Hungary - Budapest Guide

56 Pages·2007·2.093 MB·English

Contents
11
Handy information 5
City transport 11
Museums, Exhibition halls 13
13
Churches 19
Sights, Sightseeing 21
5
Cultural Avenue 32
21 36
Antiques road show 36
Music, Theatres, Events 38
Beyond Budapest 40
Medicinal baths, Caves 42
Leisure 44
38
Shopping 47
40
Restaurants, Entertainment 49
Maps 6, 33–35, 51, 55
Legend 42
« Tram ó Opening hours 6, 33–35, 51, 55
« Suburban %Admission
railway é Budapest Card
ç Bus accepted 49
è Castle bus A1 Map coordinate
Publisher: Tourism Office of Budapest
ë Trolleybus (cid:2) 1 Site of museum the officPiaul btolicuartisiomn mmaarnkaegtienrg: Loársgzalón izPaatsizotne ronfá Bkudapest
© All rights reserved
1 Metro 1
on map
2 Metro 2
(cid:2) Edited by Turizmus Kft. · Editor: Brigitta Vajk · Design: András Nász
3 Metro 3 1 Site of bath, Translation: CHFI Bt.
Cover: Future Card Stúdió · Maps: TOPOGRÁF
Photos: Tourism Office of Budapest and Turizmus Ltd. photo archives
≥ Phone number cave on map The publisher does not accept responsibility for damages arising from any
changes in information contained in this publication.
¥ Fax [1] Photo Publication closed: November 2006
Printing: PAUKERPrinting House Co.
www.budapestinfo.hu 3
Dear Readers
I would like to welcome you to Budapest, a city which not only greets its
guests with a rich history and unique cultural heritage, but also where we,
the residents, can witness day by day its resurgence. That tourism is one of
the most important economic branches of Budapest is evident in the rise in
the number of tourists visiting the capital, and the growth of the quantity
and quality of tourism services. Year on year several new hotels spring up in
Budapest, numerous old buildings are reconstructed, and new cultural and
tourism establishments are born. The capital is made all the more attractive
for being renowned as the location of one of the most beautiful World
Heritage sites, and only Budapest can say of itself that it has Europe’s largest
Parliament, largest functioning synagogue and the continent’s first
underground railway. The visitor will find side by side the remains of fortresses
and buildings from Roman times, still operating Turkish baths, Gothic and
Baroque buildings, and the incredibly rich Art Nouveau architectural heritage.
Not only is Budapest worthy holder of the title “Queen of the Danube”, but in
fact there is not one other capital city in the world with close on 100 thermal
springs and 12 medicinal baths within its boundaries, where 19 million
gallons of thermal water rise to the surface each day.
Despite the spectacular development, Budapest has preserved its old
charm and magic. It is a city where the pleasing harmony of different
architectural styles and superb structures, the cafés, baths, the gastronomy
László Fekete
and culture, combined with legendary hospitality blend into an unforgettable
Director
experience for visitors. Besides popular programmes and festivals staged each
BTH Tourism Office
year the capital’s tourism selection is further enriched by new, high standard
of Budapest
events each season. Tourists can stroll down the “Pest Broadway”, now
taking on a new lease of life, and enjoy a programme in one of the
atmospheric, unique repositories of music calling to all ages, since there is a
choice ranging from live music in the pubs to the repertoires of the Opera
House and the recently rebuilt, magnificent Operetta Theatre.
So I warmly commend this publication to you, and trust you will find
yourself using it frequently. After careful preparation we compiled it with
great pleasure in the hope that it will allow you to discover what is best in
Budapest.
INFORMATION OFFICES
Turista információ • Tourist information
Tourinform Main office – ≥([phone] Ferihegy – terminal 2B
Police-info office ¥([phone] Budapest, Ferihegyi Repülôtér
1052 Budapest, Sütô utca 2 [email protected] Terminal 2B, arrivals
(at Deák tér) ≥([phone] ó9 am–6 pm ≥([phone]
[email protected] ferihegy/[email protected]
ó8 am–8 pm Ferihegy – terminal 1 ó8 am–10 pm
1185 Budapest, Ferihegyi Repülôtér
Teréz körút Terminal 1≥([phone] Nonstop information:
1061 Budapest, Teréz körút 2–4 ferihegy/[email protected] Tourinform call centre (24 hours):
≥([phone] ó9 am–10 pm ([phone]
¥([phone] Tourinform hotline (24 hours):
[email protected] Ferihegy – terminal 2A ([phone] from abroad,
óMon–Fri: 10 am–6 pm 1185 Budapest, Ferihegyi Repülôtér (06-80)630-800 from Hungary
Terminal 2A, arrivals ≥([phone] Internet: www.hungarytourism.hu
Buda Castle ferihegy/[email protected] ¥([phone]
1014 Budapest, Szentháromság tér ó8 am–10 pm E-mail: [email protected]
BTH Budapesti Turisztikai Szolgáltató Kht. (Tourism Office of Budapest)
µH–1364 Budapest Pf. 215 • ≥([phone] • ¥([phone] • E-mail: [email protected]
www.budapestinfo.hu
4 www.budapestinfo.hu
HANDY information
PASSPORT, VISA
Entry with personal ID card Entry with passport, but no visa required
Citizens of the following countries may enter the Citizens of European countries (with the exception of
territory of Hungary with a personal identifi- Albania, Russia, Serbia-Montenegro, Turkey and the
cation card for a stay of maximum 90 days, Ukraine) do not require a visa to enter Hungary.
