Budapest

Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. With a unique, youthful atmosphere, world-class classical music scene, a pulsating nightlife increasingly appreciated among European youth, and last but not least, an exceptional offer of natural thermal baths, Budapest is one of Europe's most delightful and enjoyable cities. Due to the exceedingly scenic setting, and its architecture it is nicknamed "Paris of the East".

The modern-day Budapest results from the amalgamation of two historic cities lying right opposite each other over the Danube river. Buda is the western (left) bank side, with the high hill atop which the Buda castle sits. Pest is the relatively flat eastern (right) bank side, with the Parliament, numerous other stately buildings, and busy streets retaining all their 19th century architectural heritage.

In 1987 Budapest was added to the for the cultural and architectural significance of the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue.

Districts
Although Budapest is administratively divided into 23 numbered districts (always written in Roman numerals) it is colloquially often divided into parts, roughly corresponding to the two major cities of Buda and Pest, which it comprises.

Listings of particular points of interests - museums, historic monuments, restaurants, bars, hotels, shopping opportunities and such - can be found in the following articles:

Outer Pest
Of course, quarters often offer their own atmosphere due to their history and inhabitants. Roughly speaking, areas near to, especially inside of Nagykörút (Great Boulevard or Ringroad, served by Tram 4 and Tram 6) are considered central, even if some of these are in less than perfect condition and not typically frequented by tourists. In Pest, Kiskörút (Small Boulevard) is traditionally considered as the border of the centre proper, including some highly touristed areas.

Informally, quarters are known under their own historical name which are often referred to by the locals. The names are often linked to members of the House of Hapsburg or - in fringe areas - the names of villages or towns which later became part of Budapest. Particularly interesting quarters are Belváros (Inner City) and Lipótváros (Leopold Town), together form the Belváros district (a bit confusing but usually the biggest or oldest quarter gave its name to the entire district), the heart of Pest, including a number of major sights but also beautiful squares and cafés. With the Parliament, a number of ministries and banking houses, Lipótváros is also a major political and business centre of the country. The name refers to the Hapsburg Emperor Leopold I whose coronation to the King of Hungary in 1790 gave rise to the name of the then-new quarter.

Újlipótváros (New Leopold Town) The inner part of the XIII. district (so called Angyalföld), just outside of the Great Boulevard north of Leopold Town with the marvellous Margaret Bridge at its corner, was built between the 1910s and 1930s. It is considered as one of the finest residential areas in Budapest with a relaxed, inviting atmosphere and a number of restaurants, cafés and small shops. It also comprises the Vígszínház (Comedy Theatre) and a few tiny off-mainstream cinemas. The quarter is traditionally home to a population with Jewish background as the activity of people such as Raoul Wallenberg, Giorgio Perlasca, and Carl Lutz was linked to this area (see history).

Terézváros (Theresa Town) VI. district. Among others, it contains Nyugati pu. (Western Railway Station), an architectural sight, and areas neighbouring districts V. and XIII. The then-developing quarter was named after a visit of Habsburg Empress and Queen Maria Theresa in 1777.

Erzsébetváros (Elisabeth Town) VII. District. While parts of it are not yet renovated, it contains the famous Synagogue in the Dohány street. The quarter was split off from Terézváros and asked for permission to be named after the wife of Franz-Josef I, popularly called Sisi, in 1882.

Antiquity
The first settlement on the territory of Budapest is accounted to Celtic tribes. During the first century CE, the Roman fortification on the territory of present-day Óbuda (now part of Budapest) gradually developed into the town of Aquincum which became the capital city of the province of Lower Pannonia in 106CE. The Romans founded a fortress known as Contra Aquincum on the other side of the river which is assumed to have developed into the later town of Pest. This was part of the Limes, marking the eastern border of the empire, and was gradually given up by Rome during the early fourth century, becoming part of the Hun empire for a few decades. The Huns were a confederation of various nomadic nations and tribes inhabiting the Eurasian steppe, and not Magyars, but Attila, the King of the Huns, is considered a national hero and Attila is a common given name in Hungary.

Early Middle Ages
Once the horse-riding Magyar (Hungarian) tribes arrived in the Carpathian Basin in 896CE, Óbuda served as the seat of the Magyar high-chieftain (or prince) Árpád. After a century marked by frequent raids on Christian western Europe, the erstwhile Hungarian prince Géza realised that converting to Christianity was the key to survival in Europe. The Christian Kingdom of Hungary was founded by the crowning of his son, '''Szt. István''' (Saint Stephen) on 1 January 1001 (or possibly Christmas Day of 1000). As visitors will quickly realise, Saint Stephen became an omnipresent national symbol, as did the artefact known as Saint Stephen's Crown (the Holy Crown of Hungary) which was regarded as a legal entity that was by law equivalent to the country itself during medieval times. It is still unclear whether the millennium-old crown used in this function for many centuries and shown in the Parliament today, was used by Saint Stephen.

In the following centuries, Buda emerged as the most important royal seat. In 1241/42 the Mongol Empire conquered the territory along with large parts of Europe - this short but devastating conquest of the country is still remembered as Tatárjárás - the name reflecting the erroneous confusion of Mongols and Tatars at the time. Medieval Hungary reached its zenith under King Matthias (Matthias Corvinus), the vividly remembered Renaissance ruler whose patronage of arts and sciences made Hungary, a notable power at the time, the first European country to adopt the Renaissance from Italy. However, after residing in Buda for decades, he moved his seat to Vienna in 1485 for the last five years of his life after defeating the Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III.

In 1541, Buda and Pest fell to the Ottoman Empire and were taken back 1686, when the Hapsburg Empire centred in Austria conquered the country on its way to becoming a major European power. Marks of these two cultures are still part of everyday life in Budapest.

The 19th-century - formation of Austria-Hungary and Budapest
After the anti-Hapsburg revolution in 1848–49 (defeated through the decisive help of the Russian Czar) the 1867 Compromise (Kiegyezés) with a weakened Vienna made Buda the capital of a near-autonomous Hungary, a large, multi-ethnic kingdom comprising half of the newly created Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. In this peculiar double-state the monarch was Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, two autonomous realms.

The following half century marked by peaceful development counts among the most successful times in the history of the country and its capital. With the 1873 unification of Buda, Pest, and Óbuda, the city of Budapest was created. It saw a leap in terms of industrialisation, urbanisation, population, and the development of a capitalistic society. It even aimed at rivalling with Vienna, the Millennium in 1896, marking a thousand years of Hungary, offered the perfect excuse for large-scale projects such as the Parliament, Vajdahunyad Castle, or the Grand Boulevard (Nagykörút) the first electric underground railway in the world (now Metro yellow line). Budapest was transformed to a world city during these decades, enriched by Austrian, Jewish, Slovakian, Serbian, Croatian, Roma and other cultural influence. This age is remembered as the 'Monarchia' (or as 'K. u. K.', abbreviation for Imperial-Royal in Austria and other parts of the Empire) and associated with the rule of Franz Joseph I. (I. Ferenc József) who died in 1916 after 68 years on the throne.

In this period, the city was the home of two world-famous Hungarian inventors -- the father of the electric locomotive, Kálmán Kandó, and inventor of the match, János Irinyi -- and of two renowned composers, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. There is no other European city which had given so many Hollywood filmmakers in the early 20th century, such as Budapest.

The world wars
Neither the Habsburg empire nor Hungary survived World War I in their previous form - leaving Budapest as the capital of a now independent Hungary which lost two thirds of its territory, most of its non-Magyar population, and a few million Hungarian speakers, to neighbouring countries. The city's population reached one million around 1930. During the interwar years under the rule of regent Miklós Horthy, a former Admiral of the Austro-Hungarian fleet, Hungary became an ally of Germany. Near the end of World War II, Nazi Germany occupied Hungary after it attempted to negotiate separate peace with the Allies, and eventually installed a bloody dictatorship putting the hitherto fairly unimportant Nazi Nyilaskeresztes (Arrowcross) party in charge. While practically all of the 400,000 Jews in the countryside were murdered by German Nazis and their Hungarian nyilas sympathizers, roughly 60% of Budapest's Jewish community was saved during the Holocaust. People who are remembered for helping the local Jewish community include Raoul Wallenberg, the famous Swedish diplomat, who organised the distribution of Swedish passports by his embassy to as many Jews as possible, and the Italian Giorgio Perlasca, who – pretending to be a Spanish diplomat – rescued many thousands of Jews, but there were many other foreigners and Hungarians who participated in this effort. Air raids and a terrible three-month siege towards the end of World War II resulted in the death of over 38,000 civilians and the destruction of much of the once so lively city.

