Hungary Warnings Or Dangers

  Sign for men's WC
by iblatt
 
  • Sign for men's WC
      Sign for men's WC
    by iblatt
  • Sign for men's WC
      Sign for men's WC
    by iblatt
  • A car of a pathetic loser in it's full glory
      A car of a pathetic loser in it's full...
    by GyuriFT
  • Revay Sorbar - 50 Metres From My Hotel!!
      Revay Sorbar - 50 Metres From My Hotel!!
    by johngayton
  • Falling Mosaics!
      Falling Mosaics!
    by johngayton
 

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Worse than the Italians...

by Djinn76

I had been told that driving in Italy was a real nightmare, I did it and I'm still alive... Now, my friends did not let me drive in Hungary, I'm wondering why ;-) We didn't drive too much inside Budapest, it was probably safer... However driving on the secondary roads is maybe worse. The motorway network is not very much developped (basically a star from Budapest) and if you are travelling through the countryside you'll most probably have to use one of these 2-lanes secondary roads. Don't be surprised if you see a car arriving in front of you and going back to its lane at the last minute, this seems to be part of the habits... And I'm not talking about the ones who will pass you without any visibility, the picture talks by itself...What I don't understand is that the police is quite visible but that doesn't seem to impact the local behaviour that much...

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Safety information

by cobrioc

Very safe. One problem people may encounter is cheating in bills in restaurant make sure your bill does not include a service charge. Police 107 Ambulance 104 Tap water: Is drinkable in most major town. Sometimes very delicious. In most major cities, hospitals/clinics have good facilities. Most doctors can speak English.Some tourist restaurants charge for dishes you have not ordered. Make sure the amount of your bill is correct. Some drinks prices are listed per quantity.

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Never cross the street!!

by kaloz

In Budapest -- there are underground passages to cross the busy streets. These also may be entries to the subway. Sometimes there are shops there. A running joke between me and dad was that whenever we came to a turn it was "up or down?" I always chose up. There are many steps in Hungary, so be prepared.

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Travelling from Romania into Hungary by train

by lonely_traveller

If you are travelling from Oradea in Romania into Hungary and make a stop at the town of Puspokladany for onward connection, make sure you have some Hungarian forint for your next train connection. There are no currency exchange there, nor are there any ATM machine near the train station. I was there without any Hungarian currency and ended up having to walk into town (20-30 minutes walk) to find an ATM or a currency exchange to get some forint for my next onward connection!

Train glitch:If you're on a...

by DesertRat

Train glitch:If you're on a long-distance train in Hungary, make certain you are aware if some of the cars are taken off and sent to a second destination somewhere during the trip. This often happens on the Budapest-Sopron route (Sopron is on the Austrian border). Half the train goes to Sopron, the other half to Szombathely, some 60 kilometers to the south. The split takes place about two-thirds ofthe way to Sopron. We got caught out that way. My wife went off to smoke in the dining car while I napped. She didn't notice the change, for there was no announcement in anything other than Hungarian, and we had an unexpected 'adventure.'

Driving

by Speze

Here in the States we don't drive quite as fast as Europe. 120KMh is about all. Hungarians, Germans, Holland, Austria drivers don't care. Also the motorcyclists have a death wish, weaving in and out of cars traveling at 200kmh or better.

When you are drinking with...

by beluga

When you are drinking with locals, beware that drinking in Eastern Europe can be a bit more hardcore then in the West. To show hospitality, booz is being served plentyfull.Just a little annecdote: the founder of Ikea claims he became an alcoholic after being in Poland just for 3 months when he was expanding his business there. I will not go into detail here about my own epxeriences, but let me just say that perhaps it was a good thing i was only a few weeks in stead of months.

If you are by car, never leave...

by Cyklon

If you are by car, never leave anything valuable like camera, or leather jacket, or anything that looks interesting. For the night try to leave it in guarded parking of your hotel ( the bigger ones all have it); While by foot you must watch out in crowded places, the most touristic areas are full of pick pockets

Beware of 'deals' offered by...

by Amerikai

Beware of 'deals' offered by hotels. The hotel that I stayed in shall remain nameless, but suffice to say it was one of the nicest hotels in Budapest. Because I had friends who live in Budapest, they alerted me: the hotel tries to steer you toward certain restaurants or may offer to hire a taxi for you. In the USA, you can find genuine deals this way. Not so in Budapest. The restaurants and other services that the hotels market are many times more expensive than you should pay (see my other comments for specific examples). Also, as far as Budapest being 'dangerous,' it is a major metropolitan area like any other around the world. Just be smart (don't flash expensive jewelry or walk down deserted streets at night) and you will be fine.

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If people know you are a...

by mazsola

If people know you are a tourist, especially from North America or other wealthier regions of the world, they may try to take advantage of you. Make sure you are not charged more for taxi rides and any other services for which prices can easily be altered.Also, while on public transit or just walking on the street, always watch your wallet! Often, if you look like a tourist, people will attempt to pick-pocket you! And they are very good at it, so don't think it'll never happen to you. I personally haven't been pocketed, but I have some friends who have been. Not a nice situation to be in if you're in a foreign country.

Top 3 Hotels in Hungary

Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal  Budapest

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Hotel Palatinus  Pecs

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Hotel Roz  Szentendre

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Questions and Answers

AnatolyZ profile photo

Q:  Dear Travelers friends:-00! I'm now enrolled as a student in Vienna University and I'm about to come for 1 semester praktikum to... 

globetrott profile photo

A: something that you should considder in your case: Go to WGKK and ask for a paper stating that you had an insurance there already for some time. Otherwise it might happen... 

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