provided the purpose of their visit is not to take Citizens of the following countries outside Europe similarly
up work or to conduct business-related acti- do not require a visa: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Bru-
vities: nei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Kong, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Macao, Malaysia,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay,
Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Salvador, Singapore, USA, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, For detailed information in English please go to
Switzerland. www.mfa.gov.hu
HUNGARY’S FOREIGN
BUDAPEST BASICS
REPRESENTATIONS
Great Britain Climate
Hungarian National Tourist Office Temperate zone, continental climate, four seasons.
46 Eaton Place London SW1X 8AL Hottest months: July, August (temperatures can reach
≥(44-20)7823-0411, (44-20) 7823-0412 28–35°C)
¥(44-20)7823-1459
E-mail: [email protected]; www.gotohungary.co.uk Coldest months: December, January (temperatures
Ireland can fall as low as –15°C)
Hungarian National Tourist Office
10441 Dublin 6W, P.O. Box 10441 Budapest has a relatively high number of hours of sun-
≥(353-1)490-4656 ¥(353-1)490-4656 shine per annum. It exceeds 8 hours per day between
E-mail: [email protected]; www.visithungary.ie April and September.
USA Time zone
Hungarian National Tourist Office Budapest is on Central European time (CET).
N.Y. 10118 New York, 350 Fifth Avenue Suite 7107 GMT +1 hour
≥(1-212)695-1221 ¥(1-212)695-0809 Summer time (March to the middle of October):
E-mail: [email protected]; www.gotohungary.com GMT +2 hours
www.budapestinfo.hu 5
Holidays
ARRIVAL IN BUDAPEST
Non-working days: national holidays (15 March, 20
August, 23 October) and 1 May (May Day) plus
Christian holidays: 1 January, All Saint’s Day (1 By air
November), Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Christmas The Airport minibus service is popular and relatively
and Boxing Day (25–26 December). cheap: for HUF 2300 it will drop passengers
anywhere within the city limits. A return ticket (HUF
Budapest facts 3900) is valid for six months.
and figures Ferihegy 1– terminal for low cost airlines
Area: 525 square kilometres (in a north-south direction The “Budapest in Europe” map shows low-cost
approx. 25 km, east-west approx. 29 km) airline connections between cities in Europe
Population: 1 815 000 and Budapest. Updates
Population density: 3456 persons/square kilometre and the 2007
Administrative structure: 23 districts schedule are
Buda: comprising one-third of the area of the city on available at
the hilly, right bank of the Danube www.bud.hu.
Pest: comprising two-thirds of the area of the city on Ferihegy 2A
the flat, left bank of the Danube – terminal for
Islands (from north to south): Óbuda Island, all MALÉV
Margaret Island, Csepel Island Hungarian
Bridges: nine bridges, of which two are rail bridges Airlines flights
BUDAPEST IN EUROPE
Low-cost airlines
flying to Budapest (as
at November 2006)
6 www.budapestinfo.hu
Airport information: Nonstop telephone ticket bookings (MÁVDIREKT):
Central number: ([phone] (06-40)49-49-49
Flight information: ([phone] From abroad: ([phone]
Luggage search service: Information: www.mav.hu, www.elvira.hu
• Ferihegy 1: ([phone]
• Ferihegy 2A: ([phone],
All rail stations can be accessed by the metro (‘Keleti
([phone]
pu.’, ‘Déli pu.’ stops on Metro line 2, ‘Nyugati pu.’
• Ferihegy 2B: ([phone],
stop on Metro line 3.)