From communism to contemporary times
After the war, Budapest slowly recovered and became a showcase for the more pragmatic policies of Hungary's hard-line Communist government under the dictatorial rule of Mátyás Rákosi. The city was, however, also the main site of the 1956 uprising which was successful in installing a reform-oriented (albeit communist) government of Imre Nagy. This was swept away before long, after the Soviet leader Khrushchev decided to send in the tanks feeling that Hungary was slipping away from under Moscow's control. The Soviets installed János Kádár as the leader of the communist state who, after over thirty years of controversial rule, was voted out of leadership 1988 by the central committee due to health issues, and died in 1989.

Since the peaceful 1989 'system change' (Rendszerváltás) which was achieved as a compromise between reformist party forces and the opposition (notably including a younger self of the current prime minister, Viktor Orbán), Budapest transformed in appearance and atmosphere, a process further accelerated by the country's long-awaited joining with the European Union in 2004.

Climate
Winter (November until early March) can be cold and there is little sunshine. Snowfall is fairly frequent in most years, and nighttime temperatures of −15°C (5°F) are not uncommon between mid-December and mid-February.

The spring months (March and April) see variable conditions, with a rapid increase in the average temperature. The weather in late March and April is often very agreeable during the day and fresh at night.

Budapest's long summer - lasting from May until mid-September - is warm or very warm. Budapest has as much summer sunshine as many Mediterranean resorts. Sudden heavy showers also occur, particularly in May and June.

The autumn (mid-September until late October) is perhaps the best season for tourists as it has little rain and long sunny days with moderate temperatures. At the end of October the weather often turns abruptly colder.

Quality of life
For those with a reasonable budget, Budapest offers a rather high quality of life. In terms of culture, cuisine and general 'vibe', Budapest is comparable to other major European cities (see dedicated sections), while prices are lower.

It's just as well that prices are lower because local pay is significantly lower than in western Europe (for example, a skilled worker earns a minimum of 161,250 Hungarian forint (Ft) per month in 2017 before tax, while unskilled labourers earn a minimum wage of Ft127,650 per month.

There is a rise in the number of homeless people seen in metro stations doorways in Buda and in Pest. While this does trouble locals who often grew up without seeing explicit homelessness (before 1989), this issue usually does not present a safety risk to travellers.

By plane
The Budapest International Airport serves the city. If no flight is suitable, you can check flights to Vienna, Zagreb, Debrecen or Bratislava and arrange to take a train or bus to Budapest.

Destinations: Budapest has direct flights to most major European cities. Many of these are operated by the budget carrier WizzAir, which is based here and is now in effect Hungary's national airline. Other budget operators include Easyjet, Ryanair, Jet2, Norwegian and Vueling. This competition holds down prices on the traditional airlines such as KLM and Lufthansa.

Direct destinations around the fringes of Europe include Reykjavik, St Petersburg, Moscow, Kyiv, Kutaisi, Baku, Astana, Tel Aviv and Agadir. Gulf carriers connect via Doha and Dubai to the Far East, Australasia and Africa. There are no direct flights between Budapest and North America: connect via London, Amsterdam or Paris.



At the airport: the central information number is +36 1 296-9696 or +36 1 296-7000. Luggage services can be contacted on +36 1 296-5965.

All flights use Terminals 2A and 2B. Terminal 1 closed in 2011 when the flag-carrier Malév Hungarian Airlines folded.

There's no practical distinction between Terminals 2A and 2B, and they're freely connected landside by corridors and airside by "SkyCourt" food & retail area. (Originally 2A served Schengen Area destinations, and 2B the rest of the world, but this has been dropped.) Check-in and bag-drop desks 1-30 are in Hall 2A and desks 31-60 in Hall 2B, but do not correspond to the gates. This means that if 2A has a long line for security, you can get airside through 2B (and vice versa), as both lead into the SkyCourt.

There are several small cafes in Skycourt and in 2A & 2B near the gates. Duty-free stores are operated by Heinemann. They're seldom a bargain - by all means blow away your last local currency here. But if you're looking for something in particular (eg Tokay wine), check prices in advance on their website and compare with downtown supermarket prices. You can usually only buy duty-free if you're taking a direct flight: if you're transiting another European airport, security there will confiscate liquids.



Getting between airport and city: the main options are bus, bus & metro, bus & train, and taxi / transfer.


 * Bus line 100E Airport Express
 * This runs from city centre to Airport Terminal 2 every 10 minutes during the day, every 20 minutes early morning and late night, taking 30-40 minutes. The city centre bus stop is by Deák tér at Károly krt in front of Városháza Park; look for a blue articulated bus with an airplane sign. The only stop on the way is called "Kálvin tér", but it's around the corner into the top of Üllői út. The airport bus stop is just outside Terminal 2 Arrivals. The bus runs every day, outbound 03:40-00:40, city-bound 05:00-01:20. The fare is Ft2200; you're encouraged to buy tickets from vending machines or at customer service kiosks, but the driver will issue tickets and give change. Be careful not to buy the 450Ft tickets, these are not valid and if you stamp them in the bus, they will be wasted.


 * Metro BKV metro.svg BKV m 3 jms.svg+ Bus line 200E
 * Bus line 200E runs between Terminal 2 and Kőbánya-Kispest Metro station, taking 25 min, bus fare Ft450. You there buy a Metro ticket for another Ft450 and ride line 3 to the city centre, about 20 mins to the main interchange at Deák Ferenc tér. The bus runs all day every day, with 7-8 minutes frequency during the day, 30-60 minutes at late night. The metro runs every 3-5 mins, 04:30-00:00. If the connections are slick, this route takes 45 minutes.

On the way, the bus runs past Ferihegy station, which used to serve the former airport Terminal 1. Trains do stop here but the place is dismal and dilapidated, you won't feel safe, and the ticket machine has probably been vandalised. Stay on the bus for another 5 min unless you're frantic to catch a last train.
 * Train + Bus line 200E
 * Kőbánya-Kispest also has a mainline train station, with trains every 10-15 min to Budapest Nyugati in the northern city centre taking about 25 min. More likely you'd change here to reach eastern towns such as Szeged, Kecskemét, Debrecen, Miskolc for, and Szolnok where you can change again for trains into Romania. Do not board a train for Budapest Keleti: it will make a grand 6-hour scenic tour of the countryside before looping back to the city. Reach Kőbánya-Kispest from the airport on Bus 200E as described above.


 * Taxi: the only licensed taxi operator at the airport is Főtaxi - don't accept offers from drivers or touts waiting around Arrivals. However, you can order via phone/app a taxi to the terminal from other company, too. A trip inbound to central Budapest will cost from Ft10000. Queue at the taxi stand first to receive a written quote for your fare, then pay it when you arrive at your destination. Pre-ordering by phone may get you a better price.

Note that Főtaxi does not provide child seats of any kind, whereas MiniSud shared shuttle does.


 * Shared Transfer: the official shared shuttle for the airport is MiniBud. From a central hotel fares would be around Ft5000 single, Ft9000 return for one person, plus Ft1000 per extra person. Check prices and make reservations on the company's website.
 * Private Transfer: to and from the city of Budapest and all location in Hungary by Airport Transfer Budapest . One to three people will cost Ft10500 oneway, Ft26400 return per estate car. Four to seven people will cost Ft21000 oneway, Ft41000 return per minibus. Total vehicle prices, without sharing the car with strangers. Pay the driver in cash or card. Online booking is possible up to 21 people, beyond that contact them for a quote.

By train


Direct trains connect Budapest with much of central and eastern Europe. For timetables and fares, the easiest system to navigate is Deutsche Bahn.


