I thought it would be worth to compile some important info about Budapest for beginners

Entry - Hungary is part of the Schengen area, so the normal Schengen rules apply

Currency - is called Forint (HUF, locally Ft) In most places you'll need it, foreign currency, if accepted, is usually at a disadvantegous rate.

Credit cards - most international CCs are widely accepted, Visa and EC more so than Amex or DC. Some cab co's also accept CCs. Smaller shops or markets are usually cash only

ATM - lots of them

Cash - euros or dollars are both equally easy to change (as are most other European currencies) Look out for the rates though - some Bureaux de Change offer very, very bad rates. Also often they show their selling rate in big numbers. Avoid the ones at the airport (youl'll lose 20% or so on the rate), use the ATM instead.

Arrival

Air
The airport is BUD. Most LCC's arrive to Ferihegy T1 and others at T2A (Schengen) or T2B (non-Schengen) Transit between T2A & T2B is very easy and fast. T1 <-> T2 transits involve a bus/taxi ride. In T2 30-35 min transit times seem to be enough (especially if no checked luggage is involved)

EDIT - T1 closed in 2012, T2A and T2B serves all flights

Departure - during the season check-in lines can be long, so go early (60-90 mins) or check in online

More info: http://www.bud.hu/english

Train

Regular train services from all neighbouring countries. For schedules check

http://www.mav-start.hu/english/index.php

Boat

Regular boat services from Pozsony (Bratislava) and B�cs (Wien, Vienna), takes about 4-5 hrs, very scenic.

Car

There are 5 national capitals within a 400 km radius from Budapest, so it's easy to reach it from many places. Motorways connect to Vienna, Bratislava, Zagreb, Ljubljana and most of the way to Belgrade (but afaik not on the Serbian side)

There is a motorway toll in Hungary, you can buy it at border crossings, gas stations, etc. It's an electronic (surveillance) system, you'll have to provide the registration number at the point of purchase, no vignettes (stickers) are involved anymore.

Car rental

Most international rental firms have local presence, shop around. In some cases you can get better rates on the .hu site than on the .com site Most have the local motorway toll included, but check, because not all of them do.

Most charge a 10-12% surcharge for rentals beginning at the airport, so if you have a longer rental, it may be well worth to take a cab to the downtown office and pick it up there.

Getting to/around town

Zona Taxi F�taxi is the authorised taxi co at BUD, they have booths outside the terminals. They have fixed rates, Budapest is divided into 4 zones. At the time of writing it's 4500-5000 HUF from the airport to the city. Cheaper to the airport, call them the day before departure. Prices are posted both in EUR and HUF, if you already have HUF, it's a bit better deal.

You can take any cab TO the airport. Most co's have fixed airport rates but they'll ask if you want the meter running or want to use the fixed rate. For me it comes out within 2 euros difference, but YMMV.

In Budapest taxis are always cheaper if ordered by phone than flagging one on the street. On short hops it doesn't make a big difference (1 km is ca 200-250 Ft)

From T1 there is also a train line downtown, the train stop is some 300 m from the terminal building

The local public transport company (BKV) runs bus 200E from all terminals to the terminal of blue subway (Metro) line, called K�b�nya-Kispest. A single ticket is 300 Ft. At the subway station look out for the two very small boxes at both sides just after you go up the stairs - you must validate your ticket here, controllers might already be at the other end!

Budapest has an extensive public transportation system (bus, tram, subway). You'd probably be best off with booklets of 10 tix, but if staying for longer than a few days, a 2 week picture pass is the best option. Bring one passport size pic. There are also 24/72 hrs tourist tix, they are easy and provide good value - you can specifiy the date & hour when it should become valid. Ticket controllers are rather active, so punch your ticket. There are three different machines - old red mechanical ones, where you insert the ticket on the top, pull it down and it actually punches holes in it; newer types, where it stamps the time/date on your ticket and on the subways where they stamp and cut a piece. Tix are strictly valid for one trip, no changes allowed (The metro is an exception, but as a tourist you wouldn't want to get involved in the system of different other ticket types)

Hotels

You can have hotel rooms for just about any sort of budget.

The best ones are on the Danube front (Marriott, IC, Sofitel, Four Seasons) - make sure you get a Danube view room. (standard at Marriott, upgrade at IC)

If you're not into the river view, Kempinski, M�ridien, Boscolo are excellent and expensive options, too. The Hilton on the Buda side has also very nice views, but aside from the old town, it's a bit out of reach.

Restaurants

I don't want to go into details here, as it's a too deep and wide subject - go out, experience and enjoy!

Some guidance, though - a local listing has these as Hungary's top 12

1. Costes (Budapest, IX.)
2. Chateau Visz (Visz)
3. Csalog�ny26 (Budapest, I.)
4. Enoteca Corso (P�cs)
5. Onyx (Budapest, V.)
6. R�spi (Fertőr�kos)
7. Bock Bistro (Budapest, VII.)
8. Fausto's (Budapest VI.)
9. Alab�rdos (Budapest, I.)
10. Fuji (Budapest, II.)
11. Arany Kavi�r (Budapest, I.)
12. Imola Udvarh�z (Eger)

(the Roman numerals refer to the arrondissement i.e. area in Budapest)

An English language food blog lists its top 33 here

http://www.chew.hu/top33.html

In downtown Budapest don't fall for nice young ladies suggesting a "good place" Those are usually tourist fleecing establishments where payment is sometimes assured by cupboard sized gentlemen in leather jackets. As a general advice - don't order anything that you don't know the price of.

Tipping

Taxis, restaurants, hairdressers - 5-10% is normal.

