Budapest in Hungary

With its multifarious and often embittered history, incredible architecture and rich cultural heritage, Hungary's capital deserves its reputation as the 'Paris of Central Europe'. It has a complex identity, somewhere between Western luxury and simple traditions.

Strictly speaking, the story of Budapest begins in 1873 when hilly, residential Buda and historic Óbuda on the western bank of the Danube River merged with flat, industrial Pest on the east to form what was at first called Pest-Buda. But Budapest's history is far more complicated than that.

The Carpathian Basin, in which Hungary lies, has been populated by successive peoples for hundreds of thousands of years. A parade of Celts, Romans, Huns, Mongols, Turks, Slovaks, Austrians and Germans, have re-forged and distilled Hungary's identity many times over.

Magyars, as Hungarians call themselves, are part of the Finno-Ugric group of peoples, who originated in western Siberia. It is believed that one group of Magyars, fleeing attack, established themselves on Csepel Island and Óbuda when Pest and Buda barely existed. Known for their equestrian skills, the greater Magyars raided far and wide, until they were stopped by the Germans in 955. This and subsequent defeats left them in disarray, and later forced them into an alliance with the Holy Roman Empire. In the year 1000, the Magyar prince Stephen was crowned 'Christian King' Stephen I (later canonised Saint Stephen), with a crown sent from Rome by the pope, and Hungary, the kingdom and the nation, was officially born.

The next two and a half centuries were marked by constant struggles between rival claimants to the throne, and land grabs by powerful neighbours, sending the kingdom into decline. A castle was built at Buda to arrest the slide and Pest was proclaimed a royal municipality. After the death in 1301 of Andrew III, the Árpád Dynasty's last in line, Hungary flourished with a succession of able rulers, beginning with Charles Robert, his son Louis the Great and then Sigismund of Luxembourg (who founded a university at Óbuda and erected the first pontoon bridge over the Danube). This period culminated in the golden reign of Matthias Corvinus ('The Raven'), who made the country one of Europe's leading powers and brought Buda into the nation's focus for the first time. In 1526, however, his successor was crushed inside two hours by the Ottoman Turks. This marked the end of a relatively prosperous and independent Hungary, sending the nation into a tailspin of partition, foreign domination and despair, the results of which are still evident in the ethnic mix today. Buda was sacked and burned before the Turks returned and took it for good in 1541. Resistance to Turkish rule forced the Turks out in 1699.

Under the rule of the Austrian Habsburg Empire Hungary blossomed economically and culturally, as did nationalism. Buda effectively became the German-speaking town of Ofen and by 1783 was the nation's administrative centre, while Pest began to outgrow the city walls. Pest later became an important commercial centre while Buda remained a royal garrison town. In 1849, under the rebel leadership of Lajos Kossuth, Hungary declared full independence. The Habsburgs were able to crush the revolution and instigated a series of brutal reprisals.

However, passive resistance among Hungarians and a couple of disastrous military defeats for the Habsburgs eventually led to the Compromise of 1867, creating the Dual Monarchy of Austria the empire and Hungary the kingdom. In 1873 Buda, Pest and Óbuda united to form Budapest. This 'Age of Dualism' instigated an unprecedented economic, cultural and intellectual rebirth. Much of what you see in Budapest today was built during this time - from the grand boulevards and eclectic-style apartment blocks to the Parliament building and Matthias Church in the Castle District.

Austria-Hungary entered WWI as an ally of Germany - with disastrous results - and a republic was set up in Budapest immediately after the war. Hungarian Communists seized power, but were overthrown five months later by troops from Romania. In 1920, the Allies drew up a postwar settlement under the Treaty of Trianon which drastically reduced Hungarian territory. Hungary sought help from the fascist governments of Germany and Italy to recover its land and found itself again on the losing side in WWII. Budapest bore the brunt of Hungary's spilt blood, with the retreating Germans blowing up Buda Castle and every bridge spanning the Danube.