 * Berlin: one direct train (11 hr) from Budapest Nyugati via Brno, Prague and Dresden, continuing to Hamburg. Several indirect services from Nyugati or Keleti take 12-15 hours, usually changing in Prague.
 * Munich: five direct trains (7 hr) from Budapest Keleti via Vienna, Linz and Salzburg; indirect services changing in those cities.
 * Vienna: direct trains every 1-2 hours (2:37 hr) from Budapest Keleti. Also several from Budapest Déli changing at Györ. Change in Vienna for Venice. There is also a daily first-class ÖBB-UZ sleeper through-car (147/749) to Vienna coming from Kyiv via Budapest Kelenfold and Budapest Keleti, but may be quite expensive.
 * Graz: one direct train (6 hr) from Budapest Déli, otherwise change in Vienna.
 * Zürich: one direct train (11 hr) from Budapest Keleti, otherwise change in Vienna.
 * Prague: five direct daytime trains (6½ hr) from Budapest Nyugati via Bratislava, Breclav and Brno, plus one overnight train (10 hr) from Keleti.
 * Bratislava: eight direct trains (2½ hr) from Budapest Nyugati.
 * Košice: seven direct trains (3½ hr) from Budapest Keleti.
 * Warsaw: one direct daytime train (10 hr) from Budapest Nyugati and one overnight train (13 hr) from Keleti.
 * Bucharest: two overnight trains (16 hr) from Budapest Keleti via Arad, Deva, Sibiu and Brasov in Transylvania. Daytime connections are via Timisoara. Bucharest is nowadays the best route for Istanbul.
 * Ljubljana: one direct train (8 hr) from Budapest Déli, otherwise change in Zagreb or Salzburg.
 * Zagreb: two direct trains (6 hr) from Budapest Déli, otherwise change at Zidani Most. Change in Zagreb for Split.
 * Belgrade: this line is closed until 2025 because of engineering work in Serbia. Normally there are two direct daytime trains and one overnight (8½ hr) from Budapest Keleti via Novi Sad. Change in Belgrade (spelt "Beograd" on DB) for Sarajevo, Podgorica and Bar. This is also the usual route for Sofia and Istanbul, but it's slow and with unreliable connections.
 * Lviv: one direct train (14 hr) from Budapest Nyugati via Debrecen and Chop. Other indirect services from Keleti or Nyugati. Change at Lviv for Kyiv and Odesa. This is probably also the simplest route to Moscow, but look for other means of transport. There is also a daily first-class ÖBB-UZ sleeper through-car (147/749) to Kyiv coming from Vienna via Budapest Kelenfold and Budapest Keleti via Chop, but may be quite expensive.

Railway stations
Stations in Budapest, as elsewhere in Hungary, are frankly a bit rough. The fabric of the buildings is in poor repair, stations and trains are hard to access for people with disabilities, and passenger facilities are very limited. Do not expect luggage trolleys or clean toilets. English is rarely spoken by staff except at international cash desks. If you haven't pre-booked online, be prepared for long queues at the ticket office. Hazards include bad exchange rates, predatory taxi drivers, aggressive drunks, and pickpockets.

There are three large terminus stations for long-distance trains: Nyugati (west), Keleti (east) & Déli (south). These are surrounded by decent cafes, fast food places, and other facilities.



On their way to the terminus, long-distance trains may also stop at two smaller stations: Kelenföld (west) and Kőbánya-Kispest (south near the airport).



By bus
Hungary’s national bus network is operated by Volán Association. To get to Budapest from another Hungarian city, bus is often the best option. For services, discounts, schedules and on-line booking possibilities check Hungary.

International bus routes are operated by Eurolines +36 1 318-2122. Most connections run two or three times a week; connections to/from Austria and Slovakia run daily. Incomartour operates a connection to/from Chop in Ukraine four times a week.

Eurobusways  offers direct, door to door transfers from/to any place in Central and Eastern Europe

Flixbus offers multiple connections per day mostly from German-speaking cities.

Bus stations
Budapest’s long distance bus stations are outside the city centre, but are very well connected to the rest of the city. The main stations are:

Orientation
Orientation is not a big problem in Budapest. The river Danube splits the city into two areas: Buda and Pest. Aside from the very centre, 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, the best reference points for orienting yourself are the bridges crossing the river. From north to south, they are:



On foot
Many of Budapest's highlights are easy to approach walking, and in the centre you find more pedestrian zones 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 centre as there are lots of stone pavements, especially in the Castle Hill.

Public transport
You'll find several points of interest within walking distance, but Budapest is a sizeable city, so unless you drive your own car (or bicycle), you will inevitably use some form of public transport. The good news is that the urban area is well covered by four metro lines, blue urban buses, yellow trams and red trolley-buses, and the whole system is fairly easy to understand. On the other hand, schedules are not quite as reliable as in, say, Vienna, vehicles are not always the cleanest, and tickets have become increasingly expensive.

All people aged 65 or older can travel free. ID card or passport is sufficient to justify your age. Children under 14 years of age also traveling free on Budapest public transport.

Public transportation in Budapest is run by Centre for Budapest Transport (BKK), which has some useful English-language pages on their site including current schedules and fares. Vehicles run from around 05:00 to 23:30 (or, on Christmas Eve, to 16:00). After that an extensive night bus network is available.

There is also an online route planner and informational service.

Connections are shown on Google Maps.

If you only visit Budapest for a few days as a tourist, you may find the following lines particularly useful:


 * BKV metro.svg BKV m 1 jms.svg BKV m 2 jms.svg BKV m 3 jms.svg BKV m 4 jms.svgMetro 1, 2, 3, 4 connect the suburbs with the biggest transport hubs, numerous tourist highlights and central hotels. The metro network is rather simple, there are no splits or merges of lines, no shortened routes in normal operation.
 * Tram 2, 2B, 23 runs along the river Danube on Pest side.
 * Trams 4, 6 follow Nagykörút (Grand Boulevard) offering service up to every 3 minutes at peak times.
 * Trams 19, 41 along the Danube on the Buda side.
 * Bus 7, 8E, 107, 108E and 133E connect Keleti railway station with the city center and many points of interest in Buda and Pest.
 * Bus 16, 16A, 116 and 216 go to Buda castle.
 * Bus 105, 210, 210B connect Hősök tere (Hero's Square), goes up and down Andrássy avenue to Deák square/Erzsébet square before it goes across the Chain Bridge to Buda.
 * Bus lines 100E and 200E serve the airport. Special fare applies on 100E.

Public transport maps are displayed in all metro stations, city centre tram stops and underpasses.

Very useful free apps include BudapestGO (iOS, Android) and SmartCity Budapest (iOS, Android) which provide public transport routes. BudapestGO allows you to track public transport and buy tickets, and SmartCity Budapest provides routes without requiring an internet connection.

Tickets and passes
If you intend to travel a lot, and you probably will, travel cards are far less expensive than single tickets. As of September 2023 most useful tickets and travel cards for tourists include the following:
 * Single tickets (Vonaljegy típusú jegyek): Valid for one journey within the city limits, transfer not allowed on buses and trams, but one transfer is allowed between metro lines ). Ft450, Ft600 if purchased from the driver (available on designated lines). The ticket must be validated before each ride.
 * Block of 10 tickets (10 db-os gyűjtőjegy):
 * Monthly passes (Havi bérletek)
 * Monthly Budapest-pass (havi Budapest-bérlet): Valid for 30 or 31 consecutive days. Valid also on MÁV trains and suburban yellow Volán buses.
 * Monthly Budapest pass for students: Valid for 30 consecutive days, with a student ID, 3,450 Ft. There are some rules of using non-Hungarian student IDs: paper or card-based, photo, name of student and name of university, expiry date.
 * 15-day Budapest pass (félhavi Budapest-bérlet): Valid for 15 consecutive days with a photo pass (take a passport size photo to the ticket office). Valid also on MÁV trains and suburban yellow Volán buses
 * Time-based tickets (Időalapú jegyek): Available only with mobile ticket. Unlimited number of transfers within the time limit, within the city limits. 30 minutes: 530 Ft, 90 minutes: 750 Ft. The last travel can be finished after the time limit is over. Validate the ticket each time you board.
 * Travelcards (Napijegy típusú jegyek):
 * 24-hour travel card (Budapest 24 órás jegy): Valid for 24 hours after purchase 2,500 Ft, or 5,000 Ft for 2-5 people travelling together.
 * 72-hour travel card (Budapest 72 órás jegy): Valid for 72 hours after purchase.
 * Budapest Card (Budapest kártya): allows you unlimited free travel in the city, and also gives you discounts at museums and restaurants. There are available cards for 24h, 48h or 72h. All of them are valid from the first use and free for a child under 6 years (with a cardholder). Every card give free entrance to the Budapest Zoo and valid for 2 walking tours in Buda and Pest. One-day card 11,990 Ft, Two-day card 17,990 Ft (Hop on Hop off bus and boat included), three-day card 22.990 Ft.
 * Annual Passes (Éves bérletek)
 * Quarterly passes (Negyedéves bérletek)
 * Semester passes (Szemeszterre szóló bérletek)
 * Ferry tickets (Révjegyek): valid for a single trip on ferry line D14. 170 Ft (110 Ft for pupils under 15 and pensioners with pensioner certificate)

