxi sign and yellow number plate. You can also call a taxi by
phone, the car will usually get there in 5-10 minutes, and the journey will
actually be cheaper. Switchboard operators generally speak English.
• The maximum of the tariffs is fixed. Day time tariff: basic fee 200 Ft, fee/km
200 Ft. Night time tariff 2200-0600: basic fee 280 Ft, fee/km 280 Ft. Detailed
information in the brochure Taking a Taxi in Budapest, available at the
information offices.
• Budataxi: 233-3333 / City Taxi: 211-1111/ Főtaxi: 222-2222 / Tele 5 Taxi:
355-5555.
DRIVING
Take our advice: don't drive in Budapest unless you know the city well. Traffic
jams are frequent, roads are often closed near construction sites. You can drive
from Buda to Pest only across the bridges, often at a snail's speed. Hungarian
drivers are rather reckless, and unwritten rules seem to be stronger than the
highway code. Public transport will take you anywhere.
• Cars are not allowed to the Buda Castle area and to Margaret Island. On
weekends no cars can drive across City Park through Kós Károly sétány.
PARKING
B Parking is a real challenge in the Inner City of Budapest. Tickets must be
purchased from machines in the inner districts, Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0800-1200
(100-140 Ft per hour), max. 2 hours.
• Park your car only at the places allowed, as the police can transport the
vehicles parked at a wrong place (signs indicate these places). If you do not
find your car where you have left it, contact the police (Tel.: 383-0700,
383-0770, English and German spoken). In such a case, you can learn where you
can collect it and under what conditions. The transport charge and the fine must
be paid in cash, in forints and on the spot.
• Multi-Storey car parks are generally open all day round, 160-240 Ft per hour.
I., Kosciuszko Tádé u.; V., Szervita tér 8.; V., Aranykéz u. 4-6.; VII., Nyár u.
20.; VII., Osvát u. 5.; VIII., corner of Üllői út and Baross utca; VIII., Futó
u. 52.
• Coach parking around the Castle District: Hunyadi János út, Palota út. Other
coach parking places in the city: V,
Embankment at the Pest side of Chain Bridge; V., Belgrád rakpart; V, Március 15.
tér; XI., Citadel; XI., Bartók Béla út 105-113. (guarded non-stop); XIV, Dózsa
György út.
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