In 1947, rigged elections brought the Communists to power. There was bitter feuding within the Party, with purges and Stalinesque show trials the norm. The nation was then rocked irrevocably by the 1956 Uprising, an anti-Soviet revolution in Budapest, which left thousands dead after brutal Russian military retaliation. Many buildings around Pest to this day bear pockmarks and holes from the bloody showdown. This was followed by the worst reprisals in the country's history, and the consolidation of the regime, lead by János Kádár, who managed to transform himself from traitor and most hated man in the land to respected reformer. He embarked on a program of 'goulash' (consumer-oriented) Communism and by the mid-1970s, his reforms had successfully transformed Hungary into the most liberal, developed and richest nation in the region. However, continuing unemployment, a soaring inflation rate and mounting debt saw Kádár ousted in 1988. Following the collapse of Communism, the nation became the Republic of Hungary in 1989, paving the way for the first free elections in more than four decades.

In April 2002, Hungarians tired of their right-wing government and its bullish nationalist rhetoric despite the strong economic growth it had managed to achieve, and voted the Socialists into power. Hungary joined NATO and became a full participant in the EU in 2004, with adoption of the euro not expected for some years to come. Two days before accession to the EU, the Budapest city council revoked Stalin's honorary citizenship of the city, granted in 1947 in recognition of his role in Hungary's liberation in WWII.

In June 2005 parliament elected László Sólyom, a law professor and founding member of the MDF, as the third president of the republic to succeed Ferenc Mádl.

Although petty theft is common, crime in Budapest is still low by Western European and U.S. standards – you're unlikely to have any problem if you follow some basic rules you wouldn't forget in Paris , Bruxelles or Vienna . Magyars tend to be friendly with foreigners, racism or xenophobia against tourists is practically unknown.

Hungarian policemen rarely speak English. Tourists have no reason to be afraid of them unless breaking the law.

During the peak tourist season, police patrolling major tourist areas are accompanied by bi- or multi-lingual students who assisted with problems or complaints. Police also opened a 24/7 TourInform office in one of Budapest's busiest areas. It is located downtown at Suto Street 2, District 5, and they are able to receive complaints and render assistance in English and German.

Crime

Luckily, Budapest has no off-limit zones, particularly not in the touristy areas or nearby. As a traveller you should only take normal precautions; don't show off your money and don't wear flashy jewellery. Beware of pickpockets, especially at pubs, crowded restaurants, fast food eateries and on public transportation vehicles. Petty crime is quite common, but is mainly limited to robbery and petty theft. Major railway stations (especially Keleti Pályaudvar), dark underpasses in the suburban area and some outer zones of district 8th in Pest are supposed to be the most dangerous zones by locals. Violent crimes are rare, and most locals live their whole life without having their purse robbed.

By night

There's no reason to have concerns about Budapest by night. In practice the whole city, including all the touristy areas, Pest within the inner ring road (the line of Szent István körút–Teréz körút–Erzsébet körút–József körút–Ferenc körút, popularly known as Nagykörút), and Buda are safe even before dawn. Most locals avoid walking alone by night in outer zones of districts 8th and 9th in Pest, as these are shady, though not particularly dangerous areas. Bigger public parks as Városliget, are surely to be avoided.

Night buses passing through the city center, along the inner ring road can be very crowded at peak socialising times on Friday and Saturday nights. You may come across aggressive drunk youngsters on the vehicles or at the stops; keep low profile or avoid night public transportation system on weekends.

Tourist traps

Like in several cities of the world, in Budapest the major scams for the inexperienced tourist are taxis and restaurants.

Taxis used to be a travellers' nightmare, mainly for those arriving from / going to the airport. Luckily the situation is slowly getting better. In 2006 Zóna Taxi, a reliable company, won the right to take passengers from the airport; for details read the Airport transfer chapter. Unless you ordered a cab from a different company, do not accept any offer from taxi drivers waiting around the terminal entrance. Some of them may want to mislead travellers, demanding them as much as EUR 100 for a single trip. If you travel the other way around (from the city to the airport), pre-order your taxi on the chosen company's phone number.

Unfortunately the situation around railway and bus stations is still not regulated. The worst is probably Keleti Pályaudvar: never trust drivers hanging around the arrival side, rather pre-order a car. If that's not possible, take only taxis logoed by one of the bigger companies. As a general rule, make sure the taximeter is on or bargain the price with the driver beforehand. Even in 2006 many cases have been reported when taxi drivers extorted hundreds of Euros from inexpert foreigners.

Similar abuses have happened also in restaurants and bars, almost all of them in the vicinity of Váci utca in the touristy heart of Pest. You should avoid the eateries and bars of the zone. However, the majority of restaurants and pubs in Budapest are reliable. In Hungary it's compulsory to put the menu card outside the entrance; if it's not the case, don't enter. Eat only where locals eat, drink where locals go.

