Spring is the best time to visit; flowers are in bloom throughout the countryside and the tourists haven’t yet arrived. July and August comprise Hungary’s high-season, which means crowds, booked hostels, and sweltering summer weather. Autumn is beautiful, with mild, cooler weather through October. Avoid going in January and February, as temperatures average around freezing and many museums and tourist spots shut down or reduce their hours.
Embassies And Consulates. Foreign embassies are in Budapest (see). Hungary’s embassies and consulates abroad include: Australia, 17 Beale Crescent, Deakin, ACT 2600 (☎62 82 32 26; www.matra.com.au/~hungemb); Canada, 299 Waverley St., Ottawa, ON K2P 0V9 (☎613-230-2717; www.mfa.gov/emb/ottawa); Ireland, 2 Fitzwilliam Pl., Dublin 2 (☎661 2902; www.mfa.gov.hu/emb/dublin); New Zealand, Consulate-General, PO Box 29-039, Wellington 6443 (☎973 7507; www.hungarianconsulate.co.nz); UK, 35 Eaton Pl., London SW1X 8BY (☎20 72 35 52 18; www.mfa.gov/emb/london); US, 3910 Shoemaker St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20008 (☎202-362-6730; www.huembwas.org).
Visa And Entry Information. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the US can visit Hungary without visas for up to 90 days; UK citizens can visit without a visa for up to 180 days. Consult your embassy for longer stays. Passports must be valid for six months after the end of the trip. There is no fee for crossing the Hungarian border. In general, border officials are efficient; plan on a 30min. crossing time.
Tourist Offices. Tourinform has branches in most cities and is a useful first-stop tourist service. Tourinform doesn’t make accommodation reservations but will find vacancies, especially in university dorms and private panzió. Agencies also stock maps and provide local information; employees generally speak English and German. Most IBUSZ offices throughout the country book private rooms, exchange money, and sell train tickets, but they are generally better at assisting in travel plans than at providing info. Local agencies may be staffed only by Hungarian and German speakers, but they are often very helpful.
Money. The national currency is the forint (Ft). One forint is divided into 100 fillérs, which have disappeared almost entirely from circulation. Hungary has a Value Added Tax (VAT) rate of 20%. Inflation is at 7.8%. Currency exchange machines are slow but offer good rates, though banks like OTP Bank and Raiffensen offer the best exchange rates for traveler’s checks. It is illegal to change money on the street. Try to avoid extended-hour exchange offices, which have poor rates. Watch for scams: the maximum legal commission for cash-to-cash exchange is 1%. 24 hr. ATMs are common throughout Hungary. Major credit cards are accepted in many hotels and restaurants in large cities, but they’re very rarely accepted in the countryside. Service is not usually included in restaurant bills and while tipping is not mandatory, it’s generally appropriate. Cab fares are standard: bargaining won’t help, so be sure to set a price before getting in.
In Budapest, medical assistance is easy to obtain and fairly inexpensive, but it may not always be up to Western standards. In an emergency, especially outside Budapest, one might be sent to Germany or Vienna. Most hospitals have English-speaking doctors on staff. Tourist insurance is useful—and necessary—for many medical services. In the event of an emergency, however, even non-insured foreigners are entitled to free medical services. Tap water is usually clean, but the water in Tokaj is poorly purified. Bottled water can be purchased at most food stores. Public bathrooms ( férfi for men, női for women) vary in cleanliness: pack soap, a towel, and 30Ft as a tip for the attendant. Carry toilet paper, as many hostels do not provide it and public restrooms provide only a single square. Many pharmacies (gyógyszertár) stock Western brands of common items, including tampons (betet) and condoms (ovszer) .
Violent crime is rare. However, tourists are targets for petty theft and pickpocketing. Check prices before getting in taxis or ordering food or drinks; cab drivers and servers may attempt to overcharge unsuspecting tourists. Women traveling alone in Hungary should take the usual precautions. Minorities are generally accepted, though dark-skinned travelers may encounter prejudice. In an emergency, your embassy will likely be more helpful than the police. Though Hungary is known for being open-minded, GLBT travelers may face serious discrimination, especially outside Budapest.
By Plane. Many international airlines fly to Budapest. The national airline, Malév, flies to Budapest’s airport, Esterhazy, from London, New York, and other major cities. Direct flights can be quite expensive, so flying to another European hub and taking a connecting plane or train may be the cheapest option. Other European airlines that fly to Hungary include Sky Europe (www.skyeurope.com) and WizzAir (www.wizzair.com).
By Train. Budapest is connected by train to most European capitals. Several types of Eurail passes are valid in Hungary. Check schedules and fares at www.elvira.hu. Személyvonat trains have many local stops and are excruciatingly slow; gyorsvonat trains, listed in red on schedules, move much faster for the same price. Large towns are connected by blue express lines; these air-conditioned InterCity trains are the fastest. A pótjegy (seat reservation) is required on trains labeled “R,” and violators face a hefty fine.
The peron (platform) is rarely indicated until the train approaches the station and will sometimes be announced in Hungarian; look closely out the window as you approach a station. Many stations are not marked; ask the conductor what time the train will arrive (or simply point to your watch and say the town’s name). Train reservations cost around US$5, and are recommended in summer and to get a sleeper compartment on night trains.
