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| Have you seen the Queen of the Danube ? |
| OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
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Daily mean temperature (°C):
Number of days of rainfall per year: 35
Number of hours of sunshine per year: 1853
Passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the time of return from Hungary
Participants in the games need applying for short-term visa (stay of less than 90 days)
WHAT KIND OF AIRLINES FLY TO HUNGARY?
MALEV Hungarian Airlines flies non-stop from New York and Toronto. Connections are
available on many major European airlines.
See the site of MALEV.
MONEY RATE AND EXCHANGE: Hungarian Currency is the Forint (Ft)
There are plenty of exchange offices there. Pest area has usually higher rate than offices in
Castle Hill in Buda.
There are plenty of them at Váci utca (pedestrian street of Pest). Especially in that part, which
is more remote (Vaci utca is "split" by Rákóczi street, which goes to Erzsébet hid). So if you
proceed to that more remote part you'll find better rate.
Check here to see the rate!
Exchanging money is only permitted in licensed, designated places. Do not take the risk of
changing money on the street. You are likely to find yourself with counterfeit money, besides
which such transactions are illegal.
The Hungarian National Bank gives official daily foreign exchange and currency rates on 23
currencies. Most banks have 24hour banknote exchange ATMs. Besides this there are many
credit card and cash card ATMs in operation day and night. Banks and travel agencies can
set (and modify) their own exchange rates, taking the bank of issue's rate as the basis. Any
bureau de change has to have the current exchange rates clearly displayed. Please keep
your exchange receipt in a safe place until you depart the country. Banks generally give a
middle rate, and the airport and hotel exchange rates are not so competitive.
CREDIT CARDS
The most commonly used credit cards - AMEX, Diners Club, Cirrus, EnRoute,
Euro/Mastercard, ]CB, VISA - can be used to obtain cash from ATMs in banks and on the
streets as well as to pay bills in hotels, restaurants and shops. Emblems on the door of the
establishment detail which credit cards are accepted.
Stopping a credit card: in general use the telephone numbers given by the bank which
issued the card, or use the following numbers:
VISA Global: (06-80)011-272(free-phone)
VISA centre - London: (0044)1-719-381-031
EC-card centre - Frankfurt: (00-49)69-740-987
COMMONLY USED PRICES:
Three-course menu in a middle-category restaurant 2000-3500 HUF
1 liter milk 170
1 kg bread 160
1 liter wine in shops 350-4,000
1 bottle of beer in shops 100-350
1 kg apple 150
1 hamburger in fast food restaurant 300-900
1 night in a Youth Hostel 2,500-6,000
1 liter petrol (Euro 95) 250
1 liter diesel oil 220
1 cinema ticket 700-1,100
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS:
Most of the stores will be closed.
January 1 New Year's Day
March 15 National Holiday (in memory of the 1848 revolution)
April 11-12 Easter Sunday & Monday
May 1 Labor Day
May 30 & 31 Pentecost (Christian holiday)
August 20 St. Stephen's Day (celebrated by spectacular fireworks all over the country,
especially in Budapest. )
October 23 Remembrance Day (1956 Revolution against the Communist regime)
November 1 All Saint`s Day (Halloween)
December 25, 26 Christmas
OPENING TIME OF SHOPS AND MUSEUMS:
Most museums are open from 10 am to 6 pm and are closed on Mondays. The shops are
open between 9.00-18.00. Saturdays only till 6 and some on Sundays for a half-day. New
shopping centers are open daily.
(Tesco, Cora, Auchan, Duna Plaza, Europark, Pólus Center )
VISIT TO PRAGUE OR VIENNA:
You can go by train, Vienna is 3 hours and Prague is 9 hours. Also available to Vienna, from
May to October, is a Danube hydrofoil service. (See our Transport site)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE USAGE.
English is widely spoken in Budapest but not in the countryside. You can contact Tourinform
offices for translators.
PHONE
Hungary code: 36, Budapest: 1, dialing code for inland calls: 06.
Budapest telephone numbers are 7 digits, countryside numbers (including the trunk code) 8
digits.
If you wish to phone abroad from Hungary, first dial 00, wait for the tone, and then dial the
country code, town code and continue with the telephone number.