To have a care-free trip throughout Budapest, always have a public transport ticket, pass or a Budapest Card, when using this service. The fine is 25,000 Ft, or 12,000 Ft if paid on the spot. You may run into ticket inspectors, especially in trams and buses on Sunday, but mostly they are busy guarding the entrance and exit to some of the metro stations. They hardly speak English and some were reported to be extremely keen on checking tourists. Ticket control inspectors can ask for your ID, however they are indeed not considered police officers under Hungarian law.

Metro
Budapest's underground network 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 four lines. Line 1, 2 and 3 cross at Deák tér station (Deák square, in Pest centre), while Line 2 and 4 cross at Keleti pályaudvar (Eastern Railway Station) and Line 3 and 4 cross at Kálvin tér (Kálvin square). Metro lines are well represented on maps scattered on platforms.

Usually ticket inspectors guard the entrances of the downward-moving escalators and they only let those passengers move further who show them their validated tickets or passes. Passengers pass by the ticket validation machines before they reach the guards and the downward-moving escalators. It is best to purchase a discount booklet of 10 tickets. Do not separate the tickets and punch one ticket prior to each boarding of a subway train.


 * BKV metro.svg BKV m 1 jms.svg Metro 1 (yellow line) connects Mexikói út (Mexikói road, a transport hub in Central-Northeast Budapest) with Vörösmarty tér (Vörösmarty square in Pest's commercial and touristy centre), and also passes the Opera and Hősök 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 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).
 * BKV metro.svg BKV m 2 jms.svg Metro 2 (red line) connects Déli pályaudvar (Southern Railway Station, in Central Buda) with Örs vezér tere (Örs vezér square, the biggest transport hub of Eastern Pest), and also takes you to Széll Kálmán tér (former Moszkva tér, Buda's biggest transport hub), Kossuth tér (Kossuth square, around the Parliament in Pest centre) and Keleti pályaudvar (Keleti Railway Station, in Pest). Although the construction started in the 1950s, the line was opened between 1970 and 1972. Having been completely rebuilt since 2004, its stations seem brand new, and the old Soviet trains have been replaced by modern Alstom Metropolis ones.
 * BKV metro.svg BKV m 3 jms.svg Metro 3 (blue line) goes from Újpest-Központ (residential area in Pest's Northern suburbs) to Kőbánya-Kispest (transport hub in Central-Eastern Pest, terminus of bus 200E to the airport), passing Nyugati pályaudvar (Western Railway Station) and different stations in central Pest. Opened between 1976 and 1990.
 * BKV metro.svg BKV m 4 jms.svg Metro 4 (green line) connects Kelenföld vasútállomás (Kelenföld Railway Station, transport hub in Central-Southern Buda) with Keleti pályaudvar (Eastern Railway Station, transport hub in central Pest). It has stations at Újbuda-Központ (Újbuda-Center, where Allee Shopping Mall is located), Szent Gellért tér (Saint Gellért square, site of Gellért Hill, Gellért Spa and Danubius Gellért Hotel) and Fővám Tér (Fővám square, site of the Vásárcsarnok (Central Market Hall) and the southern end of Váci street). The line was built between 2006 and 2014, the result is state-of-the-art stations and trains, and uses automatic train operation.

Tram
Budapest's 35 tram lines are a tourist-friendly way of getting around. They are slower, but more scenic than the metro and particularly useful on the nearly metro-less Buda side of the river. Be careful with doors, they open on different side of the tram on different stops.

Particularly useful lines for tourists are:

All these are considered a part of the cityscape. Both offer beautiful view of the opposite side.
 * Tram 4 and 6 run along Nagykörút, Pest's inner ring road, providing access to all four metro lines at multiple stations, and crossing over to north Buda (Hegyvidék and Óbuda) on Margaret Bridge (Margit híd) and south Buda (South Buda) on Petőfi Bridge – another beautiful view. Lines 4 and 6 only diverge for their last two stops that the tourists are unlikely to visit.
 * Two lines running along the Danube river
 * 19 / 41 in Buda passing Víziváros and South Buda
 * 2, 2B and 23 in Pest passing Belváros.

Bus
Budapest has a dense bus network, which also connects the agglomeration and suburban zones with several metro and train stations and the city center. The numbering system is easy to understand. Numbers below 299 indicate regular bus routes. Numbers with an added 'E' (for example 7E) indicate express services that don't stop at all stops (however, lines without the letter 'E' may not stop at all stops either). 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 300 and 899 are suburban services provided by Volánbusz. BKK tickets and most tourist passes are not valid on them, but daily, weekly and monthly travel cards are.)

Particularly useful lines for tourists include:


 * Bus 7, 8E, 107, 108E, 133E – all connect Keleti railway station with Blaha Lujza square (Blaha Lujza tér, junction with tram 4, 6), Pest city center and many points of interest in Buda. Beware of the pickpockets!
 * Bus 16/16A/116 go to Buda Castle from Széll Kálmán tér (former Moszkva tér). Bus 16 starts from Deák Ferenc tér, the main metro line hub.
 * Bus 200E runs to Ferihegy Airport from Kőbánya-Kispest Metro 3 station.

Trolley-bus
Budapest's 14 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 (Városliget) and cross Andrássy avenue (Andrássy út), giving you beautiful views while using this eco-friendly mode of transport. Line 70 from Kossuth square (Kossuth tér, next to the Parliament) to City Park (Városliget) also passes through the lively Nagymező utca, Budapest's "Broadway".

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


 * Budapest H9 HÉV.svg H9 (branch of H8)
 * Budapest H9 HÉV.svg H9 (branch of H8)
 * Budapest H9 HÉV.svg H9 (branch of H8)
 * Budapest H9 HÉV.svg H9 (branch of H8)
 * Budapest H9 HÉV.svg H9 (branch of H8)

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.



Night services
Budapest is covered by 43 night bus lines and tram 6 operating non-stop. Numbers are triple-digit, starting with '9'. Buses run every 15–60 minutes from around 23:00-04:00. The main linking points of the night bus network are Széll Kálmán tér (former Moszkva tér) in Buda and Astoria (junction of Kossuth Lajos utca–Károly körút) in Pest. Daytime tickets and passes are valid.

Most useful night routes are:


 * Tram 6 – Running along the Nagykörút, Pest's inner ring road, every 10–15 minutes at night, usually very packed.
 * Buses 907, 973, 973A – Substitute buses 7 at night
 * Bus 979, 979A – Runs on Andrássy út as metro line M1 does during the day
 * Bus 956 – Covers most of the route of metro line M2
 * Buses 914, 914A, 950, 950A – Cover the route of metro line M3

On-line maps and schedules are available on BKK's home page. Real time traffic updates are posted on BKK Info There are a few Android/IOS apps for timetables, search for the word "bkk". BpMenetrend is one of them: Android, iOS.

Most night buses require boarding through the front door. Security guards or the driver inspects the tickets or passes prior to boarding.

By car
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 city centre, 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 (Nagykörút) or on the main avenues like Andrássy út, Váci út, Üllői út or Rákóczi út.

By taxi
Budapest's taxi drivers mostly are not fluent in English or any other foreign language, 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.

'''Do not accept offers from taxi drivers waiting in the airport terminals or railway stations. Use your common sense, sit only in taxis 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 kilometre stays the same, apparently it's possible to "bump" the price by adding extra basic fees.