Don't befriend the girls hanging around Váci utca and never accept any invitation for a drink from them. Be sure that they will have fake French champagne, but you will only have the bill - it's unlikely that a small talk with them is worth hundreds of Euros. You'll find the same girls in erotic and topless bars; avoid them unless you're ready to pay your monthly salary for a glass of wine. Currently the standard trick is to produce a menu with small print at the bottom stating that the first drink costs HUF 15,000 (apx EUR 60) and consumption is compulsory. This modified menu might only be produced when the bill is presented. Most of the erotic bars in Budapest are tourist traps.

Political protests

Unlike in many democratic countries of the world, violent protests have never been frequent in Hungary. In September-October 2006 and in March 2007, some anti-governmental demonstrations resulted in heavy street fights and affrays. Hungarian State Television and other public buildings were besieged, police and private cars burned up. Police's rule in the demonstrations has been widely discussed as obtrusive demonstrators and bystanders apparently were arrested with no distinction. Since then the situation calmed down completely. While political demonstrations are not to be avoided, never participate in violent, illegal or nocturnal demonstrations (if they occur), as your personal security can not be guaranteed.

By plane

Budapest (Ferihegy) International Airport(pronounced Ferry-hedge ) is the country's largest airport, located about 16 km (10 miles) southeast of the city center. Ferihegy has two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, often called Ferihegy-1 and Ferihegy-2, respectively. Terminal 2 is the hub of the Hungarian national carrier.

The airport’s central telephone number for information is +36-1296-9696 or on+36-1296-7000. Luggage services can be contacted on+361296-5449 in connection with flights into and out Terminal 1 and+36-1 296-5965 for Terminal 2.

Terminals

The small, renovated Terminal 1 is used by low-cost airlines.

The more spacious Terminal 2 is divided in two: Terminal 2A (gates 20-30) is the departure and arrival point for MALÉV Hungarian Airlines and its partner airlines (Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Brussels Airlines, Carpatair, ČSA Czech Airlines and Moldavian Airlines). Terminal 2B (gates 11-19) hosts most international carriers' flights, including some of the budget airlines.

It is wise to double-check your arrival and departure terminal: while Terminal 2A is within a short walking distance from 2B, the distance between Terminal 1 and 2 is quite sizable - the trip takes 6-8 minutes by car or 12 minutes by bus.

Duty free stores are operated by Travel Value. Customs authorities in German airports may not allow you to bring duty-free items purchased at the airport in Budapest through Germany. On Terminal 2, among dedicated brand shops, there are only Hugo Boss and Swarowski. The traditional alcohol-tobacco-sweets assortment shop has a decent choice of local wines, mainly by Gundel. Several cafés also serve travellers, there are Caffè Ritazza eateries on Terminal 2A. One is in a pre-checkin area; another is in the boarding area, after passport control. Terminal 2B pre-boarding area has half a dozen of cafes.

Connections

Budapest is connected with the major European cities and most of the EU countries by direct flights. There is scheduled service between Budapest and North America, operated by Malév and Delta Air Lines. The city is connected with some countries of the Middle East, Asia and North Africa.

There are several low cost airlines flying to and from Budapest (using Terminal 1 unless otherwise stated):

Air Berlin (from Germany) - Terminal 2B;
EasyJet] (from Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland);
German Wings (from Germany);
Jet2(from Great Britain);
Meridiana] (from Italy);
Norwegian Air Shuttle] (from Norway);
RyanAir(from Germany, Great Britain and Ireland);
SkyEurope] (from Italy);
SmartWings] (from Spain and Arab Emirates) - Terminal 2B;
Sterling] (from Denmark and Sweden);
WizzAir] (from Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain and Sweden).

In winter (Dec-Mar) Malév's Budapest Winter Invasion, offers discounted fares for international flights to Budapest, and its 45 partner hotels provide 4 nights accommodation for the price of 3.