Public phones operate with 20, 50 and 100 Forint coins and telephone cards. The latter can
be purchased in tobacconists, post offices, petrol stations and newsagent's. It is cheaper to
phone at the weekend, on public holidays and in the evening.
Mobile telephone numbers are 9digit, after dialing 06; depending on the telephone company,
the first two numbers are 20, 30 or 70.
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS:
Ambulance: 104
Police: 107
Fire Department: 105
Universal enquiries: 197
Inland enquiries: 198
International enquiries: 199
Auto Club help number: 188
The best solution to buy a phone card : Neophon, E-tel, Ez-phone. These companies provide
the cheapest availability your country from Hungary. All card include a small user guide in
English language too.
SECURITY IN BUDAPEST:
The general public security situation in the capital can be said to be good on an international
average, and still it is better if tourists are prepared for certain situations so that they do not
end up feeling cheated.
In general the tourist's wallet is in greatest danger, and so it is advisable when using public
transport, at shop ping centres, markets or any other busy area where people are jostling
around to pay extra attention to wallets, purses and bags.
Taxis are best pre-booked by phone; they are cheaper and there is no chance that you will
pick up the one or two 'private taxis' who charge outrageous fares.
Always ask for a menu showing all the prices before choosing which restaurant to eat at.
This way you can rule out any unpleasantness caused by overcharging.
Never get mixed up in changing money or gambling on the street.
HEALTH MATTERS, MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Non-stop medical assistance: Falck SOS Hungary
Tel: 200-0100
Non-stop dental service:
SOS Dental Service
Tel: 267-9602
Pharmacies in the capital are well stocked, and pharmacists may be able to suggest a
medication for certain complaints. A notice on the door of pharmacies indicates the address
of the closest 24-hour pharmacy.
Pharmacies operating around the clock:
Teréz Patika: VI., Teréz körút 41., Tel: 311-4439,
Déli Gyógyszertár: XII., Alkotás u. l/B,
Tel: 355-4691.
TRAVELLER CHECK'S:
There is usually a commission of 1% for cashing travelers checks at banks. Please note that
most stores will not accept travelers checks.
Number of days of rainfall per year: 35
Number of hours of sunshine per year: 1853
Passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the time of return from Hungary
Participants in the games need applying for short-term visa (stay of less than 90 days)
WHAT KIND OF AIRLINES FLY TO HUNGARY?
MALEV Hungarian Airlines flies non-stop from New York and Toronto. Connections are
available on many major European airlines.
See the site of MALEV.
MONEY RATE AND EXCHANGE: Hungarian Currency is the Forint (Ft)
There are plenty of exchange offices there. Pest area has usually higher rate than offices in
Castle Hill in Buda.
There are plenty of them at Váci utca (pedestrian street of Pest). Especially in that part, which
is more remote (Vaci utca is "split" by Rákóczi street, which goes to Erzsébet hid). So if you
proceed to that more remote part you'll find better rate.
Check here to see the rate!
Exchanging money is only permitted in licensed, designated places. Do not take the risk of
changing money on the street. You are likely to find yourself with counterfeit money, besides
which such transactions are illegal.
The Hungarian National Bank gives official daily foreign exchange and currency rates on 23
currencies. Most banks have 24hour banknote exchange ATMs. Besides this there are many
credit card and cash card ATMs in operation day and night. Banks and travel agencies can
set (and modify) their own exchange rates, taking the bank of issue's rate as the basis. Any
bureau de change has to have the current exchange rates clearly displayed. Please keep
your exchange receipt in a safe place until you depart the country. Banks generally give a
middle rate, and the airport and hotel exchange rates are not so competitive.
CREDIT CARDS
The most commonly used credit cards - AMEX, Diners Club, Cirrus, EnRoute,
Euro/Mastercard, ]CB, VISA - can be used to obtain cash from ATMs in banks and on the
streets as well as to pay bills in hotels, restaurants and shops. Emblems on the door of the
establishment detail which credit cards are accepted.