Most taxis parked in the central areas do not belong to radio taxi companies and charge much more than the usual Ft1100 main price, Ft110 per minute and Ft440 per km price. Ask about their price in advance or call any of the taxi companies above.

After dark it is often best to negotiate the fare at the beginning of the ride as drivers often charge exorbitant rates to unwary travellers. Be sure to make sure your change is in Hungarian forint or euros and not in another country's currency. Most taxi drivers only take cash payments but some of the larger taxi companies now equip their cars with POS terminals (allowing you to pay by plastic).

Be very careful when taking taxis to or from nightclubs. There are multiple reports of drivers taking passengers to a different location (one that pays them a commission) and charging a fare up to 10 times the normal amount.

If you would prefer a luxury taxi, like a Mercedes, they can usually be found at the upmarket hotels. Fares, of course, are higher in these cars but the drivers are more reputable and more likely to speak English or German.

Calling your own taxi will be less expensive than having one booked for you in a hotel; it's also almost always cheaper to call a taxi than to enter a waiting one or to signal one that drives by you.

Ride-hailing is available in Budapest:

By bicycle
Budapest may be one of the most exciting places of Europe, but it's still not a cyclists' paradise. Generally, the city is not prepared for cyclists' presence, although the situation is slowly changing. Budapest has been home to Europe's biggest cycling demonstration, Critical Mass, where in 2008 more than 80,000 people participated. Bike delivery is becoming a common job (you'll see NetPincér and Wolt cyclists everywhere), and there are more than a few gem bike paths, along either side of the Danube river traversing all the way to Szentendre on the Buda side.

Bike lanes of varying quality exist but are not universal and don't form a good network. In many places, the bike lane is a part of the pavement, with only a yellow line separating it from the pedestrian zone; in some places (e.g. on the upper quay on the Buda side of the Danube, between the Chain bridge and the Elisabeth bridge) the bike lane and the pedestrian pavement even swap sides with no warning.

In the city centre (e.g. Andrássy út), expect cars parking on bike lanes, and drivers opening car doors recklessly; on pavements, expect pedestrians wandering into the bike lane.

Many native cyclists regard cycling not as a means of transportation but a form of extreme sport. You can see them zigzagging between pedestrians in bike lanes, ignoring red lights (but, thankfully, not traffic), cycling along one-way streets in the wrong direction, alternating between using the road and the pavement where no cycle lane exists, at speeds of more than 30 km/h (20 mph). Quite a few cyclists don't have any lights; when cycling after dark, be prepared for surprise encounters.

If, while walking, you hear a shout, be prepared to get out of the way quickly. Many cycles don't have bells, and pedestrians are not used to bells either; if you're cycling, expect many pedestrians to ignore your bell. Also, beware of pedestrians wandering onto marked bicycle paths, especially in areas with heavy pedestrian traffic.

Large parks like the Városliget, the Margaret island and the Hajógyári (a.k.a. Óbudai) island are pleasant for cycling.

Cycling is forbidden on the lower quays on both sides, but the upper quays mostly have bike lanes; however, in many parts pedestrian traffic is so high that cyclists can't make good speed.

Cycling is typically forbidden on most hiking trails of the Buda hills, but mountain bikers tend to ignore this.

If you think you are ready, renting a bike is easy but not cheap. Expect to pay Ft2000-3000 for a day.

Budapest has a number of bike rental companies. Some of them are:


 * Budapest Bike , +36 30 944-5533. Rent a bike starting at Ft2000 for 6 hours.
 * Bikebase, +36 1 269-5983. Bike rentals available for Ft2,000 for 24 hours.
 * Dynamo Bike +36 30 868-1107. Cute bike rental shop and bakery cafe. Bike rentals starting at 3,000 per day.
 * For the centre, consider buying a "ticket" (1/3/7 days, and longer passes) for city's Mol/Bubi bikes. This municipal initiative allows riding up to 30 minutes for free, and then you can just park and get a new bicycle for another half an hour. They have useful mobile app which shows all the parking lots (about 70 around the city). Extremely convenient and cheap compared to buses.
 * For the centre, consider buying a "ticket" (1/3/7 days, and longer passes) for city's Mol/Bubi bikes. This municipal initiative allows riding up to 30 minutes for free, and then you can just park and get a new bicycle for another half an hour. They have useful mobile app which shows all the parking lots (about 70 around the city). Extremely convenient and cheap compared to buses.

By scooter
Although not as fancy as in Rome or Paris, scooters are becoming more common in the streets of Budapest. Inside the city scooters can be driven on the tram and bus ways, often buzzing in between traffic. Although most car drivers are quite used to the scooters around them, some can still be slight irresponsible. Ignore their pushiness and drive conservative and you should not experience any problems. The best roads are the main ring roads as these have plenty of space and good asphalt. The smaller in between roads and roads in hilly Buda can be of lesser quality with some unexpected potholes or tough to see speed bumps.

A limited number of companies offer scooter rental and scooter tours inside the city centre. Expect to pay around Ft6,000 for a day. Some companies that offer scooter rental are:


 * Retro Robogó, +36 70 432-0444. Rent a scooter starting at Ft3,600 per day (week rental).

In Hungary scooters with an engine up to 50cc can be driven without license plate and only a regular car drivers license. However these 50cc scooters cannot be driven with a passenger. Helmets are compulsory. For scooters and motorcycles with an engine size above 50cc a licence plate and motorcycle driver's licence is required. If you are experienced with driving a scooter, it is a great way to experience the city

By skateboard
Pest is ideal for skateboarding. Pavements 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.

See


The Danube. This is what's unique about Budapest, the urban river landscape. This feature can be admired in several ways: from panoramic points, such as Fisherman's Bastion or Gellért Hill's Citadella in South Buda, promenading along the river banks, or from the river's perspective, from a boat. For romantic views of the city, go at night. There is a number of bridges (see Orientation above) that arch over the river and define Budapest. Most famous is the Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchíd), owing its name to the suspension structure: the bridge is made of chains whose links are huge dog-bone shaped metal bars linked by pins at their ends. And there is also the magnificent Elisabeth bridge (Erzsébet híd) and the Liberty bridge (Szabadság híd). To get away from all the hustle of the city visit Margaret Island (Margitsziget), reachable from the Margaret bridge. Its large parks (see Buda) are a very pleasant place to relax and wander, perfect for a sunny afternoon.



Most of Budapest's famous sights are concentrated on Castle Hill on the Buda side, in downtown so called Belváros and along the riverside walkways.

On Budavár the main highlight is the Royal Palace (Királyi palota), which is the most popular attraction on the hill. It is home to the National Gallery and the Historical Museum of Budapest, with exhibits about medieval Budapest and history of the Royal Palace. To the north you can find the funicular on a big square southestern corner, while in the eastern part there are some medieval excavations and castle ruins from 14-17th century. Towards the north, by the Dísz tér corner, is the Golden Eagle Pharmacy Museum (Arany Sas Patikamúzeum), with a collection of pharmaceutical objects from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Near there is the Café Ruszwurm, or 'the Heaven for coffein and sweets addicts'. A hundred meters east is a local pride, the Matthias Church (Mátyás Templom), which is a Neo-Gothic church crowning Budapest's cityscape, and the 'Fisherman's bastion', (Halászbástya), a lookout terrace with impressive views across the Danube to Pest. In the next building is the Marzipan Museum, which is a children's favourite. On the castle northwest corner is the Military Museum if you interested for uniforms, weapons, maps and other Hungary-related military objects from 11th century until nowadays. If not, you must to go there because the view from there is worth a short detour. Almost all of west Buda hill is visible from here.