Airport transfer

Taxi. In 2006, a taxi company named Zóna Taxi+36-1 365-5555 won the right to take passengers from Ferihegy airport. Queue at the taxi stand to receive a written quote for your fare, then pay it when you arrive at your destination. This system is designed to eliminate unjustified price hikes. The taxi fare will vary according to your destination, or zone. A trip to Budapest costs HUF 3600-4400 (EUR 16-20); a Terminal 1/Terminal 2 transfer is HUF 1600 (EUR 7). The fare can be paid in Euros as well as HUF, but it is slightly more expensive if paid in Euros. IMPORTANT: Unless you have pre-ordered a taxi from a different company, do not accept offers from taxi drivers waiting in the terminal or near the terminal entrances. This is for your own safety. Note that if you are in the city and on your way to Ferihegy airport, Zóna Taxi tends to be the least expensive, costing HUF 3300-5100 (EUR 16-20).

Minibus service. If you travel alone, consider the Airport Minibus service, a shared taxi operation that collects passengers going in the same direction and will take you to or from anywhere in Budapest for HUF 2300 per person. Join the queue at the airport and you will be on your way in 15 minutes. For the trip back, call the center +36-1 296-8555 (at least 24 hours beforehand) and Airport Minibus will pick you up.

Bus. From either Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, the bus takes you to to Kőbánya-Kispest station. Buses stop outside the airport terminals. The journey to the metro station takes approximately 26-30 minutes from Terminal 2 or 15-17 minutes from Terminal 1. Buses run every 8-20 minutes from 04:55 to 00:15 from Terminal 2, and from 05:05 to 00:25 from Terminal 1. There is no night bus service between the airport and the city, but the last four departures of bus are connected to the night buses which replace the metro. Bus tickets are available in airport terminals for HUF 230, or HUF 300 if you purchase directly from the bus driver.

Railway. If your flight lands at Terminal 1, there is a quick train service from the nearby Ferihegy station direct to Nyugati station in the centre of Budapest (on the Pest side). Tickets can be purchased from the information kiosks in the airport. The train is not an option for travellers who land at Terminal 2, due to the distances between the terminals. The fare costs HUF 300, and ensure you purchase them before you get on the train, as a ticket bought from a conductor on board carries a sucharge of HUF 2,000. Trains run two or three times an hour from 04:00 to 00:00 and in the other direction from 03:00 to 00:30. Budapest public transport tickets and travelcards are NOT valid on this train). The journey takes about 25 minutes, however, delays may occur and buying a ticket at Nyugati station can be time consuming in peak hours. For timetable information, check the Hungarian Railways website. Use the words Ferihegy for the airport and Nyugati for the city center.

By train

Due to its ideal location in Central Europe , Budapest is easily reachable by train from other European countries; there are daily connections to/from Austria , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Croatia , Czech Republic , Germany , Greece , Italy , Poland , Romania , Russia , Serbia , Slovakia , Slovenia , Switzerland , Turkey and Ukraine . Budapest is also well connected to other Hungarian cities.

The city is also an ideal starting point to visit The Balkans , Russia or Ukraine by rail. Trains coming from Austria and Western Europe are clean and safe, the ones arriving from other countries tend to be shakier. Night trains coming from The Balkans and Romania are supposed to be less safe; take normal precautions.

Hungary’s rail system is operated almost entirely by the Hungarian State Railways. If you arrive to Budapest from another Hungarian city, you can choose among a wide range of services. Travelling by Intercity is more expensive but vehicles are much cleaner and faster than regular trains. Always check if your train is subject to compulsory reservation; for prices and further information check MÁV’s website. It is wise to reserve your Intercity tickets for national holidays, Friday and Sunday evenings beforehand. It is still not possible to buy rail tickets via Internet.

Note that EU citizens under 26 years get 33% discount on trains between Friday 22.00 and Sunday 24.00; EU citizens older than 65 years travel for free on every train on second class. On Intercity trains extra fare is applicable. Discounted rates are NOT available on international rails. For your international travel plan, check Deutsche Bahn's website.

Budapest has a number of railway stations (Pályaudvar), the main ones being Keleti pályaudvar (Eastern Railway Station), Déli pályaudvar (Southern Railway Station) and Nyugati pályaudvar (Western Railway Station).
The stations are not named for their geographic location in the city, nor for the direction of the destinations served by each; trains to Vienna , for example, leave from Keleti. The stations are well connected to each other and to the rest of the city.

Keleti and Déli Railway Stations are located on the Metro 2. Nyugati Railway Station is on the Metro 3. A transfer should not take more than 15 minutes at peak hours; slightly more on weekends and evenings.

