Social ConventionsMost Hungarians enjoy modern music and dance, although older people still preserve their traditions and culture, particularly in small villages. Handshaking is customary. Both Christian name and surname should be used. Normal courtesies should be observed. At a meal, toasts are usually made and should be returned. A useful word is
egészségünkre (pronounced ay-gash-ay-gun-gre), meaning ‘your health’. A knowledge of German is very useful. Gifts are acceptable for hosts as a token of thanks, particularly when invited for a meal. Casual
wear is acceptable in most places, with the exception of expensive restaurants and bars. Formal attire should be worn for important social functions, but it is not common practice to specify dress on invitations. Smoking is prohibited on public transport in towns and public buildings. Travelers may smoke on long-distance trains.
International Travel:Getting There by AirThe national airline is
Malév Hungarian Airlines (MA) (website:
www.malev.com).
Departure TaxNone.
Main AirportsBudapest Ferihegy (BUD) (website:
www.bud.hu) is 16km (10 miles) from the city.
To/from the airport: Regular coach and bus services are available to the city. The airport minibus runs to and from any address in the city by prior arrangement. The 93 bus runs an express service between the underground terminus at Kobánya-Kispest and the Ferihegy terminals. Taxis are available at all times (journey time - 45 minutes).
Facilities: Duty-free shop, car hire, restaurants and bar, banks/bureaux de change, shops, hotel reservation desk and post office.
Getting There by WaterFew visitors arrive by water in this landlocked country. Minor ports are located on the
River Danube. From May to October there is a daily
hydrofoil service run by
MAHART (tel: (1) 484 4010;
www.mahartpassnave.hu) between Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. The journey takes approximately 6 hours.
Getting There by RailHungarian State Railways (
MÁV) operates Hungary’s rail network (tel: (1) 461 5550 (international enquiries)
or 5400 (domestic enquiries); website:
www.mav.hu). Direct services connect Hungary to 25 European cities including Basel, Berlin, Bratislava, Bucharest, Dresden, Ljubljana, Munich, Paris, Vienna and Zagreb.
Rail PassesInterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The
Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The
One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Eurailpass: offers unlimited travel in 18 European countries. Tickets are valid for 15 days to three months. The
Eurailpass Saver ticket offers discounts for two or more travelers. The
Eurailpass Youth ticket is available to those aged under 26 and offers unlimited travel. The
Eurailpass Flexi allows 10 or 15 travel days within a two-month period. The
Eurail Selectpass is valid in up to five bordering countries and allows up to 15 days travel in a two-month period. The
Eurail Regional Pass allows four to 10 travel days in a two-month period in two or three neighboring countries. Children receive a 50% reduction. The passes cannot be sold to residents of Europe, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, or the Russian Federation. Available from
The Eurail Group (website:
www.eurail.com).
Getting There by RoadIt is possible to drive to Hungary from all of its neighboring countries and from further afield. The most direct way route from Belgium to Hungary follows the E40, E35, E56 and E60 towards Vienna; from Vienna the A4 crosses into Hungary at Hegyeshalom, from where the M1 (E60/75) runs to Budapest. Anyone driving from the UK will have to travel via the Channel Tunnel (tel: 0870 535 3535, in the UK; website:
www.eurotunnel.co.uk).
Bus: Bus connections are available from most major European cities; contact
Volanbusz for further details (tel: (1) 382 0888; website:
www.volanbusz.hu).
Eurolines (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.eurolines.com) runs regular coach services from the UK to Hungary.
Coach passes: Budapest is one of 40 cities that travelers can visit with a 15- or 30-day
Eurolines Pass. These can be brought online from
Eurolines’ website.
OverviewThe following may be imported into Hungary by persons over 16 years of age without incurring customs duty:
250 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco;
1l of spirits, 1l of wine and 5l of beer;
gifts to the value of Ft27,000;
up to 1kg each of coffee,
tea,
cocoa and other spices (excluding paprika and paprika mixtures);
cameras,
non-professional video camera,
laptop computer,
personal stereo, CDs and photographic films (up to 10 rolls).
