..Αre are involved in the scam of bars and, for a share of the profits, recommend some specific bars for your “date”.
Hot Tips
Some restaurants bring..
..Menus with normal prices for you to choose your order, but then charge you according to other menus with higher prices. Was it hunger that made you see what you wanted to see? Maybe, but to be sure, take a photo of the menu!
If you happen to be at the castle..
..From 8.30am to 5pm, you might see the Changing of the Guard that happens at the beginning of every hour.
Tram line number 2..
..Ιs one of the most inexpensive ways (for the price of a normal ticket) to enjoy a ride along the Danube River! Board it in Jászai Mari tér terminus, near Margaret Island.
Most of the museums..
..Αre closed on Mondays.
More Tips for Budapest
Budapest hides lots of surprises. It is best to know everything before you arrive. This, of course, is possible through Tips for Budapest, which will protect you from any danger and inform you about everything going on in the city!
General:
- Watch out for currency exchange commissions. The best option is using ATMs.
- Use debit cards, so that you don’t have to carry a lot of cash.
- Don’t leave your tips on the table, as it is considered rude. Inform the waiter/waitress on how much you tip them.
- Wi-Fi: can be found anywhere, even inside some taxis! (Your status updates don’t have to wait, yay!)
Transportation:
General:
- Subway (metro) and railway (tram) routes start at 5am and stop around midnight.
- Get the ticket that best suits you, depending on the duration of your trip and on how much you might use the means of public transport.
- Tickets can be used for any of the means of public transport.
- Get a “Budapest Card” so you can travel for free!
- Tickets are cheaper when bought from the ticket booths or offices.
- Download the BBK app for a more effective service.
- Make sure you validate and hold on to your tickets, as ticket checks are frequent in all means of transport.
- EU citizens over the age of 65 can use all of the means of transport for free upon showing their ID or passport.
Liszt Ferenc International Airport-Budapest city center:
- By Bus: bus line 200E ticket costs 1.1€ from the ticket booths (1.5€ inside the bus), connects to the metro blue line, Kőbánya-Kispest station. Total route takes 45 minutes.
- By Taxi: it is certainly the fastest way. It may cost you about 16-22€ but you can always bargain the price with the driver and pay less (they are always willing). You can also split the fare with other travelers.
Metro:
- The metro is the fastest and most effective traveling option.
- All of the lines are connected in Deák tér station, located in the city center.
- Official website.
Bus:
- Notice that you must always press the button for your stop, otherwise the bus won’t stop! (♪They see me rollin’…they hatin’♫)
- There are also night buses (midnight-5am), which you can recognize from their black-and-white owl symbol and their numbers that always start with 9 (900-999). Also, bear in mind that they pass every 30 minutes, so unless you like waiting, make sure to check the schedule!
Car:
- In most cases, you have to pay for parking, but it is less expensive compared to other cities.
- It is free, though, before 8am and after 8pm, as well as during the weekends. Still, you should always pay attention to the signs.
Sights:
General:
- In most of the museums, entrance is free for children under the age of 6, people over the age of 70 and people with special needs or disabilities, along with their care-takers.
- Most of the museums areclosed on Mondays.
- Tours are organized daily (2.5-3 hours), one starting at 10.30 and another one at 14.30, by local volunteers. Some of the meeting points are St. Stephen’s Basilica, Vorosmarty Square and Deák Ferenc tér. When the tour is over, you can pay your tour guide a nominal fee. They’re worth it!
- Obtain a Budapest Card, for free entrance and discounts in museums, public transport and tourist attractions.
- When visiting Budapest during the Christmas holidays, you get to admire tram No.2 in its 35.000-lights Christmas costume! Boarding it and riding along the Danube River makes for a truly magical experience!
- Tram line number 2 is one of the most inexpensive ways (for the price of a normal ticket) to enjoy a ride along the Danube River! Board it in Jászai Mari tér terminus, near Margaret Island. Extra tip: take a seat on Danube’s side!
- To get to the hill, use the pathways from the Liberty Bridge.
- Follow the signs that say “csúszdák” that lead to a secret park full of slides! Ideal for children (of all ages, because as we all know age is just a number!). Take a peek at this secret spot here.
- The canteens in Citadella are very expensive.
- On the last Saturday of every month, the Changing of the Guard at 12.00 is accompanied by music.
- If you happen to be at the site from 8.30am to 5pm, you might see the Changing of the Guard that happens at the beginning of every hour.
- Apart from the bus and cable car, another way to get to the castle is using the elevator that is located behind it, in Palota Street, for only 0,70€.
- Book your tickets online to avoid long waiting lines and ensure your spot in the tour.
- EU citizens get a ticket discount.
- Entrance is free for all parts of the bastion, before 9.00am or after 8.00pm, as well as between October 16th and March 15th.
- We think it is best to take the cruise on the first day of your trip, so that you have a first look at the sights. The evening cruise will also give you the chance to admire the city all lit up.
- If you are visiting Budapest during the summer months, we advise that you book your tickets otherwise you might not find any seats available.
Zoo:
- You can get a map at the entrance for a more efficient tour.
Tourist Traps:
- If you get approached by beautiful ladies asking you out for drinks or a coffee and you think to yourself “it’s too good to be true”, well, you’re on the right track because it is just that…They usually claim to be tourists and it is a well-known scam. If you decide to give in to their beauty, a drink could cost you 100-200€. So, calling the police might be a better idea.
- Some taxi drivers are involved in the scam of bars and, for a share of the profits, recommend some specific bars for your “date”.
- Avoid shops whose entrance is not on the street but on a floor, unless you are certain about where you’re going. Maybe you find Narnia! But chances are you won’t.
- Some restaurants bring menus with normal prices for you to choose your order, but then charge you according to other menus with higher prices. Was it hunger that made you see what you wanted to see? Maybe, but to be sure, take a photo of the menu!
- Also, if you order a bottle of wine that let’s say costs 20€, they might tell you that they are out of this particular one but will bring you one that is pretty close…in taste. What they won’t tell you is that it costs 120€!
- Avoid fixed menus. They are nothing like the ones in Paris, especially in tourist shops.
- Many “ingenious” ticket inspectors might try to sell you tickets on a higher price.