A rather small landlocked country in Eastern Europe, Hungary is all about Budapest, thermal springs, classical music and limestone caves for a tourist. In a way, one can experience almost all of Hungary in Budapest – quaint living areas, limestone caves, green spaces, low mountains, lakes and thermal spas.
Budapest may not be as famous as some of its European counterparts but the ‘Paris of East Europe’ is one of the most popular destinations for tourists. With elegant boulevards, stunning architecture and a beautiful river front, Budapest did not disappoint me as a tourist. The capital of Hungary has a population of under 2 million but attracts tourists well over half its population.
Danube river adds to the beauty of Budapest
Bisected by river Danube, the central area of Budapest along the river has several notable monuments, many at walking distances. I ended up spending a great deal of time in this area. The castle side is called Buda, and the opposite side, with the parliament house, is called Pest.
Pest side of Budapest 
Buda side of Budapest
Travelling into Hungary
Ferenc Liszt International Airport at Budapest is well connected to destinations around the world but there are no direct flights from India as yet. One has to get to a European hub or fly through Middle East. I flew via Helsinki.
If Hungary is not the first stop but another country in Europe is, then Budapest can also be reached by train or even by a boat on river Danube. For example, there are regular boats between Vienna and Budapest or between Bratislava and Budapest.
Transfers from Budapest airport
Budapest airport is located about 16 kms from the city center. Taxis are most convenient way to travel to city center. The journey takes about 30 minutes and costs ~INR 2 k. Take the official taxis (e.g. Főtaxi) and avoid freelance taxis. Official taxis display their corporate logos on the side doors. Taxis can also be booked online ahead of arrival.
There is no Uber in Budapest (it was shut down due to local legislation) but there is a similar local taxi service provider called Taxify. You can download the Bolt app ahead of time if you wish to use Taxify. I do not think this is needed though.
There are direct buses to city center as well that are much cheaper, almost 10% of the taxi cost. Buy the ticket before boarding the bus, else you may have to pay in local currency Forint. There is no direct metro connect to the airport. But there are buses that run from Terminal 2 to the nearest Metro station.
Commuting in Budapest
With a combination of trams, buses, suburban trains and metro, public transport is great in Budapest. For a tourist, a combination of trams, metro and occasional bus is more than adequate to get to the locations of tourist interest and the distances are not long. Plus a fair bit of walking which is quite a pleasure in Budapest. Only for the airport/railway station, I used a taxi.
Hop-on, Hop-off buses can easily be avoided, unless personal mobility is a problem.
It is better to buy 24hr travel card (or longer duration one) that will allow unlimited access to trams, buses and metro. Group cards are available for groups’ up to 5 individuals and they are cheaper for 3 or more individuals travelling together. Click here to get more details.
One can also evaluate the Budapest Card but generally speaking, such cards are useful if the offers are in line with what you wish to see and do. Check out this official website.
Top things to see and do in Budapest
Click to read my separate post.
Where to stay
Broadly, the arc between Margaret bridge and Petofi bridge(boundary marked by Tramlines 4 and 6) on the Pest side is better. Within this arc, District V is ideally located. See the tourist map on this post.
If you intend to use thermal baths extensively, you can also consider hotels located within walking distance to top thermal baths. Say Hotel Gellert on Buda side.
Apartments are a good option
While hotels to suit all budgets are available, some with fantastic views of the Danube, I chose to stay in an apartment. More space at a lower cost. Most apartments will offer more than twice the hotel room space, at less then half the price.
There are plenty of apartments available in city center, and most offer breakfast as well for an additional cost. Given the cost of breakfast, and my vegetarian status, I preferred to prepare my own breakfast.
Just make sure the place of stay is within 5-10 minutes walk to the nearest available public transport.
What does it cost
Budapest is quite affordable. Airport transfer to city center costs about INR 2k in a taxi. Single ticket on public transport costs ~INR100 while the 24hr card, valid for 24 hours from the time of stamping, costs~INR400k.