([phone], ([phone]
Telephone reservations for MALÉV flights:
([phone] By coach
Airport minibus service: ([phone] Domestic coach services arrive at several points
around the city. The international coach station is at
Ferihegy 2B – arrival and departure terminal for Népliget.
foreign airlines Volánbusz Rt. has scheduled passenger coach
services to and from the following countries: Austria,
By train Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Den-
Budapest has direct rail links to 25 capitals. There are mark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy,
more than 50 international connections each day.
Trains depart every three hours between Buda-
pest–Vienna, with a travel time of less than two and CURRENCY Forint (Ft or HUF)
a half hours. INTERCITY links running between the Coins 100 50 20 10 5 2 1
capital and the major towns around Hungary are
extremely popular and comfortable.
Banknotes:
By rail
There are three major international railway stations in
Budapest:
Eastern Railway Station (Keleti pályaudvar)
200 500 1000 2000 5000 10 000 20 000
Exchanging money
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
Western Railway Station (Nyugati pályaudvar) currencies. Most banks have 24-hour 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.
Broadly speaking, the
Southern Railway Station (Déli pályaudvar) best exchange rates
are to be found close
to the rail stations and
in the city centre
(Petôfi Sándor Street).
Banks generally give a
middle rate, and the
airport and hotel
exchange rates are not
so competitive.
www.budapestinfo.hu 7
Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, for the motorways M1, M3, M5, M6 and M7
Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, (obtainable at border crossing points and major
Switzerland, Ukraine. petrol stations).
Népliget ≥([phone] The Hungarian Highway Code (KRESZ) is based on the
Stadionok ≥([phone] Vienna and Geneva Convention, and as such traffic signs
Árpád Bridge ≥([phone] and road markings are similar to those found in other
Etele Square ≥([phone] European countries. However, it is important to highlight a
Széna Square ≥([phone]
few key traffic regulations that tourists visiting Hungary
Online tickets: www.volanbusz.hu
Information on domestic and must observe at all times: use of seatbelts in the front and
international routes: ≥([phone] rear seats is compulsory; only mobile phones fitted with
loudspeaker and microphone may be used in cars, and it is
By boat recommended that drivers making or receiving a call pull
Hydrofoils run scheduled services from Vienna and over to the side of the road in a safe area; drivers may not
Bratislava to the heart of Budapest between April and consume any alcohol before driving, and drunk drivers can
October. There are three large international quays on be fined upwards of HUF 100,000 (€380); the speed limit
the Danube between Széchenyi Chain Bridge and in built-up areas is 50 kph, outside built-up areas 90 kph,
Liberty (Szabadság) Bridge. on main roads 110 kph and on motorways 130 kph; use of
Information on Mahart Passnave sailings: ([phone] the horn in towns is only permitted in moments of danger
(despite which, unfortunately, Hungarian drivers frequently
By passenger car use their horns without proper reason).
Of the five motorways and four main roads in Hungarian Automobile Club (Magyar Autóklub) 24 hour helpline:
Hungary, eight start from Budapest (exception: main ([phone]. Roadside breakdown service: 188
road No. 8). Information on roadworks, diversions, motorway vignette prices
Drivers are obliged to purchase a motorway sticker etc. in 13 languages: www.motorway.hu
GENERAL INFORMATION
≥
Telephone Accommodation
Hungary code: 36, Budapest: 1, The capital has every category of accommodation
dialling code for inland calls: 06. from luxury hotel to paying guest rooms.
Budapest telephone numbers are 7
digits, countryside numbers (includ-
ing 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 newsagents. It is cheaper to phone at
the weekend, on public holidays and in the evening.
Mobile telephone numbers are 9-digit, after
dialling 06; depending on the telephone company,
the first two numbers are 20, 30 or 70.
Credit cards
The most commonly used credit cards – AMEX,
Diners Club, Cirrus,
EnRoute, Euro/Master-
card, JCB, 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 establish-
ment detail which cre-
dit cards are accepted.
8 www.budapestinfo.hu
Free copies of Accommodation in Budapest can be
INTERNET
picked up from information offices and hotel
receptions in town. Internet cafés are highly fashionable in Budapest.