Safety

Pickpockets can be a problem. Use precautions you would use in any big city. Don't leave anything visible in the car, put everything in the trunk. At night in bars, etc use cash. Never lose sight of your CC and be very careful when pinning.

ENJOY Budapest! ^

One note on transport in from the airport - if you're arriving at Ferihegy I (mostly low-cost airlines), there is now a rail service from just outside the terminal complex to Budapest-Nyugati pu., calling also at Kőb�nya-Kispest (for the metro) and Budapest-Zugl�. These run every 20 minutes, and are handy during rush hours to avoid the awful traffic.

Irritatingly, the only way to transfer from the station to Ferihegy II, where the major airlines go from, is using the 200E bus that goes to Kőb�nya-Kispest.

Also, in the metro, do watch out for the red line that marks the entrance to the 'chargeable area'. There are no barriers, and so it's not always obvious where this is, as it's not always aligned with the ticket-punching machines. If you cross this line without a valid ticket, even if your intention is to walk over to the ticket office, then you can be fined.

WilcoRoger:

Thanks^...What a great post ... The definitive Budapest, Hungary guide

I have been several times in Vienna, but never made it to Budapest; always had a rental car, which I could not take to Hungary. We booked already a flight to Vienna and this time we'll go to Budapest ... so your information came just at the right time for me.
Thanks again.

I don't think taking an Austrian rental to Hungary should be a problem these days. Avis slapped on some 10 euros "border crossing fee" and that was it.

Is it prudent to drive a car to, in Budapest ... parking .... toll road .... burglary (AVIS always gives my nice cars, have AVIS First/Presidents Club)?
We have 5 nights: Vienna 2 or 3, Budapest 2 or 3. In other cities we always had a rental car, even in hell cities like Mexico City. But sometimes it's real pain to have a car, also in Vienna ... terrible parking situation, we always had to buy such "parking vouchers" and so on. Would you really recommend a car?
Your postings are so helpful that we can easily get by train to BUD. With a car we could make a side trip to Bratislava, but is it worth?

Driving directions to Budapest, Hungary
243 km – about 2 hours 20 mins

I don't like driving in Budapest, it's worse than Vienna, but nowhere near e.g. Rome, not to mention Istambul or Cairo - so it's not a suicide mission Within the city you are better off with public transport or taxis, in my view. Getting there - it's a question of preferences.

Parking fees are lower, but strictly enforced over a large area. Car theft shouldn't be a problem, take out TP when renting... Petrol costs are about the same as in Austria.

Sure, you can do side trips, Bratislava is worth a day trip (so near to Vienna, that you don't have to move hotel) Also you have some very nice day trip destinations within an hour's drive around Budapest, if time allows.

Driving time depends on where in Vienna you start and where in Budapest you go. Over 200 km are on motorway, at 130-140 kph it's 1,5 hrs, the rest is getting in/out of town. Last Saturday morning (!) it took me 25 mins from IC Vienna to the A2 motorway.

On our Europe trip in September we will 2 days in Vienna (we have been there before) and 3 days in Budapest.
We decided to go by train ... it's about a 3 hour ride for each way. We booked it on the OeBB Internet.
So, WilcoRoger, thanks again for your post!

Would love a good recommendation for a bus tour that encompasses the whole city w/ a guide... ideas? thanks!

I'd try the one that leaves from front of the Four Seasons - it's really unique as it's a bus-cum-boat vehicle. At one point it rides straight into the Danube, giving you both the "city-from-the-river" and the more traditional "city-from-wheels" sightseeing.

A small update to this older but still very informative thread. I don't know this for sure, but my observation was that T1 is used mostly for cargo now whereas T2 seemed to be used for all passenger flights. While at BUD T2 I noticed many LCC as well as the legacy carriers.

T2A and T2B are one building. To get from A to B you simply walk through a long hallway on the land side.

I flew in & out of T2B so I can't comment on the A side. In T2B once you clear the efficient security, you end up in a large central area that's airy, well-lit and quite comfortable with a decent selection of shops and cafes. The lounge by way of comparison is towards the end of a hallway (not far) but is dark inside and rather small. Sure the food and drink the lounge are free but on the whole, I think the central area is more comfortable. This is one of the few airports in the world where the public area is probably preferable to the lounge.

With respect to restaurants - there's certainly no shortage of good ones in Budapest. In the downtown area (District V) you'll find many just by walking around. I can recommend Cyrano which served good food at a decent enough price. (Official Cyrano site but this link can be slow.) Onyx has a very well-deserved Michelin star with prices that match (but it's well worth the expense!). Cafe Gerbeaud is another place that's worth dropping in for an afternoon cup of tea. Also, along Andrassy Ut you'll find many different restaurants, cafes and shops so it's worth taking a wander.

For rail travel to / from Vienna, please find my comments over here in this thread.

Both the Parliament and the opera house can be visited. The Parliament needs to be booked in advance so check with your hotel concierge or try your luck navigating this site. Prices are 3500 HUF per person (1750 if you're an EU citizen) and half price for people under 18 years old. The opera house has tours at 15h00 and 16h00 only so plan accordingly.

Budapest is a really nice town and it's worth making the effort to go visit. I very much enjoyed my brief trip there and look forward to going again some time to experience the city and country in more depth.

Correct, soon after the national carrier (Malev) went bust, the airport operator closed T1 and only T2 handles all traffic these days.

Once you are checked in you may go through security at either 2A or 2B - they both feed to the same shopping area (Sky Mall) - sometimes even the security personnel is sending pax over, when the load is too high at one or the other.

Heading to Hungary mid July for 2 weeks!!