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Left Hungarian national airline, Malév Centre Tourists in Szentháromság tér Right Two pin plug
Planning Your Visit
When to Go
Spring and autumn
are the best times to visit
Budapest, as temperatures
are fairly mild. Like
most Central European
capitals, the summer
months get very busy,
and finding a hotel room
can be difficult. Summer
can also be stiflingly hot.
Christmas, however, is a
delight, and almost
always white, though it
can get very cold.
Peak Seasons
The peak season is
between July and August.
Many locals actually
leave Budapest in August
for their own holidays, and
the city can often feel as
though it is populated
entirely by tourists.
Formula One weekend
at the end of July is the
single biggest event of
the year, when hotel
rooms are at their most
expensive. Avoid it
unless you are planning
to attend the race.
What to Pack
Pack lightly for
summer, but make sure
you bring a waterproof
jacket or raincoat – while
temperatures are high,
there are frequent, heavy
showers. In winter, you
will need plenty of layers
to cope with the extreme
climate. Hat, gloves and
good footwear are also
needed. If you plan on
attending the opera or
visiting certain top-end
restaurants, men might
require a jacket and tie.
Passports
and Visas
Citizens of other European
Union (EU) and European
Economic Area (EEA)
countries may enter
Hungary without a visa
and stay for as long as
they please, though they
should register with the
local authorities after 90
days. US, Canadian,
Australian, New Zealand,
Bulgarian, Croatian and
Romanian citizens may
also enter without a visa
and stay for 90 days.
Citizens of almost all
other countries require a
visa from a Hungarian
consulate before visiting.
Travel Insurance
Local healthcare is
excellent and Hungary
has reciprocal healthcare
arrangements with a
number of countries.
However, you should still
make sure that you have
adequate travel insurance
which includes health,
trip cancellation, flight
delay and lost luggage.
Airlines
The national airline is
Malév, which flies from
Budapest to over 60 destinations,
including New
York and Beijing. The city
is also a hub for a number
of budget airlines, including
Wizzair, Sky Europe,
Air Berlin and easyJet.
Customs
If arriving from
outside the EU, besides
personal belongings you
can bring the following
items into the country –
200 cigarettes, 2 litres of
wine, 1 litre of spirits and
Ft350,000 worth of gifts.
There are no limits on
the import of goods from
another EU country.
Electricity
The Hungarian
electricity supply is 220 V
and the plugs needed are
the standard Continental
type. Visitors from the
UK and North America
will need an adaptor,
available at most airports.
Maps
There are a number
of good Budapest maps
available internationally,
notably the Cartographia
1:20,000 series.
Time Zone
Hungary is in the
Central European Time
Zone, which means that
it is one hour ahead of
Greenwich Mean Time
in winter and two hours
ahead in summer, six
hours ahead of US
Eastern Standard Time
and 11 hours behind
Australian Eastern
Standard Time.
Directory
Malév
• 235 38 88;
www.malev.com
Budget Airlines
• airberlin.de
• www.easyjet.com
• www.skyeurope.com
• www.wizzair.com
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