Travel to Budapest: tips for tourists before traveling

Budapest currency

Forints are the currency of choice in Hungary. Some stores and restaurants accept Euros, but at an exorbitant rate. We don't recommend changing money at the airport or in the city center unless you are ready to overpay. Where to change money in Budapest? It's most profitable at banks or points away from the tourist spots. Be sure to ask about the commission - sometimes it is even higher than the amount of the exchange. So don't be lazy to find a place with a normal rate and conditions.

Housing in Budapest

The city is divided into 23 districts, which are simply labeled with Roman numerals. If you want to live in a quiet place, but at the same time not far from the sights of Budapest, settle in the eastern parts of districts II and XII. VI, VII, VIII are good for young people - there are a lot of bars and clubs here. But keep in mind that there is also a gypsy ghetto in district VIII, and it is not safe to walk here at night.

We advise you to choose apartments rather than hotels. You can rent an apartment in Budapest (even for several rooms) for the price of a three-star hotel. In the capital of Hungary, there are often various festivals, and at this time prices for housing can skyrocket by 2-3 times. So look at the calendar of events and activities in Budapest to plan your trip in the best way possible.

You can book a hotel in Budapest with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Budapest Transportation

How do I get from Budapest Airport to the city? From the Ferenc Liszt International Airport, which is 20 km from the center, you can get out by:

• shuttle bus - about €10. The shuttle bus must be booked in advance. The minibus company will stand at a designated spot near the airport. The fare is different everywhere. If there are two or three passengers, it is better to take a cab.
• Bus 100 E - €2,83. Runs from 05:00-01:20 every 20 minutes. You can buy a ticket in the machine, the driver will be more expensive. Bus 100 E makes 3 stops in the city center Kálvin tér, Astoria and Deák Ferenc tér.
• Bus 200 E - €1, 10 The stop is to the left of the airport exit. Bus 200 E runs every 7 minutes daily from 3:30 to 22:59. Tickets can be bought at airport information desks, newsstands or from a machine right at the stop. From the driver, a ticket will cost €1.42. That's 450 forints. You have to pay for the fare in local currency. When you enter the bus, it is mandatory to compost your ticket. The bus will take you to the Köbánya-Kispest metro station, line M3. From there it is already convenient to get to the center by metro. Deak Ter station is the hub for three metro lines and is located in the very center of the city.
• Cab from €23.

Types of tickets and payment methods:

• Single ticket (vonaljegy) - valid for one mode of transportation for 80 minutes from the moment of purchase. You can buy it at special machines. Be sure to compost the ticket, because you can be checked by controllers at the exit from the subway and ground transportation. At the time of publication, such a ticket costs 350 forints.
• Single ticket bought from the driver (helyszínen váltott vonaljegy) - if you don't manage to pay in advance, you can also buy a ticket from the driver, but note that it will cost more (HUF 450).
• Single transfer ticket (atszállójegy) - a single ticket for any two modes of transportation (530 HUF).
• Ten tickets (10 darabosgyűjtőjegy) - a block of travel tickets for 10 trips in any mode of transportation. It will cost less than the same number of tickets bought individually - 3,000 forints. The inconvenience is that you have to keep all ten tickets until they expire.
• 1-day pass (24 órás jegy) - valid for 24 hours for all types of transportation without travel restrictions. It costs 1650 HUF.
• Group pass for 1 day (csoportos 24 órás jegy) - allows a group of up to 5 people to travel around the city without restrictions for 24 hours. Costs 3300 forints.
• Pass for 3 days (72 órás jegy) - valid in all modes of transportation, unlimited trips. The price is 4150 HUF.
• Week pass (Hetijegy) - applies to all means of transportation and has no limit on the number of trips, price - 4950 HUF.

And this is not a complete list of possible travel documents in Budapest. Apparently, the city authorities have done everything so that every tourist could choose a convenient public transportation option. All ticket prices, as well as the schedule of transportation in Budapest can be viewed on this site.

It is quite affordable to move around the city and by cab. Boarding costs on average 470 HUF (€1.5), and each kilometer costs 280 HUF (€0.90). It is better to call a car in advance through one of the popular services: 6x6 Taxi, Barat Taxi i Budapest Taxi.