Stopping a credit card: in general use the telephone numbers given by the bank which
issued the card, or use the following numbers:
VISA Global: (06-80)011-272(free-phone)
VISA centre - London: (0044)1-719-381-031
EC-card centre - Frankfurt: (00-49)69-740-987
COMMONLY USED PRICES:
Three-course menu in a middle-category restaurant 2000-3500 HUF
1 liter milk 170
1 kg bread 160
1 liter wine in shops 350-4,000
1 bottle of beer in shops 100-350
1 kg apple 150
1 hamburger in fast food restaurant 300-900
1 night in a Youth Hostel 2,500-6,000
1 liter petrol (Euro 95) 250
1 liter diesel oil 220
1 cinema ticket 700-1,100
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS:
Most of the stores will be closed.
January 1 New Year's Day
March 15 National Holiday (in memory of the 1848 revolution)
April 11-12 Easter Sunday & Monday
May 1 Labor Day
May 30 & 31 Pentecost (Christian holiday)
August 20 St. Stephen's Day (celebrated by spectacular fireworks all over the country,
especially in Budapest. )
October 23 Remembrance Day (1956 Revolution against the Communist regime)
November 1 All Saint`s Day (Halloween)
December 25, 26 Christmas
OPENING TIME OF SHOPS AND MUSEUMS:
Most museums are open from 10 am to 6 pm and are closed on Mondays. The shops are
open between 9.00-18.00. Saturdays only till 6 and some on Sundays for a half-day. New
shopping centers are open daily.
(Tesco, Cora, Auchan, Duna Plaza, Europark, Pólus Center )
VISIT TO PRAGUE OR VIENNA:
You can go by train, Vienna is 3 hours and Prague is 9 hours. Also available to Vienna, from
May to October, is a Danube hydrofoil service. (See our Transport site)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE USAGE.
English is widely spoken in Budapest but not in the countryside. You can contact Tourinform
offices for translators.
PHONE
Hungary code: 36, Budapest: 1, dialing code for inland calls: 06.
Budapest telephone numbers are 7 digits, countryside numbers (including the trunk code) 8
digits.
If you wish to phone abroad from Hungary, first dial 00, wait for the tone, and then dial the
country code, town code and continue with the telephone number.
Public phones operate with 20, 50 and 100 Forint coins and telephone cards. The latter can
be purchased in tobacconists, post offices, petrol stations and newsagent's. It is cheaper to
phone at the weekend, on public holidays and in the evening.
Mobile telephone numbers are 9digit, after dialing 06; depending on the telephone company,
the first two numbers are 20, 30 or 70.
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS:
Ambulance: 104
Police: 107
Fire Department: 105
Universal enquiries: 197
Inland enquiries: 198
International enquiries: 199
Auto Club help number: 188
The best solution to buy a phone card : Neophon, E-tel, Ez-phone. These companies provide
the cheapest availability your country from Hungary. All card include a small user guide in
English language too.
SECURITY IN BUDAPEST:
The general public security situation in the capital can be said to be good on an international
average, and still it is better if tourists are prepared for certain situations so that they do not
end up feeling cheated.
In general the tourist's wallet is in greatest danger, and so it is advisable when using public
transport, at shop ping centres, markets or any other busy area where people are jostling
around to pay extra attention to wallets, purses and bags.
Taxis are best pre-booked by phone; they are cheaper and there is no chance that you will
pick up the one or two 'private taxis' who charge outrageous fares.
Always ask for a menu showing all the prices before choosing which restaurant to eat at.
This way you can rule out any unpleasantness caused by overcharging.
Never get mixed up in changing money or gambling on the street.
HEALTH MATTERS, MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Non-stop medical assistance: Falck SOS Hungary
Tel: 200-0100
Non-stop dental service:
SOS Dental Service
Tel: 267-9602
Pharmacies in the capital are well stocked, and pharmacists may be able to suggest a
medication for certain complaints. A notice on the door of pharmacies indicates the address
of the closest 24-hour pharmacy.
Pharmacies operating around the clock:
Teréz Patika: VI., Teréz körút 41., Tel: 311-4439,
Déli Gyógyszertár: XII., Alkotás u. l/B,
Tel: 355-4691.
TRAVELLER CHECK'S:
There is usually a commission of 1% for cashing travelers checks at banks. Please note that
most stores will not accept travelers checks.
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