Other useful information on accommodation can The following list details just some of the most
be found on the homepage of the Tourism Office of popular locations offering Internet access:
Budapest: www.budapestinfo.hu, and in information
offices (for addresses and telephone numbers see page 4). Alexandra Bookstore
V., Nyugati tér 7 ≥428-7070
Postal services óMon–Sun: 10 am–midnight
Post offices are generally open
from 8 am–6 pm Mon–Fri, 8 AMI
am–noon on Sat. There are two V., Váci utca 40 ≥267-1644 ó9 am–midnight
post offices close to the rail
ChatMan Internet Cafe
stations in Pest with longer
VII., Dohány utca 30/A ≥ 266-0856 ó Mon–Fri:
opening hours: VI., Teréz körút
8 am–midnight, Sat–Sun: 10 am–midnight
51. (open: Mon–Sat: 7 am–9
pm, Sun: 8 am–8 pm), VIII., Kávészünet
Baross tér 11/C (open: Mon–Sat: XIII., Tátra utca 12/B ≥236-0853 óMon–Fri: 8 am–
7 am–9 pm). 10 pm, Sat–Sun: 10 am–8 pm
Postal money services: credit cards (VISA, VISA
Electron, EuroCard/Mastercard, Maestro) can be used Libri Bookstore
to make cash withdrawals at all post offices in the VII., Rákóczi út 12 ≥267-4844 óMon–Fri: 10 am–
capital. Post offices also exchange Eurocheques, 7.30 pm, Sat: 10 am–3 pm
American Express traveller’s cheques and postal orders.
Netcafe
Electricity VI., Aradi utca 1–3 ≥302-6502 ó8 am–2 am
Hungary’s electricity network operates at 230 Volts.
Plugs are the regulation continental type. PG Cyber Cafe
Mammut 1 shopping centre, 3rd floor (in foyer of
General opening times Palace Mammut cinema) II., Lövôház utca 2–6
Shops: food shops are open from 7 am–6 pm, ≥426-6873 ó9.30 am–10.30 pm
clothes shops between 10 am–6 pm Mon. to Sat.
Private Link
Most shopping centres are also open on Sun.
VIII., József körút 52 ≥334-2057 ó24 h
Tesco is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Office hours: generally from 8 am–4 pm Mon. to Fri.
Tandem Cafe
Post offices: Mon–Fri: 8 am–6 pm,Sat: 8 am–1 pm
IX., Pipa utca 6 ≥218-9317 óMon–Thur: 9 am–1 am,
(for details, see Postal services section)
Fri: 9 am–2 am, Sat: 4 pm–2 am
Banks: Mon–Thur: 8 am–3 pm, Fri: 8 am–1 pm
STAYING STREET-WISE
Security in Budapest shopping centres, markets or any other busy area
The general public security situation in the capital can where people are jostling around to pay extra
be said to be good on an international average, and attention to wallets, purses and bags.
still it is better if tourists are prepared for certain Taxis are best pre-booked by phone; they are
situations so that they do not end up feeling cheated. cheaper and there is no chance that you will pick up
In general the tourist’s wallet is in greatest danger, the one or two ‘private taxis’ who charge outrageous
and so it is advisable when using public transport, at fares. (For phone numbers of reputable companies,
see the Taxi section p. 11.)
IMPORTANT NUMBERS Always ask for a menu showing all the prices before
choosing which restaurant to eat at. This way you can
Ambulance: 104
rule out any unpleasantness caused by overcharging.
Police: 107
Never get mixed up in changing money or gambling
Central help number: 112
on the street. Carry documents, money and credit
Fire service: 105
cards in a closed, inner pocket, and don’t carry a lot of
General enquiries: 197
cash around town. Never leave valuables in your car.
Inland enquiries: 198
International enquiries: 199 Lost your passport?
Auto club help number: 188 You should report the loss of your passport to the
Speaking clock: 180 following authority:
www.budapestinfo.hu 9
Budapest and Pest County Directorate of the Office from 5 am-midnight, and lockers available 24 hours
for Immigration and Citizenship a day.
Address: H–1117 Budapest, Budafoki út 60
≥ 463-9165, 463-9181 Open: 24 hours Health matters, medical assistance
If your passport is stolen, you must report the loss Pharmacies in the capital are well stocked, and
to the local district police headquarters. pharmacists may be able to suggest a medication for
Emergency services: ≥107 or 112. certain complaints. A notice on the door of
Tourinform telephone enquiries – Tourist Police: pharmacies indicates the address of the closest 24-
438-8080 (24 hours) hour pharmacy.
Pharmacies operating around the clock (see map on page 55):
Left luggage
Teréz Patika: VI., Teréz körút 41 ≥311-4439,
In Budapest left luggage counters and coin-
Déli Gyógyszertár: XII., Alkotás utca 1/B ≥355-4691
operated lockers are to be found at the rail stations.
Nagyvárad Patika: IX., Üllôi út 121 ≥215-3800
There are two non-stop left luggage counters at
Non-stop medical assistance:
both the Eastern (Keleti) and the Southern (Déli) Fônix SOS ≥200-0100
Railway Stations, while the Western (Nyugati) Non-stop dental service: SOS Dent ≥267-9602
Railway Station has a left luggage counter open
10 www.budapestinfo.hu