You can also ride a bicycle around the city. Renting one for a day costs about 3000 forints. There is also a free rental network in the city, Bubi, but bicycles can only be rented for half an hour.

How to save money in Budapest

The Budapest Kartya (Budapest Tourist Card ) can help you save money on public transportation and major attractions. You can buy it at the Tourinform tourist information office, numerous travel agencies, hotels, museums, and at public transportation ticket offices in the busiest parts of the city. The places of sale are usually marked with a special sticker. Here are the prices: 1 day - 4900 forints, two days - 7900, three days - 9900.

The card will cost cheaper if you order it in advance online on this site. Here you can also see the whole list of discounts it provides.

Free excursions in Budapest

Get ready for the fact that you'll have to walk a lot to see the main sights of the city. Thankfully, there is an opportunity to join a group for free and literally visit interesting and most beautiful places in 3 hours. On this site you will find offers for free sightseeing and thematic tours, which are held every day.

If you want something special, we recommend "Budapest Courtyards: the secret life of the city", also definitely worth immersing yourself in the Atmosphere of Creative Budapest and getting to know more about ruin pubs.

Unusual sights in Budapest

You can find out what iconic places are really worth seeing in Buda and Pest on this page. Here we will also recommend some unusual places in the city, which are not in the standard guidebooks, but they are nevertheless worth seeing:

• The Open Book Fountain (Henszlemann Imre) is an unusual architectural creation. You look at it and it seems that the pages of a huge book turn by magic.
• Sugar! (Paulay Ede, 48) is a paradise for children and sweet lovers. The biggest store of various lollipops, candies and cakes. Here you will see that there is no limit to the confectioners' imagination.
• Philosopher's Garden (Gellért-hegy) - a more famous place, but still few tourists get here. It is a small well-maintained garden with sculptures of Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Mahatma Gandhi and others.

What to try in Budapest

If you don't plan to spend money on restaurants, rent accommodation with a kitchen and cook to your heart's content. City dwellers buy food in the Tesco chain of stores. It is better to take the famous Hungarian balm Unicum there, in souvenir stores it costs three times as much.

If you take excursions around Budapest, we advise you to stock up on snacks. You will definitely be saved by a bun from any local bakery. Prices there are quite affordable, and baked goods are always fresh. By the way, try the traditional sweet Kürtőskalács. One serving costs about 315 forints. The cheapest ones are sold in the Deak Ferenc ter subway passageway and at the West Station.

Do you love sweets? Then you should go on a tasting tour of the city's best pastry shops and coffee houses.

The gastronomic hallmark of Budapest is, of course, goulash. Restaurants in the city often add too much pepper to it. Ask for paprika separately and you can adjust the spiciness of the dish.

Hungarian baths

Many people end their trip to Budapest with a visit to the traditional baths. Even if you don't consider yourself a big fan of such leisure activities - you just don't know what you're giving up.

To enjoy the thermal baths to the fullest, go to the baths early in the morning, before the tourist rush. Keep in mind that some of Budapest's baths (e.g. Lukacs) have women's and men's days, and some baths allow only women or only men. It is better to find out about "mono-gender" days on the official websites of the baths, and the staff will tell you about special baths when you buy an entrance ticket.

The best baths in Budapest:

• Lukacs Bathing and Pool is one of the city's oldest baths. It is open from 6:00 to 21:00. Entry costs from 3100 forints, free with a tourist card. Address: Frankel Leo út, 25-27, II district, Buda, buses No. 6 and 86.

• The Gellert Baths in Budapest are the most beautiful in the city. Opening hours: from 6:00 to 20:00. The entrance fee starts from 4900 forints. Address: Kelenhegyi út, 4, XI district, Buda, streetcars #47, 49, 18.

• Széchenyi Baths - the largest bath complex not only in Budapest, but also in the whole of Europe. It works from 6:00 to 19:00 (pool until 22:00). The entrance fee starts from 4500 forints. Address: Állatkerti Körút, 11, XIV district, runs trolleybus #72.

By the way, you'll be surprised, but in such symbolic places for Hungary as the ancient baths, sometimes they organize wild parties! Budapest is such a contrasting city.