By Railway
General information concerning passenger service, as well as the
forwarding of luggage and express goods, plus information on tickets,
seat reservations and preferences, advance ticket booking, passenger
insurance, stopovers, temporary baggage checks, and ticket refunds,
not to mention bicycle rental, is to be found in the timetable
of the Hungarian Railways MÁV, published every year, generally
at the end of May
Information on both domestic and international train travel can
be obtained in Budapest at 461-5400 or 461-5500. Phone inquiries
for the largest railway stations in Budapest are as follows:
Déli pályaudvar (Southern Railway Station):
XII. Krisztina krt. H–1122, phone: 375-6293, fax: 457-9500
Keleti pályaudvar (Eastern Railway Station):
VIII. Kerepesi út, H–1087, phone: 313-6835
Nyugati pályaudvar (Western Railway Station):
VI. Teréz krt. H–1067, phone: 349-0115
Information on trips offered by GYSEV (Gy?r–Sopron–Ebenfurt
Railways), and on the State Forest Narrow Gauge Railway, including
the Széchenyi Hill Children's Railway in Buda, is also
given at the above telephone numbers. InterCity trains run not
only international routes, but within Hungary, too. Reservations
are obligatory.
Hungarian Railways Nostalgia Ltd. operates so-called 'old-timer'
lines; steam locomotives and diesel trains produced before First
World War, as well as before and soon after the Second World War.
They can be rented from the Hungarian State Railways, which celebrated
its 130th anniversary in 1998. The phone number in Budapest: 269-5242,
fax: 302-3580.
By Road
Road traffic in Hungary abides by the 'drive on the right, overtake
on the left' rule that is common throughout continental Europe.
In residential areas, the speed limit is 50 km per hour; on main
roads it is 80 km per hour, while on highways and expressways
the maximum speed is 120 km per hour. Road traffic rules and signs
correspond to European norms. Fuel stations are to be found in
abundance in the capital, outlying municipalities, and along main
roads. Service facilities for minor repairs are also available
in several places, along with car washes. Emergency phones are
available along expressways as well as at fuel stations; it is
possible to request towing services via these phones. The Hungarian
Automobile Club’s emergency phone number is 088, available
round the clock anywhere in Hungary both on line-based and mobile
phones. Information on road conditions is available on the Budapest
number 210-0573
A regular bus service links the Hungarian capital with major foreign
cities and holiday resorts. Information on timetables and on other
questions is provided on 317-2966 or 329-1450 or 252-4496.
By Air
Scheduled flights of domestic and foreign airlines arrive at Terminal
2 of Budapest Ferihegy international airport. Flight information
is available on 296-8000 or 296-9696 in Budapest.
Waterways
Regular international traffic plies the Danube, and there are
also boat services on the Tisza river and Lake Balaton. These
operate partly under foreign flags, and partly by the Hungarian-owned
MAHART Corp., both as scheduled and special charter services.
MAHART Corp. PassNave Passenger Shipping Company has a fleet of
30 vessels which carry 1.5 million passengers every year. Passengers
traveling on the hydrofoils running between Budapest and Vienna
(with a stop-off at Bratislava) can make advance bookings for
hotel rooms, taxis and programs in Budapest. Phone: 318-1704,
fax: 318-7740. Inland shipping traffic runs primarily between
Budapest and the towns of Esztergom, Visegrád and Szentendre
to the north. Since 1993, a total of four shipping services ply
the Tisza river between Szeged and Tokaj (Sárospatak).
Among the country's lakes, it is Lake Balaton which is the venue
of the liveliest summer water traffic, including the catamarans
that link Tihany with Szántód, serving as a bridge,
as it were, between the northern and southern shores of the lake.
Ferries carry passenger cars, buses and trucks. The use of motorboats
on the Balaton requires special permission. (Information on the
Balaton boat services is available on 84/310-050.)
Public Transportation
Both in the capital and in the major provincial cities, Hungary
boasts well-organized local public transport systems. In addition
to urban bus service, there is tram service in Debrecen, Miskolc,
and Szeged.
The Budapest transport system links the whole capital like a cobweb
network. In road transport, as in other Hungarian cities, the
most important means of public transport is the bus. However,
at the same time, the capital's environment-friendly tram and
trolley network supplements this system; all three are operated
by BKV, the Budapest Transport Corporation, as are two metro lines
and the underground railway — the first line in Continental
Europe, operational since 1896, and fully renovated in 1996. Europe's
second oldest cogwheel railway is in Budapest.
Using the funicular one can get — in just one minute —
from the Buda side of the Danube embankment to the Castle Palace.
A cable car takes passengers to János Hill, meanwhile,
the highest point of the capital. BKV boats transport passengers
from spring to autumn along the Danube. Bicycles may also be carried
on all suburban trains (HÉV).
Tickets for the above-mentioned transport services are available
at BKV ticket offices (where Budapest maps are also on sale),
as well as in tobacco shops. Within the borders of the capital,
a 95 HUF ticket — the uniform fare — is required for
the trams, buses, trolley buses, the metro, the suburban trains
(HÉV), and the cogwheel railway. It is possible to enter
public transport vehicles through any of the doors at any time
of the day, except non-articulated buses which, after 8 p.m.,
may only be entered or exited through the front doors, upon presentation
of a validated ticket or valid pass. Dogs can be taken on public
transport only when muzzled, and require a separate fare. Children
under the age of six may travel free of charge. If you expert
to take more than one trip on public transport in a day, it may
be worth buying a day ticket for 740 HUF or a book of tickets,
or a one or two-week season ticket which requires affixed identity
photos. A 7-day pass costs 1,850 HUF, a three-day tourist pass
1,500 HUF. The telephone number of the Budapest Transport Corporation
(BKV) passenger information office is: 342-2335. For lost and
found inquiries call 367-5299. (Charges correct at January 2000.)
Budapest has several taxi fleets. All are obliged to operate a
taxi meter and give receipts if so requested by the passenger.
Taxi fares have had maximum limits imposed from September 1998.
Between May 1 and September 30, so-called 'water' taxis, for a
maximum five passengers, are in service on the Danube.
The Tourism Office of Budapest (V. Március 15. tér
7, H–1056, phone: 266-0479, fax: 266-7477) has introduced
the Budapest Card, which offers the holder close to 100 different
discounts:
- unlimited travel on public transport
- free admission to 55 museums and several sights
- sightseeing for half price
- reduced price tickets for cultural and folklore programs
- discount in shops, restaurants and thermal baths
- 100+ page guide with the card’s services
The card is valid for an adult plus a child under 14. Price: 2,800
HUF for 2 days, 3,400 HUF for 3 days. The Budapest Card is on
sale at main underground ticket offices, tourist information offices,
travel agencies and hotels. |