Major Budapest stations are still are not up to Western quality standards; they are hard to access for people with disabilities and their facilities are very limited. Do not expect luggage trolleys or clean toilets. Having food or a coffee at a Budapest railway station is unlikely to give you a gastronomic buzz; it is also difficult to find a good nearby cafe if you didn't research in advance. Be prepared for long queues at the ticket office; English is rarely spoken.

Depending on where you are coming from, some outer stations can be useful to you; trains arriving from Vienna , Bratislava , the lake Balaton or other western locations stop at Budapest Kelenföld station, which is a good public transport hub for Southern Buda . Trains arriving from Romania , Ukraine and Eastern Hungarian cities regularly stop at Kőbánya-Kispest station, a good place to get to Eastern Budapest or to Ferihegy Airport.

If you intend to use taxi on your way from the station, do not accept any offers from drivers waiting around the station entrance. For further information read also Safety section.

By bus

Arriving to Budapest by bus is an easy and painless option. Eurolines, +36-1 318-2122], connects the city to Austria , Belgium , Bulgaria , Czech Republic , Denmark , France , Germany , Great Britain , Greece , Italy , Lithuania , Netherlands , Poland , Romania , Serbia , Slovakia and the Ukraine . Although most of connections are not as frequent as they were before the low-fare airlines revolution, they still run two or three times a week; from Austria and Slovakia daily. Orangeways 36-1 801-2330, a low fare bus company offers cheap tickets from and to Austria , Czech Republic , Croatia , Germany , Netherlands , Poland , Serbia , Slovakia and Slovenia . Book online.

How to check the domestic long-distance bus timetable You can plan your travel checking Volán’s online timetable. It is available only in Hungarian, but easy to use: “honnan” means ‘from’, “hová” is ‘to’; write your departure date in format year/month/day after “mikor”; leave the other parameters alone and press “keresés”, ‘search’. The results appear on the next page. (“Autóbusz állomás” will mean ‘bus station’, “naponta” is ‘daily’, while “munkanapokon” is ‘on workdays’).

Budapest’s main bus stations are located in outer zones, but they are safe, relatively clean and well connected to the rest of the city. Most useful bus stations for travellers are following:

Népliget Bus station (Népliget autóbuszállomás, metro ]. Buses from abroad and most of Western Hungarian destinations arrive (and depart) here. Fairly modern station with reliable facilities. Do not forget to check in if you travel abroad.

Stadion Bus Station (Stadion autóbuszállomás, formerly known as Népstadion autóbuszállomás, metro). The biggest hub for Eastern Hungarian destinations, quite modern but somewhat dirty, station built underground.

Árpád Bridge Bus Station (Árpád híd autóbuszállomás, metro). A smaller station for some Northern destinations and suburban traffic; use it to and from Szentendre , Esztergom or Visegrád .

Etele tér Bus Station (Etele téri autóbuszállomás). A newly built station next to Kelenföld Railway Station, at the future terminus of metro line 4, intended mostly for agglomeration traffic. It is useful for getting to Statue Park.

Use your common sense and sit only in taxis logoed by bigger companies.

Hungary’s national bus network is operated by 28 state run companies, united in Volán Association. If you arrive to Budapest from another Hungarian city, bus is often the best option. Connections are frequent, prices are identical to those on non-Intercity trains. Long-distance buses are clean and safe, but often subject to delays. Buy your ticket at the station ticket desk before boarding; if you do not take your bus at a main station, purchase a ticket from the driver. It is a good idea to reserve your tickets for national holidays, Friday and Sunday evenings beforehand. On-line booking is available only in Hungarian.

By boat

There is a scheduled hydrofoil service on the Danube to and from Vienna and Bratislava daily between early April and early November operated by Mahart, +36-1 484-4000.

Get around

Orientation

. Aside from the very center, the city's structure is quite logical. Landmarks in Buda as the Royal Castle or Citadella Castle also help you to find your way. Besides the Danube itself, the best reference points for orienting yourself are the bridges crossing the river. From North to South, they are:

