E-Ticket System for the Public Transport
Public Transport Tiecket Budapest
It will be over with the little orange strips called “Vonaljegy” that you need to validate in trams, busses and the metro in Budapest soon. Well not too soon but at least starting from 2014 progressively a new so called E-Ticket system will be introduced. Plan is to have it all done by 2014 which is not a tough deadline I would say.
The tickets will be step by step replaced with a plastic card which is based on the same technology as PayPass and many people know already from cities like London where the Oyster Card also replaced paper tickets.
The first step will be to replace time based tickets such as monthly tickets which allow owners to travel unlimited within Budapest. As a second step than the one time tickets will fade out and the last step is the installation of automated entrance and exit stations that might will probably result in less jobs in the public transport sector as inspectors will drop out by 2015.
Additionally the city is planning to introduce P+R parking spots connected to the HÉV stations which are the suburban trains and also for Metro Line M2. With this step obviously the heavy city traffic should be reduced.
The entire project is connected to a cost of 1.1 billion HUF which is roughly 3.75 million Euro.
Hungarian Worlds 2. Hardest Language
Sziasztok, a poll of lexiophiles.com in 2009 (I know it is long time ago) about “which are the hardest languages to learn in the world” resulted in a number 2 position for Hungary, meaning that Hungarian is the second hardest language to learn. Of course that is always in the eye of the beholder as for Europeans Chinese or Arabic is probably much harder and the other way around. Nevertheless it is very interesting to see that Hungarian is on the list at all since it is a fairly small country and spoken by a few people over the world it is not always in the picture as Chinese or Arabic. Number 1 by the way is Basque and number 3 is Chinese.
I myself started learning Hungarian in 2005 and can agree that it is a very hard to learn language but once you get into it and you mix with the locals and speak to Hungarians a lot e.g. at work or in the pub it just gets in your brain as it probably does with any other language to learn. In case you would like to learn Hungarian here is a list of Language Schools in Budapest or in case you just come for a visit check out some words you can learn and use quick.
So Hungarian is hard to learn and it is spoken only by a few people, why to bother? I think that it is only fair and showing respect towards locals if you at least make an effort towards them the same you would expect it from foreigners in your country as well. Not that you need to speak perfect Hungarian but at least some basics and some friendly expressions that help you through the day. Just my 2 cents concerning this topic.
What is your opinion on Hungarian as a foreign language? And what do you think, should expats learn Hungarian or is it not necessary?
This article was written in Daily Life, EducationCost of Living in Budapest
If you are thinking about to move to Budapest for studying or working here you have to face the daily life and costs in Budapest and Hungary. Most people moving here from all over the world come to Hungary because of the job, just think about big companies such as Vodafone, Mercedes or Audi, or the second reason is love. So you come to the country, find an apartment and start your job but there are of course duties that have to be done. From my own experience I can tell you that there are a lot of things that have to be taken care of from paying the bills for gas to shopping your daily supplies. In this article I would like to give an overview about how much do things cost, something like the Big Mac index, and what you have to expect to spend for your daily life. Please note that all prices are just approximate numbers and can change very fast such as cigarettes or gasoline. To get an idea how much Hungarians can afford, the average net income in Hungary is around 120.000 HUF per month.
Cost for Food in Budapest
- Daily Menu in the business district – 1.300 HUF
- Fast Food Menu (e.g. Big Mac menu) – 1.200 HUF
- 1kg of chicken breast – 1.200 HUF
- 1 liter of milk – 250 HUF
- 1kg of tomatoes – 480 HUF
- 12 Eggs – 400 HUF
- 1kg of normal, local cheese – 800 HUF
- 1kg of apples – 300 HUF
- 1kg of potatoes – 330 HUF
- 0,5l can of beer – 200 HUF
- 1l bottle of normal quality red wine – 1.800 HUF
- 1l Coca Cola – 330 HUF
Housing costs in Budapest
- monthly rent for a 85 m2 furnished downtown apartment – 125.000 HUF
- monthly cost of utilities such as gas, electricity, heating etc (2 people in a 85 m2 apartment) – 40.000 HUF
- 8MB internet flatrate per month – 5.000 HUF
- 40″ flat screen TV – 150.000 HUF
- Microwave – 20.000 HUF
- Cleaning help (hourly rate) – 2.500 HUF
Costs for Clothes in Budapest
- Pair of Levis 501 – 25.000 HUF
- 1 pair of Adidas trainers – 20.000 HUF
- 1 pair of average business leather shoes – 18.000 HUF