The luxury hotels will cost upwards of INR10k per night while the cost for 4 star hotels will be INR 5-8k per night, depending on location. Apartments can be booked for INR 4k or less per night, even in the city center.
Entry fee is levied at several attractions. Buda Castle may require INR2-3k per person depending on options chosen. Entry to thermal baths will cost ~INR1.5k with locker. The one hour tour at Palvolgyi cave costs ~INR 350.
A simple Italian or Indian vegetarian meal in a mid scale restaurant can be had for INR 1.5k per couple or even less. Wine is cheap in supermarkets but not at restaurants. Just vegetarian sandwiches and a soft drink would be under INR 1k.
A couple can comfortably spend 3 nights, 4 days with a budget of ~INR 40-50k.
Best time to visit
June to August is the peak season. The weather is warm, tourist places crowded and cost is higher. April, May, September and October are probably the 4 best months, assuming you would want to avoid the peak season. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year and does not rain heavily. But when it rains, the weather can get a bit chilly, as I experienced in the month of May.
The month of March will be a bit cold but good enough for travel. The winter months from November to February can be avoided – it is very cold, gets dark early, and few places of tourist attraction are likely to be closed.
Be aware of the time the sun sets in Budapest whenever you travel. I went in the month of May when the sun would set around 8pm. The weather was generally cloudy with spells of light rain. One afternoon, I was forced to spend unintended (but pleasant) time inside a museum while it was raining. In the peak summer months, the sun sets at 8.30 or so.
How many days is good?
4-5 days is ideal. You can actually also squeeze in all the key attractions in full 3 days. If you have additional days, look for trips out of Budapest.
Vegetarian food
No problem at all in Budapest – there are quite a few Indian, Italian, Mexican and Thai restaurants. Plenty of fast food outlets for a quick bite though all of them may not have proper vegetarian options. Since I was staying in an apartment, I also had the option to cook food myself.
Hungarian food is largely meat based. Hungary is a major producer of wines and is famous for its traditional cakes. A bottle of good wine can be purchased in grocery shops for as little as INR 300. For the traditional cakes, just walk into any of Pastry shops or even cafes. Makes for a good energizer!
Visa
Indian passport holders require prior Schengen visa. If Hungary is the sole or major Schengen destination on your itinerary, apply through VFS Global to Embassy/Consulate of Hungary in India.
Currency
The Hungarian currency is called Forint(HUF). Approximately, 1 INR = 4 HUF. While Euros are widely accepted, my experience was it is better to buy HUF. The exchange rate for conversion of HUF to Euros at outlets can be adverse, sometimes because of rounding off. Also, even when I paid in Euros, I received change in HUF.
I converted currency at smaller money exchange counters in the city, rather than in a bank or hotel. And certainly not at the airport. I did not convert any amount at the airport as I could pay for the taxi in Euros(even credit cards are accepted). But if you are taking the bus and do not buy the tickets at the airport booth, you will have to pay in HUF in the bus.
HUF currency notes come in the denominations of 5000, 10000 and 20000, apart from lower denominations. You can certainly feel rich carrying HUF 20000 in your pocket but its value is equal to ~INR 5K or ~58 Euros only!
If travelling out of Budapest, carry HUF.
Credit cards are widely accepted and was my preferred option. Any leftover HUF should be converted before departure.
Tipping is not compulsory
Tipping is not compulsory but normally expected, even if service charge is levied.
Language
Language is Hungarian but I could easily manage with English in Budapest.
Is Budapest worth visiting?
Yes. Budapest is one city where Art comes alive everywhere- the monuments, statues, buildings, galleries, concert halls, Andrassy avenue and other streets, Heroes’ square, and so on- the list is long. Add to it the thermal baths, limestone caves, a vibrant nightlife and convenient public transport, Budapest is surely worth visiting.
Budapest suffered extensive damage during World War II. Many monuments and buildings have since been reconstructed.
For more information
Check out the following websites-
https://www.introducingbudapest.com