Central (Belváros) of Pest is the administrative and business centre of Budapest and the whole of Hungary. Visiting first the Parliament Building (Országház) is good choice. A Neo-Gothic jewel, it is beautifully situated overlooking the Danube. It is very much worth going inside. Opposite the Parliament, the Museum of Ethnography is located, and just couple hundred metres is St Stephen's Basilica, the main church of Budapest and an important example of Neo-Classical architecture. Take 2 stops by M3 to Astoria station and visit the Jewish quarter (part of Unesco World Heritage), the main Hungarian Jewish holy place the Dohány Street Synagogue and Jewish Museum (Dohány utcai Zsinagóga), the largest and certainly among the most beautiful ones in Europe. Take the underpass toward National Museum, on the way admire the Eötvös Loránd University on Múzeum körút. It is worth dropping by for a short visit. Visitors can rest in the lush Trefort Garden or have a refreshment in the popular Bölcsész Terasz, an open-air cultural garden that has musical performances as well as food. If you take metro to Kálvin tér, you can visit another important museum which is the Applied Arts museum. Outside the centre towards the south take tram 2 to visit the famous Zwack Unicum, a type of alcoholic spirit, company museum, and the new culture hub near to Lágymányosi bridge include the Ludwig Museum of Modern Art. Eastwards from the city centre (Belváros) the 'Andrássy út' boulevard in Terézváros stretches to the City Park ('Városliget'). It is listed on and has some important sights along it. First is the State Opera House, 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. Second is Oktogon (eight angled) square House of Terror, the former secret police headquarters that now is a museum which objectively documents the terror of the Nazi and Communist eras. Next are some eastern culture museums in the Hopp Museum of East Asian Art a great collection from China, Japan, India, Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Nearby is another similar collection, namely Ráth György Museum. Along the boulevard after Oktogon square, you will find many embassies in nice, over 100 year old villas. At the road's end is the Heroes' Square - with the Millennium Monument. Opposite is the Museum of Fine Arts with an incredible range of European artwork from Greek and Roman times to the present. Especially valuable is its collection of Spanish Baroque painting. Behind it there is the zoo and the Gundel restaurant, one of the best of the capital. Woodpark area starts here, with the City Park ('Városliget') at the far end, probably the most pleasant of Pest's districts and featuring several interesting if low-key attractions which are often overlooked. A castle on a little island on a lake, - Vajdahunyad Vára, - 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. Also in the park is the Transport Museum.

On Buda side north from castle you will find the Gül Baba Türbéje, a shrine where Gül Baba (literally Rose Father, from whom the Rózsadomb (Rose Hill) was named) lies. Take H5 to Szentlélek square, which is the heart of Óbuda (Old Buda) district. Near to the square is Victor Vasarely Museum showing many works of the famous Hungarian-born post-modern painter Vásárhelyi Győző (1908-1997), and the Kassák Museum at the Zichy Castle showing works of the modern Hungarian artists as well as modern Hungarian art. Also near the square is the Kiscelli Museum, the Budapest Picture Gallery. More one stop on H5 is the city biggest archeological site: the Aquincum, a city in the Roman times, where there are some ruins of thermal baths, built on stone and decorated with mosaics and paintings.

Far to west (South Buda) is the Memento Park, an open air museum in Budapest, dedicated to monumental statues from Hungary's Communist period (1949–1989).

Southward from the Castle is the Budai Vigadó (Hungarian Heritage House). Between 1898 and 1900 winners of an architectural competition faced a demanding project: build a theater and library to suit the needs of the residents of Buda on the site of a former arsenal. Aladár Árkay and Mór Kallina worked to change the pre-existing building into a cultural center. The Vigado’s outside is constructed in a relatively simple, eclectic style, but the interior boasts an impressive Art-Nouveau hall with a marble staircase and pillars and a spacious, ornate theater. Today, it is also known as the Hungarian Heritage House and is the home theater of the Hungarian Folk Ensemble.

Music related museums are also in the city: the Kodály Museum, the Liszt Museum, former home of Ferenc Liszt, the most famous Hungarian composer, where a collection of his personal objects and instruments can be visited. Bartók's House and the Music Museum, includes a collection of musical instruments and the Bartok archive.

Do

 * The simplest, and perhaps best of all: get a map, circle the things you want to see, divide up your time and stroll around in the city. Spend time in charming cafés or restaurants, preferably not right at the main tourist sites, look at the market stands, walk on a bridge in the evening. The lively atmosphere of this jewel of a city both by day and by night cannot be experienced via guided tours, locked into a tourist bus/boat. Locals are usually happy to help, also to tell you what they think is best to see, what is better to stay away from or for a little chat just to keep up their English or German. Don't hesitate to ask questions.
 * Rent a bike. Rents are around Ft1,800 for half a day. Szentendre is a 2 hours ride from the centre and you get to see nice places, much of the way is at the Danube. If you prefer more organised ways, a guided bike tour gets you some exercise and introduces you to the local geography. For example, staff at Buda Bike [underground garage at the plaza in front of St Stephan's Basilica] are very friendly. They also rent bikes. Bike map on the Net
 * Walk in the City park (Városliget) with your children. Walk around the lake and feed the ducks. See the statue of Anonymus at the Vajdahunyad Castle, a fairy-tale-like building. Széchenyi Spa, right next to the lake, is also enjoyable for children (see also the Baths section).
 * In the winter, the same lake is transformed into the large ice-skating rink with an astonishing view during winter. It is a popular place for children and teenagers.
 * The nearby Circus (Fövárosi Nagycirkusz - Great Circus of the Capital) offers performances with international artists.
 * Next to it, the Budapest Zoo - one of the oldest in the world - offers more than 800 animals to be seen in a historic atmosphere.
 * Experience an opera at Budapest's beautiful State Opera House or a performance of folklore or classical music at any of Budapest's many concert halls (details under Performing arts).
 * Budapest River Cruise is an option to discover the city with Danube boat which takes 75 minutes and you can visit the most popular places with it.
 * Budapest River Cruise is an option to discover the city with Danube boat which takes 75 minutes and you can visit the most popular places with it.

Performing arts and classical music
Apart from a renowned music scene, Hungary has a surprisingly rich theatre and art scene and, not surprisingly, Budapest is the epicentre of it. The season begins in mid-September and ends in June. Productions range from classic dramas and traditional operas to post-modern dance performances. The following venues can be particularly interesting for non-Hungarians. Tickets are bookable about one month beforehand at Interticket, the Hungarian theatres' official booking engine with a booking fee of 10% + Ft50.

Cinema
In spite of increasing funding difficulties, high quality cinema has remained alive in Budapest. For contemporary non-mainstream European and Hungarian titles turn to Budapest’s excellent art house film chain, Art mozi, most of their branches are provided with a café or pub and offer pleasant atmosphere to spend your evening. A few selected cinemas of this chain: Uránia National Cinema | Uránia Nemzeti Filmszínház where you can see the mainstream European artistic films with new Hungarian ones, the latter sporadically subtitled in English; Cinema Puskin (Puskin Mozi) an elegant, decorated multiplex offering quality, but generally easy-to-watch Hungarian and foreign films; Cinema Művész (Művész Mozi) is probably the most popular “Art Mozi” theatre in Budapest; Film Museum Örökmozgó (Örökmozgó Filmmúzeum) is your best choice if you’re in mood to see a film from the times when Leonardo DiCaprio was a child, mostly film in original language and are subtitled in Hungarian. Mainstream cinemas mainly show subtitled or dubbed Hollywood films and Hungarian romantic films. After the shopping centre revolution in the late 1990s, more than two thirds of the city’s cinema screens are operated by international chains and franchises. Two examples are: Corvin, one of the oldest, although completely modernised cinema in the city. The most centrally located cinema is the Palace Westend in Pest.

Thermal baths
Budapest has many thermal springs and its fame is still rising as a major European Spa location. The baths are among last vestige of Turkish culture in Budapest; some baths indeed date back to Turkish times. However, Hungarians have modified and moulded this tradition into something of their own during the last four centuries.

Thermal baths contain several thermal pools. They are usually complemented with multiple steam baths, massage services and other therapies including drinking cures. Unlike in some Scandinavian or German baths, Budapest baths mostly require you to wear your bathing suit. Among foreigners, Russians seem to be most frequent visitors to Budapest's baths, followed by Italians and Americans.

A tradition of night bath parties has evolved, often revolving around various branches of electronic music, see e.g. Cinetrip.