Costs for Transportation / Mobility in Budapest
- Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI – 4.300.000 HUF
- 1 liter of gasoline – 420 HUF
- 1 ticket for Public Transportation – 360 HUF
- Monthly ticket for Public Transportation – 9.000 HUF
- Taxi from the airport to the city center – 3.000 HUF
Costs for Personal Care
- 6 days of normal medicine against flue – 1.500 HUF
- Average Deodorant – 580 HUF
- Regular Hair Shampoo – 750 HUF
- 4 rolls of toilet paper – 370 HUF
- Tube of toothpaste – 470 HUF
- Standard Mens haircut – 2.500 HUF
Costs for Entertainment in Budapest
- Basic dinner for 2 persons in neighborhood area – 4.500 HUF
- 2 cinema tickets – 2.500 HUF
- 2 theatre tickets – 7.200 HUF
- Dinner for 2 in an good restaurant incl. wine and dessert – 10.000 HUF
- 1 cocktail in a city center bar – 1.300 HUF
- Cappuccino in the downtown area – 500 HUF
- 1 beer in the pub – 450 HUF
- Monthly fee in the fitness studio – 15.000 HUF
- 1 package of Marlboro cigarettes – 690 HUF
Please keep in mind, as mentioned above, that prices are only approximate as they very much depend on the place and also change very fast. A proper dinner for 2 can also be 6.000 HUF only or exceed 15.000 HUF easily. Beer in a real kocsma can be 300 HUF only but in trendy bars don’t be surprised to pay 750 HUF. This article should just give a rough overview of what to expect for certain services. If you have a special request for a service or product or you disagree strongly with a point just drop me a line in the comments.
This article was written in Daily Life, General, StudyCelebrities with Hungarian Roots
Hungary is such a small country one might think that not many well known people come from there but you are wrong, there are several worldwide celebrities who are either Hungarian or at least have Hungarian roots. You will be amazed what celebrities have something to do with Hungary so here we go.
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein is a New York born designer from Jewish-Hungarian immigrants
Jamie Lee Curtis
Just like Calvin Klein Jamie Lee Curtis has Jewish-Hungarian ancestors
Freddie Prince Jr.
Hi grandfather was Jewish-Hungarian as well
Drew Barrymore
Her mothers name is Ildikó, I think that says it all
Paul Newman
His parents are Jews from Poland and Hungary
Alanis Morisette
Same here, mother is Jewish-Hungarian
Adrien Brody
His mother is a Budapest born lady
Goldie Hawn
Goldie Hawns mother is the daughter of Hungarian immigrants
Kate Hudson
Since Kate Hudson is the mother of Goldie Hawn, she is quarter Hungarian
Rachel Weisz
Weisz György, a Hungarian inventor is her father
Tara Reid
Tara is a super mixture of different nationalities, Hungarian is one of them
Andrew G. Vajna
Budapest born, still very present in Hungary and most Hungarians know that he is Hungarian so it is not such a surprise
River and Joaquin Phoenix
The grandparents are Jewish-Hungarian
Estee Lauder
She is the child of a Hungarian and a Czech
And there are also some other such as Tony Curtis, Mark Knopfler or Gene Simmons who also have somewhere Hungarian roots. I think it is quite impressive how many celebrities which we know from many movies, as singers or other world wide famous artists are actually with Hungarian background.
This article was written in Hungary, OddTropicarium Budapest
Tropicarium Budapest
The Tropicarium in Budapest is the biggest indoor aquarium in Central Europe andis the home of several thousand fishes, reptiles and other animals living under water or in tropical areas around the world. With thousands of visitors week by week the Tropicarium is one of the top indoor attractions of Budapest and is especially popular among kids. The highlights are probably the crocodiles and the sharks swimming in a massive aquarium with a tunnel made of glass to have the best view. Though to be honest both of them are fairly boring to watch, the crocodiles are laying around and move very rarely, the sharks are swimming (they have to in order to survive) but it is the same way over and over again. Nevertheless the Tropicarium in Budapest is worth a visit if you are interested in the under water world or if you have kids fascinated by all those creatures.
Budapest Android Application
Budapest Android Apps
This artcile introduces a few Budapest Android applications that I would like to present you here. As Android is becoming a more and more popular Operating System for mobile phones I had a look at the Android market how you as an Android user can improve your trip to Budapest with a free application to guide you throught the city or give you some tips on the go. Basically what I found are 2 Applications about Budapest as a kind of travel guide and 1 App for information about the Budapest Airport.
If you plan to come to Budapest and need an application for recommendations and tips have a look on the apps I downloaded and had a closer look on. I think that it is a good compliment but does not replace a Budapest Guide or decent research before arrival. Don’t rely on the app to bring you to all the cool places.