Note: Pets must have health and vaccination certificates, dated no more then one week prior to arrival.
Abolition of duty-free goods within the EUOn 30 June 1999, the sale of duty-free alcohol and tobacco at airports and at sea was abolished in all of the original 15 EU member states. This has been extended to the 10 new member states that joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and the two states that joined on 1 January 2007, with some exceptions, for example those returning to the UK can bring back a maximum of 200 cigarettes. Travelers should note that they may be required to prove at customs that the goods purchased are for personal use only.
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirOLT Airlines (website:
www.olt.de) suspended its flights between Budapest and Debrecen in October 2006. It is uncertain if/when the service will recommence.
Getting Around by WaterThere are regular services on the Danube and Lake Balaton from spring to late autumn.
MAHART (tel: (1) 484 4010; website:
www.mahartpassnave.hu) and
Budapest Transport Limited (BKV) (tel: (1) 461 6688; website:
www.bkv.hu) also operate ferries in the city center, the Roman Embankment (
Római Part) and at some crossing points. On Lake Balaton, a ferry operates between Szántód and Tihany.
Getting Around by RailServices are operated by
MÁV (tel: (1) 461 5400 (domestic enquiries)
or 5500 (international enquiries); website:
www.mav.hu). All main cities are linked by efficient services and the most popular tourist rail routes are: Budapest-Kecskemet-Szeged-Budapest and Budapest-Siofok-Lake Balaton. Supplements are payable on express and IC trains, with reservations compulsory for the latter. The website
www.elvira.hu has up-to-date travel, price and timetable information.
Rail PassesThe
Hungary Pass, available to those who reside outside Europe, the CIS, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, offers unlimited first or standard class train travel for five days in a 15-day period, or for 10 days in one month. Available through the
European Rail Guide (website:
www.europeanrailguide.com) and
Rail Europe in the USA (website:
www.raileurope.com).
InterRail’s One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Hungary. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Cheap fares: Concessions are available for groups, children, students, families, pensioners and people with certain disabilities. Children under six and pensioners over 70 travel free. Season tickets are also available. Contact
MÁV for details. The
Hungarian Tourist Card offers discounts on rail, bus, taxi and
MAHART ferry services, as well as accommodation, restaurants, museums and road tolls. The Hungarian National Tourist Office can provide further information (see
General Info).
Getting Around by RoadThere are eight arterial roads in the country: all but the M8 start from central Budapest. From Budapest the two main highways are the M1 to Györ and Vienna and the M7 along Lake Balaton. The M3 connects Budapest with eastern Hungary. Generally the quality of roads is good. Tolls are payable on some roads and all motorways. Traffic drives on the right.
Coach: Volanbusz (tel: (1) 382 0888; website:
www.volanbusz.hu) services link Budapest with major provincial towns.
Car hire: International and local car hire firms are located in all of Hungary’s main towns.
Emergency breakdown service: Magyar Autóclub (the Hungarian Automobile Club; tel: 188 (24-hour emergency breakdown); website:
www.autoklub.hu) operates a 24-hour service.
Regulations: Speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (50mph) on main roads, 110kph (62mph) on highways and 130kph (75mph) on motorways. Seat belts must be worn. Children of 16 years and under must sit in the rear and child seats are compulsory. It is obligatory to keep headlights dipped when driving, and the use of handheld mobile phones is prohibited.
Documentation: Pink format EU licenses are accepted but an International Driving Permit is required if a green license is held.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesBudapest Travel Limited (BKV) operate buses, trolleybuses, trams and underground trains in the capital. Tickets must be purchased in advance and validated for travel. The city also has a night bus service and a suburban railway (HEV). Day passes and season tickets are available.
The
Public Transport Company of Debrecen operates trams and trolleybuses in Hungary’s second city.
Hajdu Volan run Debrecen’s bus service.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from
Budapest to other major cities/towns in Hungary.
| | Road | Rail |
| Debrecen | 3.00 | 2.40 |
| Miskolc | 2.30 | 1.55 |
| Szeged | 2.30 | 2.20 |
| Lake Balaton | 2.00 | 2.30 |
Next Page »