By Bus And By Ferry. Buses tend to be efficient and well-priced. The major line is Volanbusz, a privately owned company. Purchase tickets on board, and arrive early for a seat. In larger cities, buy tickets at a kiosk, and punch them as you get on. Beware: plainclothes inspectors fine those caught without a ticket. A ferry runs down the Danube from Vienna and Bratislava to Budapest. For more info, contact Utinform (☎322 3600).
By Car And By Taxi. To drive in Hungary, carry your International Driving Permit and registration, and insurance papers. Car rental is available in most major cities but can be expensive. For 24hr. English assistance, contact the Magyar Autóklub (MAK; in Budapest, ☎345 1800). Taxi prices should not exceed the following: 6am-10pm base fare 200Ft per km, 60Ft per min. waiting; 10pm-6am 300Ft per km, 70Ft waiting. Beware of taxi scams. Before getting in, check that the meter works and ask how much the ride will cost. Taxis ordered by phone are more trustworthy than those hailed on the street.
By Bike And By Thumb. Biking terrain varies. Northeastern Hungary is topographically varied; the south is flat. Bike rental is sometimes difficult to find; tourist bureaus can help with locating rentals. Biking can be dangerous because cyclists do not have the right of way and drivers are not careful. Though it is fairly common in Hungary, Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking.
Email And The Internet. Internet is available in major cities. Look for free Internet at hostels. Most Internet cafes charge 500-600Ft per hour. The Hungarian keyboard differs significantly from English-language keyboards.
Telephone. For intercity calls, wait for the tone and dial slowly; “06” goes before the phone code. International calls require red or blue phones. The blue phones end calls after 3-9min. A 20Ft coin is required to start most calls. International calls cost around 9Ft, and you can make direct calls from Budapest’s phone office. Phones often require telefonkártya (phone cards). International phone cards are sold by 2000Ft, and national cards are 800Ft. The best phone card for international calls is Barangolo. International access numbers include: AT&T Direct (☎06 800 01111); Canada Direct (☎06 800 01211); MCI (☎06 800 01411); New Zealand Direct (☎06 800 06411); and Sprint (☎06 800 01877). Mobile phones are common. Major vendors include Pannon GSM, T-Mobile, or Vodafone. Dialing a mobile from a public or private phone anywhere in Hungary is treated as a long-distance call, and it requires the entire 11-digit number.
Mail. Hungarian mail is usually reliable; airmail (légiposta) takes one week to 10 days to the US and Europe. Mailing a letter costs about 36Ft domestically and 250Ft internationally. Those without permanent addresses can receive mail through Poste Restante. Address envelopes: First name, LAST NAME, POSTE RESTANTE, Post office address, Postal Code, city, HUNGARY.
Language. Hungarian, a Finno-Ugric language, is distantly related to Turkish, Estonian, and Finnish. After Hungarian and German, English is Hungary’s third most commonly spoken language. Almost all young people know some English. “Hello” is often used as an informal greeting. Coincidentally, “Szia!” (sounds like “see ya!”) is another greeting—friends will often cry, “Hello, see ya!” For basic Hungarian words and phrases, see Phrasebook: Hungarian, .
Tourism is developing rapidly, and rising prices make hostels attractive. Hostels are usually large enough to accommodate summer crowds. Many hostels can be booked through Express (in Budapest, ☎266 3277), a student travel agency, or through local tourist offices. From June to August, many university dorms become hostels. These may be the cheapest options in smaller towns, as hostels are less common outside Budapest. Locations change annually; inquire at Tourinform and call ahead. Guesthouses and pensions (panzió) are more common than hotels in small towns. Singles are scarce, though some guesthouses have a singles rate for double rooms; however, it can be worth finding a roommate, as solo travelers must often pay for doubles. Check prices; agencies may try to rent you their most expensive rooms. Private rooms (zimmer frei) booked through tourist agencies are sometimes cheap. After staying a few nights, make arrangements directly with the owner to save yourself the agency’s 20-30% commission. Hungary has over 300 campgrounds, most open from May to September. For more info, consult Camping Hungary, a booklet available in most tourist offices, or contact Tourinform in Budapest (see Tourist Services and Money, ).
Hungarian food is more flavorful than many of its Eastern European culinary counterparts, with many spicy meat dishes. Paprika, Hungary’s chief agricultural export, colors most dishes red. In Hungarian restaurants ( vendéglő or étterem ), halászlé, a spicy fish stew, is a traditional starter. Or, try gyümölesleves, a cold fruit soup with whipped cream. The Hungarian national dish is bográcsgulyás, a soup of beef, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, dumplings, and plenty of paprika. Borjúpaprikás is veal with paprika and potato-dumpling pasta. For vegetarians there is tasty rántott sajt (fried cheese) and gombapörkölt (mushroom stew). Delicious Hungarian fruits and vegetables abound in summer. Vegetarians should also look for salata (salad) and sajt (cheese), as these will be the only options in many small-town restaurants. Keeping kosher, on the other hand, is fairly difficult. Avoid American food like hot dogs, which can cause food poisoning. The northeastern towns of Eger and Tokaj produce famous red and white wines, respectively. Sör (Hungarian beer) ranges from acceptable to first-rate. Lighter beers include Dreher Pils, Szalon Sör, and licensed versions of Steffl, Gold Fassl, and Amstel. Among the best-tasting pálinka (brandy-like liquor) are barackpálinka (an apricot schnapps) and körtepálinka (pear brandy). Unicum, advertised as the national drink, is an herbal liqueur containing over 40 herbs; legend has it that it was once used by the Hapsburgs to cure digestive ailments.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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