Traditional public baths
Traditional public baths used to have a slightly outdated but nowadays improving service and admission system and allow an authentic bathing experience with locals around you. At the cash desk, you sometimes have to select treatments in advance, often they are offered in distinct places of the building. Bathing time is not restricted, and, depending on the system, if you're finished earlier, part of your fee is repaid. Towels and sometimes bathrobe can be rented either at the entrance or inside. Changing clothes can be done either in a common area with lockers (gender segregated) or in cabins (kabinok) which may come in different size and is highly useful for families. While newer systems may be introduced, according to the proper ancient ritual you're handed a token with a number, which is also written on a blackboard inside the cabin door as a security code: you must remember cabin number. To access your cabin again, show your cabin and a token to attendant, and s/he'll open the door and check the number inside. In swimming pools, swimming caps are sometimes obligatory, and are often available for sale or rent.

Modern baths
Modern baths, such as Danubius Grand Thermal Hotel, are usually called spas, although their central component are thermal pool and multitude of steam baths/saunas, which is not always typical for spas in other parts of the world.

Sports

 * Football: the Hungarian national soccer team play at Puskás Aréna in Zugló district, completed in 2019. Several professional clubs play in the city - those in the top tier (Nemzeti Bajnokság or NB 1) are Ferencvárosi, Újpest and MTK Budapest. Honvéd since 2023 play in the second tier.
 * The city has many health clubs, yoga & pilates clubs, riding schools, swimming pools and squash and tennis courts. On Margaret Island you will find joggers, and swimming in the Hajós Olympic Pool. Sports facilities are inexpensive in Budapest.

Caving

 * Caving in Budapest ranges from well-lit and renovated Szemlőhegyi cave, where you can go to parts of the cave in a wheelchair, to some of the more extreme tours in the Pál-völgyi–Mátyás-hegyi cave system, where you have to squeeze through several metres long passages with no room to spare. The Pál-völgyi–Mátyás-hegyi cave system is recommended for the adventurous (and non-claustrophobic) who wants "proper caving" instead of the more "tourist friendly" alternatives. The tours lasts between 2½–3 hours and much of the time is spent crawling or climbing, so some degree of fitness is needed. The guided tour includes a helmet, headlamp and overall so bring good shoes. Guides are 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. Bookings need to be for 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.

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 won't hire you until you speak at least a little Hungarian. Restaurants with a specific country's cuisine, such as Italian restaurants and pizzerias, tend to hire people from that country to make the food more authentic.

Buy
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 bureaux can be found in the city centre near Deák Ferenc tér metro station. For 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. There is also no extra charge. If you're looking for money exchange in the Keleti station, be sure to check exchange rates at all the three money exchange shops along the platforms; they offer differential prices. See Hungary for information on currency and exchange rates.

Most of the visitors from far away end up shopping in Pest in the middle of the city: Váci 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 Vásárcsarnok) at Fővám tér, the renovated market hall 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
Also, chain stores can be found along the Váci utca (C&A, H&M, Clinique, Estee Lauder, New Yorker, etc.)

The shopping malls locally known as "Plazas" are usually good for buying clothes, but prices may vary wildly even in shops next to each other. For electronics, the cheap supermarkets like Electro World and Media Markt are good targets, but the quality is on par with the prices. Due to the low cost of labour, a tradition in repairing mobile phones and other appliances exists, and buying second hand electronics is normal. This service is usually offered in smaller private shops.

Absinthe is available for purchase at common liquor stores, a must-have purchase for the European traveller. Many brands available in the Market Hall and liquor stores are of poor quality (or not even "real" Absinthe).

Eat
Hungarian food deserves to be (and often is) mentioned among the country's main sites. As in other cultures, 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. Luckily, prices are significantly below western Europe's with around €4 for a budget lunch, and around €8-14 for a nice evening meal in a mid-range restaurant, depending on place and appetite. Above €20 per person is definitely considered expensive, but there are enough lavish places above this price range for those looking for something special.

Local specialities often revolve around meat (pork, beef, veal, or poultry), often involve liberal use of paprika, however not necessary of the hot kind. Due to a historical translation error, "goulash soup" is indeed a soup, not the "goulash" that visitors may be familiar with from home which is known as "pörkölt". Major specialities include:
 * gulyás (leves) usually translated as 'goulash soup' - a filling meat soup (usually beef) with potatoes and paprika, among other ingredients. Served as main dish or as a (heavy) starter. The name refers to the Hungarian version of a cowboy taking care of a 'gulya' (cattleherd).
 * paprikás veal or chicken cooked in delicious creamy paprika sauce (not spicy)
 * pörkölt a stew with of sautéed onions and - paprika. Similar to what is served as 'goulash' abroad.
 * halászlé - fishermen's soup served differently depending on region
 *  töltött káposzta - stuffed cabbage, the cooked cabbage leaves are filled with meat and in a paprika sauce, served with sour cream (similar to crème fraîche or crème acidulée)
 * Balaton pike-perch (fogas)
 * gyümölcsleves - fruit soup - cold, creamy and sweet, consumed as a starter.

From the desserts, you may not want to miss
 * Somlói galuska, a poem on biscuit dough, cream and chocolate sauce, invented by Károly Gollerits at Gundel
 * Gundel palacsinta - Gundel pancake (crepe) - with a filling prepared with rum, raisin, walnuts, and lemon zest, served with a chocolate sauce, and the careful reader may guess its birthplace.
 * Kürtőskalács, (chimney cake) a delicious sweet dough pastry which is cooked on a chimney shaped spit and coated in butter and sugar to form a crispy crust. After the cakes are cooked they can be rolled in a variety of toppings such as cinnamon sugar or chocolate.
 * There is also a great variety of wonderful pastries/cakes (Torta), some of which you will recognize if you are familiar with Viennese pastries. You may want to try Dobos torta (Dobos cake, named after József Dobos), and Rigó Jancsi a light chocolate-cream cake.

In addition to traditional Hungarian fare, which is recommended, there are numerous other cuisines available in Budapest. The adventurous gourmand can enjoy a different cuisine each meal for a week. Restaurant prices in Budapest are very reasonable by American and Western European standards with a general rule being that you would pay twice as much for a similar meal in New York, London or Paris.

Coffee houses
Coffee houses (kávéház) were a traditional Budapest institution, somewhat resembling Viennese lifestyle. Visit to one should be on every traveller's agenda. These are places are great to spend some time at a cup of coffee and a delicious cake, but some of them (especially in the higher price range) offer meals as well. With dozens of places in the city, the best-known, landmark coffeehouses (and among priciest) are: Gerbeaud (Vörösmarty tér 7-9), Művész Kávéház (Andrássy út 29), New York Kávéház (Erzsébet krt. 9-11). Other Kávéházs worth visiting include the cafe at the Hotel Astoria, Cafe Central, the Cafe Mozart, Wall Street and the oldest in Budapest, the Ruszwurm in Buda castle.

Restaurants
Hungarian cuisine and restaurant experiences are happily remembered by visitors, even if the Hungarian diet may seem rather meat-based to many western visitors. The city has large variety of great places to eat at prices quite reasonable for western-Europeans. Like in some other cities, a number of restaurants see tourists as scapegoats. It is a good idea to avoid restaurants in the heart of the most touristic areas like Váci utca, especially if all customers seem foreigners, as you'll likely be served mediocre food with a high bill padded with number of bizarre charges. In some restaurants anything you don't explicitly ask for, but appears on your table, is likely to be charged for. Don't take restaurant tips from suspicious individuals on the streets, ask at your hotel or local friends.

A wide variety of decent food for not reasonable prices can be found at the lively Ráday utca, venue of a number of cultural events, near Kálvin tér. But simply strolling the more central areas, e.g. near the Great Ringroad (Nagykörút), or the Pozsonyi út, will be enough to bump into nice places to test local cooking skill (though not necessarily with a menu available in English). Top-notch quality food (1st category restaurants) charge a wide range of prices (from starters around Ft1,000, main courses Ft3,000-10,000, and menus from Ft5,000). Perhaps the most reputed among top restaurants is the Gundel near Városliget. Check the prices before you decide to go, but it offers a good value Sunday brunch for around Ft5,000.

Walking along the Danube on the Pest side, you see a lot of restaurant and bar boats. Most of them serve traditional Hungarian and international dishes, some of them are function more as bars. Thanks to the beautiful panorama across the Danube and the castle, these places provide an unforgettable experience.

