Central European Time (GMT+1) Seasonal adjustment (to daylight savings time): between the end of March and the end of October: Central European time +1 (GMT+2)
1 USD = aprox. 350,-HUF (Forint) 1 EUR = aprox. 380,-HUF ( Forint ) (the rates from Jan. 2021) Please don’t change with unknown persons on the street(!), change your money in the change office, in a bank, or at the hotel reception desk.
It’s possible to make phone calls from hotels or telephone boxes which can be operated with coins or telephone cards, or you can call from the post office. By the following way: 00 (to get the international line) - number of the country - number of the town - number you want to call
In Hungary, they accept the most frequent credit cards in almost all the shops and restaurants (Visa, American Express, Eurocard, Cirrus, etc.). Anyway, you always have to look at the entrance door of the shop where you can find which cards are accepted.
General opening hours of the shops: Monday - Friday 10:00 - 19:00 Saturday: 10:00 - 14:00, on Sundays they are closed, only souvenir shops are open.
Hungarian or Transilvanian embroidery, Chinas of Herend and Zsolnay, crystal, salami, red paprika (sweet or hot), fois gras (goose liver), pálinka (snaps) Russian caviare, antique objects, furniture, etc.
where you can eat hot dishes: General opening hours: 11:00 – 23:00 CAFES and CONFECTIONER’S open: 09:00- 21:00
In Budapest there are 4 metro lines, they cross each other at Deák Square and Kálvin tér, in the center of the city. Line Nr 1. (yellow) is a 114-year-old subway, it connects the downtown with the Heroes’ Square. Line Nr 2. (red), Line Nr 3. (blue), Line Nr 4. (green). There are also trams and buses. The price of the ticket at the moment is 450 Forint. One ticket is valid for only one travel (!). If you change (bus, metro or tram) line you have to use a new ticket. For tourists, they sell abonnements for 1 and 3 days.
All the taxis have yellow number plates. The best way to use taxis that belong to taxi companies and wear the sign of the company on the car. (e.g. City taxi: tel: 0036 1 2111111, Főtaxi tel: 0036 1 2222222, Radiotaxi tel: 0036 1 3777777). In all 5-star hotels, you can call luxury taxis or limousines. If it’s possible it’s always worth calling the taxi by phone.
The security in Budapest is not worse than in any other big European city but you always have to take care of your values, especially in places where there’s big tourism or many people. Be careful also in some downtown (near to Váci utca) bars with the price of the alcoholic drinks, it is better to ask about the price of whisky or snaps or wine before ordering… Better leave your passport, and aeroplane/train/hydrofoil tickets in the safe of the hotel. You can identify yourself with your hotel key card as well.
International emergency call center: 112 Ambulance: 104 Fire Department: 105 Police: 107 The above phone numbers can be called free of charge. Hungarian Automobile Club’s Emergency Phone: 188