Árpád Bridge (Árpád híd), A modern bridge linking to Northern Margaret Island. The longest bridge in Budapest at 973 meters.
Margaret Bridge (Margit híd), Easily identified thanks to its distinctive shape: it makes an approximately 35 degree turn half way across, at the southern tip of Margaret Island. Trams 4 and 6 cross the Danube here.
Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd), Completed in 1849, the oldest, arguably most beautiful and certainly the most photographed of Budapest's bridges, floodlit at night.
Elisabeth Bridge (Erzsébet híd), Completed in 1903. Its original chain structure was destroyed in World War II, and was eventually substituted by a modern cable bridge opened in 1964.
Liberty Bridge (Szabadság híd), Elegant but simple, opened in 1896; it connects the Gellért Baths (Gellért fürdő) in Buda with the Great Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok) in Pest. Currently under renovation.
Petőfi Bridge (Petőfi híd), For a long time the southernmost bridge, it links the inner ring road (Nagykörút) of Pest with Buda.
Lágymányosi Bridge (Lágymányosi híd), The newest bridge in Budapest, with modern architecture and a spectacular lighting system where mirrors reflect the beam of the upward facing floodlights.

On foot

Many of Budapest's highlights are easy to approach walking, and in the center you find more pedestrian zones from year to year. Car drivers tend to respect pedestrians and often give advantage on a cross-walk even if there is no traffic light. Due to the lack of bike lanes, cyclists have to weave around pedestrian traffic; be prepared. Don't wear high-heeled shoes in the downtown as there are lots of stone pavements, especially in the Castle Hill.

Public transport

You'll find several points of interest within walking distance, but Budapest is a sizable city, so unless you drive your own car, you will inevitably use some form of public transportation. The good news is that the urban area is well covered by three metro lines, blue urban buses, yellow trams and red trolley-buses, and the whole system is easy to understand. The bad news is that the schedules are less than reliable, vehicles are not always clean, and tickets have become increasingly expensive.

Public transportation in Budapest is run by Budapest Transport Limited Company (BKV), which has a useful English-language site including current schedules and fares. Vehicles run from around 5am to 11.30pm. After that an extensive night bus network is available.

Metro 4 – Favourite Worst Nightmare When the government decided in the early 70's that a new metro line should connect South Buda with Central Pest by 1978, no-one thought that it would become a synonym for incompetence and perpetual lack of money. Everything had been at a standstill until 2007, when works finally began after endless political debates. Is now everybody happy? Of course not. The Metro 4 is widely criticised for its high cost and supposedly failed and obsolete trace. Officials say it won't be completed by the official deadline (2010), and construction keeps the city paralysed, which is locals' favourite conversation theme for now.

If you only visit Budapest for a few days as a tourist, you may find the following lines particularly useful:

Metro 1, 2, 3 connect the suburbs with the biggest transport hubs, numerous touristic highlights and central hotels.
Tram 2 runs along the river Danube on Pest side (currently split in three sections due to the construction of metro 4.
Tram 4, 6 follow Nagykörút, Pest's inner ring road.
Bus 7, 73 both connect Keleti railway station with the city center and many points of interest in Buda and Pest.
Bus 10, 110 go to Buda castle.
Bus 200 serves the airport.

If you stay longer, it's worth to buy a public transportation map at any BKV ticket office.

Tickets and passes

If you intend to travel a lot (and you probably will), travel cards are far less expensive than single tickets, as you should validate a new ticket when transferring (also between metro lines). In 2008 most useful tickets and travel cards for tourists include the following:

Some other means of public transport can be useful if you get tired of regular buses and trams, or if you want to escape from the hustle and bustle to the lush green hills surrounding Budapest.

Cogwheel railway (Fogaskerekű vasút) is a tram-like railway running from Városmajor terminus (two stops from Moszkva tér metro 2 station by tram 18, 56 or 118) to Széchenyi hill (Széchenyi hegy), Buda's popular picnic, excursion and sledging place. BKV tickets and passes are valid.

Boat. Budapest currently has only one regular boat service, theoretically running around five times a day from May to September, from Boráros tér (South-Central Pest) to Rómaifürdő (Northern Buda), making 8 intermediate stops. BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid.

Buda Castle funicular (Budavári sikló). This handsome, short funicular line takes you from Chain Bridge (Lánchíd) Buda end to Buda Castle. Built in 1870, completely destroyed in World War II, rebuilt only in 1986. BKV tickets and passes are NOT valid. Overpriced.

Night services

Budapest is covered by 34 night bus lines. Numbers are triple-digit, starting with '9'. Buses run every 15-60 minutes from around 11pm until 4 am. The main linking points of the night bus network are Moszkva square (Moszkva tér) tér in Buda and Astoria (junction of Kossuth Lajos utca–Károly körút) in Pest. Daytime tickets and passes are valid.