Of special note: Hungarian law does not require restaurants to forward either the (included) service charge or the added tip to the wait staff. Dubious restaurants, especially those favored by tourists, will simply pocket the extra Forint into their private coffers. While it is customary to tip 10% of the bill, it is important to ask your waiter if the service charge is included in the bill and if the staff receives either the service charge or any additional tip. Obviously, it is better to frequent restaurants which treat their staff well, but you may not know in which kind of establishment you are dining until you receive the bill and inquire.

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



Grocery shopping
If you want to take home some Hungarian paprika, Pick szalámi, or Tokaji wine, grocery shops are naturally cheaper than specialised souvenir kiosks.

In the central areas, you will find smaller grocery shops such as the Hungarian chains GRoby shops, CBA shops, and the usual European suspects Spar and Tesco Express shops.

Further from the centre, you can find foreign-owned hypermarkets like Auchan & Tesco with the usual range of goods.

Cooking class
The best way to get to know a culture is through its food! Join a Hungarian host in cooking a Hungarian menu in an authentic Hungarian home.

Easy Cooking Budapest offers the perfect program: shopping at a local market, then cooking together in a small group at an apartment, while tasting some wine and Pálinka. www.easycookingbudapest.com

Kosher

 * Rothschild Supermarkets (located throughout the city centre) offer Kosher goods too.
 * Rothschild Supermarkets (located throughout the city centre) offer Kosher goods too.
 * Rothschild Supermarkets (located throughout the city centre) offer Kosher goods too.
 * Rothschild Supermarkets (located throughout the city centre) offer Kosher goods too.

Others
Halal food is not traditional for Budapest but a number of places are available. Check this Muslim site for meat shops (húsboltok) and restaurants (Éttermek).

A version of döner kebab (as known e.g. in Germany) is sold under the Greek name "gyros" (often by Turks!). Translated from Turkish döner, gyros means "rotate" or "spintop" in Greek - a reference to the meat being rotated on a stake.

One good moderately priced Turkish halal place is Szeráj on Szt. István körút opposite to the theatre building of "Vígszínház", between Nyugati tér Margaret Bridge.

Drink
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 borozó (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 Kékfrankos, Egri Bikavér "Bulls Blood” and white wines the Szürkebarát and Chardonnay are popular. One of the most favorite is the Tokaji, a sweet white wine.

You should try not to miss out on the Hungarian spirit, palinka, made from fruits such as plum, apricot, cherry or Williams pears.

Unique Hungarian soft drinks to try are Traubi Szoda (a white grape soda) and Márka (a sour cherry soda).

Sleep
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 are on or near Castle Hill, dozens 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.

Learn
Budapest's universities are sufficiently well-regarded and draw exchange students from near and far. There are a number of universities and other tertiary institutions in Budapests. Many of them offer degrees or courses in English, German, or French. Particularly popular, even though not cheap, are the medical university courses offered in German and English.



Stay safe

 * Central Emergency: dial 112
 * Ambulance: 104
 * Fire: 105
 * Police: 107

Crime
Budapest is potentially one of the safest cities in the world for its size. There are no slums or districts you should avoid, 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.

As in most other big cities, pickpocketing 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.

Younger Hungarian policemen mostly speak some basic English. Tourists have no reason to be afraid of them unless they break 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 Sütő Street 2, District V, and they are able to receive complaints and render assistance in English and German.

By night
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 István körút–Teréz körút–Erzsébet körút–József körút–Ferenc körút, popularly known as Nagykörút), and Buda are safe even before dawn. Most locals avoid walking alone by night in outer zones of districts 8th and 9th in Pest, as these are shady, though not particularly dangerous areas. Areas in 8th district behind Népszínház utca - József körút 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 Lujza, Dankó, Magdolna Streets and their surroundings: also, it's not a very attractive area. Népszínház utca itself is not a very nice place after dark but usually not risky.

Some big panel areas on the outskirts of the city (parts of Újpest and Kőbánya, residential areas unknown by tourists) also not the best places to have a walk without knowing where to go. The area around Keleti pályaudvar 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 tér 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.

Beautiful during the day, bigger public parks like Városliget, are better avoided at night. Don't take a healthy walk at Népliget after dark. The famous 'chill-out' place at Római part (3rd district) can be deserted especially after 01:00 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 centre 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.

Tourist traps
Like in several cities of the world, in Budapest the major scams for the inexperienced visitor are taxis and restaurants. Much of the following would apply to a number of highly touristed cities in Europe.

In the past the airport taxis used to be a traveller's nightmare. Now, things ave gotten better: Főtaxi - contracted partner of the airport - is so far reported to be reliable and works according to advertised prices; for details read the Airport transfer section. Főtaxi has a stand outside the terminal building, enjoying the exclusive right to wait there, though other companies can come to pick up passengers if called by phone. Sometimes scam taxi drivers will still solicit services inside the terminal to take you for a ride with a very hungry meter. Fixed price information on the internet.

Alternatives to Főtaxi include calling another trusted cab firm (saving €5-10), 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 others who are going to the same area of the city. Depending on how lucky you are, yours may be the first destination or the last. However, it is only cheaper than a taxi if you are travelling alone. If you travel the from the city to the airport, pre-order your taxi on the chosen company's phone number or call for the Airport Shuttle. The Airport Shuttle is reasonably priced, reliable and an efficient way to get to the airport.

The situation around railway and bus stations is still not regulated. The worst is probably Keleti Pályaudvar: never trust drivers hanging around the arrival side; rather, order a taxi by phone (some cars display their company's number). 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 recognizable by tourists as non-Hungarian 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. A typical taxi drive within the central zones should be in the range of Ft1,200-3,000 as of early 2014.

Similar abuses have also happened in restaurants and bars, almost all of them in the vicinity of Váci utca in the touristy heart of Pest. You should avoid the eateries and bars of the zone. However, these are not typical, 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.

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 Váci 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. The standard trick is to produce a menu with small print at the bottom stating that the first drink costs Ft15,000 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.

A common scam 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 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 Váci 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 to the elevator bar (Városközpont) at Váci utca.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid any establishment offering "adult" entertainment. A common scam in these places is for an attractive woman to join you at your table and ask for a drink. The problem is that her drink will cost €250 or something similar. You will not be allowed to leave until you pay. If you threaten to call the police you will probably be informed that the bouncer is an off duty police officer.

TopBudapestOrg maintains a list of blacklisted clubs and bars.

Money conversion: like in other places, even if a restaurant or bar accepts euros, it's better to have forints since their conversion rate is usually way worse than the rate at exchange offices. It is better to avoid exchange offices inside airports and railway stations, those in the centre 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 "shell game". This involves covering a 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'.

On the other hand, Hungarian people are usually friendly, welcoming and interested towards foreigners, and nothing should happen to you unless you put yourself in harm's way. If you don't bother them they won't bother you, and nothing should get in your way of having a great holiday.

Stay healthy

 * For pharmacies, see each of our district articles. Each of Budapest's 23 districts has a pharmacy that is open in the evenings, on a varying rotation.
 * Emergency treatment centres (Hungarian: Orvosi Ügyelet) are open 24/7. Read more in our various district articles.
 * For pharmacies, see each of our district articles. Each of Budapest's 23 districts has a pharmacy that is open in the evenings, on a varying rotation.
 * Emergency treatment centres (Hungarian: Orvosi Ügyelet) are open 24/7. Read more in our various district articles.
 * For pharmacies, see each of our district articles. Each of Budapest's 23 districts has a pharmacy that is open in the evenings, on a varying rotation.
 * Emergency treatment centres (Hungarian: Orvosi Ügyelet) are open 24/7. Read more in our various district articles.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, Budapest has 5G from Telecom, Telenor and Vodafone, and 4G from Digi. Wifi is widely available.

Embassies
The Consular Service site maintains a complete searchable database of Honorary Consuls in Hungary.
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Day tours

 * Budakeszi (take city bus #22 from M2:Széll Kálmán square) Located in a green area. The north gate of the Hegyvidék is a good excursion place. There is a significant German minority with own church and museum. Also famous for the Wildlife Park.
 * Budakeszi (take city bus #22 from M2:Széll Kálmán square) Located in a green area. The north gate of the Hegyvidék is a good excursion place. There is a significant German minority with own church and museum. Also famous for the Wildlife Park.

For more on Pest County's places, see: Central Hungary.