Getting There By Air:Budapest Ferihegy (BUD)
Tel: (01) 296 9696.
Website:
www.bud-airport.hu The airport is located 24km (15 miles) southeast of Budapest. There are two terminals (1 and 2), about 4km (2.5 miles) apart. Thanks to EU membership and budget airline traffic, the booming airport reported 22.5% passenger growth between February 2005 and February 2006.
Approximate flight times to Budapest: From London is 2 hours 20 minutes; from New York is 9 hours 45 minutes; from Los Angeles is
19 hours 15 minutes; from Toronto is 9 hours 40 minutes and from Sydney is 26 hours 30 minutes.
Airport facilities: Facilities include a duty-free shop, florist, newsagent, restaurant, bar, gift shop, post office, bureaux de change, banks and car hire. There is also a business lounge, and left-luggage facilities are available.
Transport to the city: The easiest way to the city center from Ferihegy is by
LRI’s Airport Minibus Shuttle (tel: (01) 296 8555), which takes visitors to any address in the city. Single or return tickets can be purchased from LRI’s passenger service desks or booked before departure. The service also picks up passengers at hotels or private addresses for the return flight. The
Budapest Card (see
Sightseeing) includes travel on the Minibus Shuttle.
Centrum Minibuses (also operated by LRI) depart for Erzsébet tér bus station; tickets are sold on the bus. The public bus 93 travels to Kõbánya-Kispest metro station (passengers may wish to alight at Deák tér, where all three metro lines converge). Buses with the number 93 displayed in black serve only Ferihegy terminal one, buses with a red 93 serve both terminals. This is a cheap alternative to and from the airport, but takes longer.
Taxis are available at all times.
Getting There By Road:Traffic drives on the right. Motorways are marked by ‘M’ and international roads by ‘E’. Minor roads are designated by two or more digit numbers. Most motorways are toll-free, with the exception of the M5 from Budapest to Kecskemét, the Gyor-Hegyeshalom stretch of the M1 and the M3 between Budapest and Füzesabony. In 2000, motorway
vignettes (passes) were introduced on the M1 and M3. Vignettes can be purchased at the Hegyeshalom border crossing point, at the former motorway gates and at filling stations near the motorways. On the spot fines are issued for those who travel without one.
The minimum age for driving in Budapest is 17 years. Speed limits are 120kph (74mph) on motorways, 100kph (62mph) on dual carriageways, 80kph (50mph) on main roads and 50kph (30 mph) in built-up areas. Seatbelts are compulsory in the front seats and outside built-up areas for passengers in the back seats. There is a total alcohol ban when driving – licenses are withdrawn if drivers are found to be under the influence of alcohol. On-the-spot fines are issued and the police officer must provide a receipt.
The pink format EU license is accepted but an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required if a green UK license is held. A car registration document and country sticker are also necessary. Third-party liability insurance is compulsory. For drivers based in Hungary for over six months, customs clearance must be sought.
There are 24-hour emergency phone lines located every 2km (1.25 miles) along motorways M1, M5, M7 and Road 5.
Magyar Autóklub (tel: (01) 345 1800; website:
www.autoklub.hu) has reciprocal agreements with many automobile associations and provides a 24-hour breakdown service.
Emergency breakdown service: Magyar Autóklub 188
Routes to the city: Hungary has eight main routes, seven of which start from Budapest. The road numbering goes clockwise from the west towards the south. The M0 ring road around Budapest eases access to destinations in the city. Approaching Budapest, the two main highways are the M1 (from where the E65 and D1 to Brno lead to the D1 to Prague) from Gyor and Vienna, and the M7 along Lake Balaton. The A4 from Vienna leads to the Austro/Hungarian frontier at Hegyeshalom, from where the M1 toll road leads to Budapest. The M3 connects Budapest with eastern Hungary. Warsaw is reachable on the E77.
Approximate driving times to Budapest: From Prague – 7 hours 40 minutes; from Vienna – 2 hours 45 minutes; from Warsaw – 11 hours 30 minutes.
Coach services: Volánbusz (tel: (01) 382 0888; website:
www.volanbusz.hu) operates international services to 20 countries in Europe, including the UK. Erzsébet tér coach station, Erzsébet tér, provides information on services to Western Europe, while Népstadion coach station, Hungária körút 48-52, provides information on services to Eastern Europe. Volánbusz also operates several services to Hungarian towns and resorts. Services to the west are provided from Erzsébet tér coach station, while services to the east are from Népstadion coach station and services to the Danube Bend from Árpád híd coach station, Árpád híd.
Getting There By Rail:The service on
Hungarian State Railways (MÁV), VI Andrássy útca 35 (tel: (01) 371 9449; website:
www.mav.hu), is far from luxurious but trains are generally clean and punctual. Not all express trains have dining or buffet cars and overcharging, especially for drinks, occurs frequently – it is better for visitors to bring their own food and drink on long journeys. Tickets for international journeys should be purchased 24-36 hours in advance. Reservations on all international trains can be made with MÁV and seat reservations are strongly advised for all services. Tickets are also available for purchase from the MÁV booking office, V Andrássy útca 35.
MÁV directs the three large international railway stations in Budapest –
Keleti pályaudvar (eastern station), VIII Baross tér,
Nyugati pályaudvar (western station), VI Nyugati tér, and
Déli pályaudvar (southern station), I Krisztina körút. All three stations have exchange facilities and tourist information services. Keleti and Nyugati have 24-hour left-luggage facilities.