Most useful night buses are:

906 – Running along the Nagykörút, Pest's inner ring road, basically as tram 4 and 6 do during the day.
907 – Substitutes daylight bus 7.
914, 950 – In the city center substitute metro 3.

On Friday and Saturday nights ticket inspectors gather around the stops and don't let you hop on the bus without a valid ticket or pass. They also sell tickets for HUF 350.

By car

Apart from the summer holiday, Budapest has a heavy traffic with long-lasting traffic jams in the morning and in the afternoon. If you don't want to spend your visit to Budapest in a traffic jam, leave your car in the hotel's garage, and use the public transport.

If you drive across downtown, plan your journey, otherwise you can get into tough situations. For example you cannot turn left in most of the crossings of the inner ring road (Nagykörút) or on the main avenues like Andrássy út, Váci út, Üllői út or Rákóczi út.

By taxi

Budapest's taxi drivers are not always prepared for English speaking clients, but it does not necessarily mean that they intend to overcharge their foreigner guests – use one of the major taxi companies with English speaking switchboards to avoid problems. All of them have flashy home pages, but currently only City Taxi is available in English. If you wish to call any of the following phone numbers from abroad, use the +36-1 (Hungary-Budapest) code before the numbers.

Budataxi, +36-1 233-3333.
City Taxi, +36-1 211-1111.
Főtaxi, +36-1 222-2222.
Taxi 2000, +36-1 200-0000.
Tele 5 Taxi, +36-1 555-5555.
Zóna Taxi, +36-1 365-5555.
6x6 Taxi, +36-1 266-6666.
Budapest Taxi, +36-1 433-3333.
City Taxi, +36-1 211-1111.
Mobil Taxi, +36-1 333-1757.
Radio Taxi, +36-1 777-7777.

Do not accept offers from taxi drivers waiting in the airport terminals or railway stations. Use your common sense, sit only in taxis logoed by bigger companies.

By bicycle

Budapest may be one of the most exciting places of Europe, but it's still not a cyclists' paradise. There are bikeways separated from automobile roads in the downtown, but unfortunately often used as car-park or pedestrian zones. Generally, the city is not prepared for cyclists' presence, but situation is slowly changing. Budapest has been home to Europe's biggest cycling demonstration, Critical Mass, where in 2007 more than 50 000 people participated.

If you are ready, renting a bike is not a problem, but still not cheap. Expect to pay around HUF 2000-3000 for a day.

Budapest offers a variety of bike rental companies. Some of them are:

Budapest Bike, +36-30 944-5533. Rent a bike starting at 2000HUF for 6 hours.
Yellow Zebra Bike, +36-1 266-8777. Rent a bike starting at 1500 Ft for 1-5 hours.
Bikebase, +36-1 269-5983. Bike rentals available for 8 EUR (2 000 HUF) for 24 hours.

Cyclists are not very patient, so be aware while you are walking, if you hear a shout, be prepared to get out of the way quickly.

Aside from the very center, the city's structure is quite logical. Landmarks in Buda as the Royal Castle or Citadella Castle also help you to find your way. Besides the Danube itself, the best reference points for orienting yourself are the bridges crossing the river. From North to South, they are:

Árpád Bridge (Árpád híd), A modern bridge linking to Northern Margaret Island. The longest bridge in Budapest at 973 meters.
Margaret Bridge (Margit híd), Easily identified thanks to its distinctive shape: it makes an approximately 35 degree turn half way across, at the southern tip of Margaret Island. Trams 4 and 6 cross the Danube here.
Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd), Completed in 1849, the oldest, arguably most beautiful and certainly the most photographed of Budapest's bridges, floodlit at night.
Elisabeth Bridge (Erzsébet híd), Completed in 1903. Its original chain structure was destroyed in World War II, and was eventually substituted by a modern cable bridge opened in 1964.
Liberty Bridge (Szabadság híd), Elegant but simple, opened in 1896; it connects the Gellért Baths (Gellért fürdő) in Buda with the Great Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok) in Pest. Currently under renovation.
Petőfi Bridge (Petőfi híd), For a long time the southernmost bridge, it links the inner ring road (Nagykörút) of Pest with Buda.
Lágymányosi Bridge (Lágymányosi híd), The newest bridge in Budapest, with modern architecture and a spectacular lighting system where mirrors reflect the beam of the upward facing floodlights.