Travel Tips Hungary for planning and on the go

Costs

Daily budget Basic €60 /occasional treat €80

Drink Beer (large) €2–2.50

Food Goulash €3–4

Hostel/pension €15–30

Travel Train: Budapest–Eger €8.50

Emergencies

Police t 107; Ambulance t 104; Fire t 105, General hotline t 112.

Tourists are treated with respect by the police (rendörség) unless they’re suspected of smuggling drugs or driving under the influence of alcohol. Always carry a photocopy of your passport. Pharmacies are identifiable by their green cross signs. Opening hours are generally Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to noon; signs in the window give the location of all-night pharmacies (ügyeletes gyógyszertár). Tourist offices can direct you to local medical centres or doctors’ surgeries (orvosi rendelő); these will probably be in private (magán) practice, so be sure to carry health insurance. EU citizens have reciprocal arrangements for emergency treatment, but only at state hospitals.

Health

Most towns have at least one pharmacy, identifiable by their green cross signs. Opening hours are generally Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to noon or 1pm; signs in the window give the location of all-night pharmacies (ügyeletes gyógyszertár). Tourist offices can direct you to local medical centres or doctors’ surgeries (orvosi rendelő); these will probably be in private (magán) practice, so be sure to carry health insurance. EU citizens have reciprocal arrangements for emergency treatment, but only at state hospitals.

Hungary online

www.tourinform.hu National tourist office.

www.ibusz.hu Handy portal for viewing and booking cheap private rooms all across Hungary.

www.budapestinfo.hu Comprehensive site with up-to-the-minute listings.

bkv.hu Timetables and info for all public transport in Budapest.

mavcsoport.hu/en Hungarian train timetables in English.

volanbusz.hu/en Bus timetables.

jegymester.huBuy tickets for events and exhibitions online.

Communications

Post offices (posta) are usually open Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, Sat 8am to 1pm. The few public phones that are left use cards that can be bought from post offices and newsstands. To make national calls, dial t 06, wait for the buzzing tone, then dial the area code and number. To make an international call, dial t 00, wait for the buzzing tone, then dial the country code and number. All hotels and hostels (certainly those covered in this Guide), as well as many cafés and bars, offer free wi-fi.

Money and banks

Currency is the forint (Ft or HUF), which comes in notes of 500Ft, 1000Ft, 2000Ft, 5000Ft, 10,000Ft and 20,000Ft, and in coins of 5Ft, 10Ft, 20Ft, 50Ft, 100Ft and 200Ft.

At the time of writing, €1=315Ft, US$1=280Ft, and £1=400Ft. Accommodation and tour prices are often quoted in euros, but you still pay in forints. Standard banking hours are Monday to Thursday 8am to 4pm, Friday 8am to 1pm. Bureaux de change operate longer hours and can be found in the centre of most larger towns. ATMs are widespread, and you can use a credit/debit card to pay in most hotels, restaurants and shops.

Opening hours and holidays

Shops are generally open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm. They close on Sundays and public holidays including January 1, March 15, Easter Monday, May 1, Whit Monday, August 20, October 23, November 1, December 25 and 26. Shopping centres operate later hours and are generally open every day.