Rail services: Direct rail links connect Hungary to over a dozen European cities, with over 50 international scheduled trains arriving at Budapest. Keleti is the principal terminus for international rail services from Western Europe. Nyugati is the main terminus for trains heading east to Romania and Slovakia, for destinations such as Bucharest and Bratislava. There are also rail links to southern Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia, to destinations such as Zagreb and Ljubljana. The
Orient Express (tel: +44 (0) 845 077 2222; website:
www.orient-express.com) also provides luxury rail safaris between London, Budapest and Venice.
Transport to the city: Keleti, Déli and Nyugati are directly connected by metro to Deák tér in the Belváros (inner city).
Getting Around:Public TransportBudapest’s cheap and effective transport system is run by
Budapesti Kozlekedési Vállalat – BKV (tel: (01) 461 6688; website:
www.bvk.hu). The network includes the
metro, trams, buses, trolley buses (a cross between a bus and a tram) and
trains. In summer, there are also
BKV Danube ferries. There is also a limited night bus service, all of which are marked with ‘É’.
There are three
metro lines (M1 yellow, M2 red, and M3 blue) that intersect at Deák tér. The M1, built for the 1896 exhibition, is the oldest line.
The BKV
Cog-wheel Railway (
Fogaskerekû vasút) operates from Városmajor útca to Széchenyi Hill daily.
Tickets are available for purchase at metro stations, some tram stops and newspaper stands. Tickets are valid for one trip on one mode of transport and must be validated on the bus or tram, or when changing lines on the metro. Single tickets, ticket booklets and day passes (
napijegy) are available.
The
Gyermekvasút or
Children’s Railway (tel: (01) 397 5392; website:
www.gyermekvasut.com) was formerly run by the Communist youth organization and is still largely run by children of 10 to 14 years old, although it is overseen by MÁV (see
Getting There By Rail). The train runs from the Hûvösvölgy district to Széchenyi Hill.
A BKV
chair-lift (
libego) runs daily, September to May from the Zugliget district to János Hill – the highest point of Budapest. The 100m (328ft)
funicular (
sikló) runs up from Clark Ádám tér to the Castle District.
HÉV trains are Budapest’s commuter suburban train lines. The two northern lines connect with the metro at Batthyány tér, while the four eastern and southern lines can only be reached by tram. The line to Szentendre at Batthyány tér (see
Excursions) is the best of the six lines and is probably the only line visitors will use.
TaxisTaxis without a yellow number plate, which is required by law, as well as a reputable logo on the side doors and a table of fares posted on the dashboard should be avoided. Visitors should ask the driver for a taxi card, for a better fare on the next journey.
Recognised companies include
Rádió Taxi (tel: (01) 777 7777; website:
www.radiotaxi.hu), one of the cheapest and most reliable firms, offering significant discounts if taxis are ordered by telephone;
Fo Taxi (tel: (01) 222 2222; website:
www.fotaxi.hu), recognized by their red and white chequered doors; and the English-speaking
City Taxi (tel: (01) 211 1111; website:
www.city-taxi.hu), which also has a reputation for being trustworthy.
Driving in the CityCentral streets are frequently jammed due to roadworks, cobblestones make for a jolting journey and the tram lines and unusual Hungarian driving techniques can make navigating the city a hair-raising experience. Only taxis and cars with a special permit are allowed into the Castle District – the
Várbusz (Castle Bus) service runs from Moszkva tér to Szent Gyorgy tér. Margaret Island can only be accessed from Árpád híd, as far as the car park outside the hotels – bus 26 crosses the island.
Vehicles are not permitted to park for longer than three hours in central parking lots and clamping and towing away are enforced, with a hefty charge for release. Parking meters often display the phone number for wheel clamping release and cars that are towed away can also be traced by telephone (tel: (01) 307 5208). There are four large car parks, which are located on V Aranykéz útca 406, V Szervita tér 8, VII Nyár útca 20 and VIII Kálvin tér. The hourly rate is more expensive in secure car parks.
Car HireIt is wise for hirers to ensure that the price quoted is inclusive of
Áfa (VAT). The majority of hire cars in Budapest have manual transmission. A valid national driver’s license is required and a credit card is usually requested for the deposit. The minimum age for car hire is 21 years, although some hire companies require drivers to be over 25. Extra charges are made for additional drivers. Third-party liability insurance is compulsory in Hungary.
Car hire is available at Ferihegy airport or at Volán, Express and Budapest tourist offices, as well as at large hotels. Major companies include
Avis, V Szervita tér 8 (tel: (01) 318 4240; website:
www.avis.com),
Budget, I Krisztina körút 41-43 (tel: (01) 214 0420; website:
www.budget.hu), and
Sixt, Könyves Kálmán körút 5 (tel: (01) 451 4220; website:
www.e-sixt.com).
Bicycle HireAlthough there are some bicycle lanes, Budapest is not that cycle friendly. Cyclists should acquire the ‘Budapest on Bike Map’ (
Kerékpárral Budapesten) showing bike lanes and trails throughout the city.
Bringóhintó, Hajós Alfréd sétány 1 (tel: (01) 329 2746; website:
www.bringohinto.hu), on Margaret Island (which is closed to cars), hires bicycles and tandems in the summer. Bikes are also available for hire from
Charles Apartment House, I Hegyalja útca 23 (tel: (01) 212 9169; website:
www.charleshotel.hu).
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