LANGUAGE

Hungarian

CURRENCY

Hungarian Forint

BEST TIME TO VISIT

March to May & September to November

NEAREST RAILWAY STATION

Keleti Railway Station

NEAREST AIRPORT

Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD)

EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER

112

INTERNET ACCESS

Wireless (wi-fi) access is available at all hostels and hotels and very few hotels charge for the service. Many restaurants and bars and most cafes offer wi-fi, usually free to paying customers. Some hostels and hotels have at least one computer terminal available to guests either free or for a nominal sum. Internet cafes are rapidly going the way of the dodo, due to the proliferation of smartphones and wi-fi hotspots, though a couple are still operating.

Electric Cafe Large place with attached laundrette.

Vist@netcafe One of the very few internet cafes open late.

VISA

Citizens of all European countries as well as Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA do not require visas for visits of up to 90 days. Check current visa requirements on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu).

Citizens of other countries must consider either a short-stay visa (entry, with stays of up to 90 days) or transit visas (five days). Since Hungary is a member of the Schengen Agreement, if you have a visa valid for entry to any of the other Schengen members, it’s also valid in Hungary.

HOTEL

Budapest, Hungary is a beautiful, often overlooked destination that offers visitors great value for their travel budget. Comprised of two main sections, Buda and Pest, the city is separated by the Danube river. Its position on the river makes it a popular embarkation and debarkation point for Danube river cruises. Popular areas to stay include the Castle District, with its historic buildings and museums, or you might prefer Theresa Town, with its grand boulevards. The Downtown area, on the Pest side, includes the city’s financial district, along with great shopping.

LUXURY

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace

Ritz-Carlton

Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest

MID-RANGE

Corinthia Hotel Budapest

Iberostar Grand Hotel Budapest

The Budapest Marriott Hotel

BUDGET

ibis Budapest Heroes Square

OnRiver Hotels – Grand Jules Boat Hotel

Bo33 Hotel Family & Suites

COST OF LIVING

Hungary is not super cheap in every way, but the destination is a good value for people who want to live a good life for less in central Europe. Anyone moving to Budapest from a similarly sized city in Europe, North America, or Australia can easily cut their expenses in half. And the rest of the country costs less.