Most Common Hungarian Surnames
Hungarian Sirnames, just like in other countries, often refer to a profession such as Smith, Tailor or Miller. But in Hungary it is also common to have countries as a surname for example Német (German), Horváth (Croat) or Tóth (Slovak) which obviously comes from the former great Hungary when parts of surrounding countries belonged to Hungary. Below you can find a list of the 20 most common Surnames in Hungary which make a total of 21% of the population (arround 2 million in total) that is approximately the size of Budapest. So here we go.
101 Things to See and Do in Budapest
The full list of things you must see and do in Budapest
There are some things you have to see or do in Budapest. Some are in the Budapest guides, some not so here is an all complete list of things to see in Budapest! The points will have small comments what it is about or why you have to do it, most of them have links for further, more detailed information. This list will be updated constantly and if you have any suggestions about what to see or do please leave a comment.
Hungary Escort
Here you can find the best Hungary Escort Girls from all over the country. This page is dedicated to give you an overview of Escorts in Hungary but not in Budapest. If you are searching for Budapest Escorts please click here. So what you will find here are escorts from other places than Budapest such as Siofok Escorts, Miskolc Escorts, Gyor Escorts, Debrencen Escorts or Girls from Lake Balaton. Wherever you travel you will find a nice girl to spend the night with and have fun.
Hungarian Name Days
Hungarians are really crazy about name days. Especially older people rather celebrate their name days than their birthday which is basically drawing the attention away from their age. You can find big parties going on just like you celebrate your birthday. In Hungary it is tradition that you give a present for somebodys name day or at least some flowers to girls. Nevertheless this is reason enough to give you the list of Hungarian name days by date.
Shared Office in Budapest
Colabs Shared Office Budapest
If you are running a small business from home but you are missing the collegial environment of an office I have a superb solution for you. A shared office in Budapest. Prices for offices, even though office buildings are built one after the other, are quite high and most of the time not affordable for small business owners. The solution of a shared office is perfect for everybody who wants to get out of his or her home.
Grand Market Hall Budapest
The Grand Market Hall in Budapest (Hungarian: Vásárcsarnok) is one of the main attraction for tourists. If you go to a foreign country I think markets are a great way to discovers the culture and food preferences of the country. If I am on holiday usually half a day is reserved to go to a market and check out what is offered there.
It is probably the same in the Grand Market Hall in Budapest because you find typical Hungarian things such as paprika powder, goose liver or Pálinka. At least that is what the tourists should think about Hungary and their eating habits and I guess that is similar in any other touristic market in the world, they try to make you believe what is traditional. But of course Hungary is not only about paprika, Goulash and Salami even though that is what you mainly find in Grand Market Hall.
Mobile Phone Providers in Hungary
Always available
Hungary has three major mobile phone providers. These three split up the market. Market leader is T-Mobile formerly known as Westel. Vodafone and Pannon are close behind. If you decide to get a mobile phone we recommend to take the provider your friends use because the minute fees within the network are cheaper than to other networks. Further there is no major differnece between them but have a closer look at the 3 major ones.
Low Cost Airlines to Budapest
Cheap flight to Budapest
From all over Europe it is possible to fly with low cost airlines to Budapest. But don’t expect too low prices and of course look at the hidden costs. Many of these airlines work with methods that make the price no so low anymore. For example Germanwings asks for 5€ per extra lagguage. All airlines add the airport fees and taxes. In most cases the really good offer you see in the beginning is a medium price in the end. Additionally go and book your flight as early as possible because with every day the prices go up.
Below you find a list with all cheap airlines flying to Budapest and all it’s departure cities.
Blogs about Budapest
Be up to date!
You search for daily information about Budapest? One of the several blogs about Budapest might be the right point for you to get up to date daily information. Blogs are designed to fast upload fresh content and inform readers about real time issues such as political changes, cultural happenings or just a daily life of an expat in Budapest. To bring you daily information I have created a list of Blogs that deliver good and reliable information about the topic Budapest, Hungary and even more.
Studay abroad in Budapest
Education on top level!
Many universities around the world offer to study a semester or year abroad in Budapest. In Budapest you find top universities for every subject such as the technical university or business studies are well developed in Budapest. Next to the studies in Budapest you will not be bored due to the great nightlife, the amazing city and the firendly people around here. I want to introduce you some universities that offer to study abroad in Budapest. Of course we cannot list all so go to your university office and check if one of the Budapest universities is on the list.
International Kindergartens
International from the start!
If you live with your family in Budapest and want to send your child to an international kindergarten this is you list. You will find all international kindergartens of Budapest to send your child to. Of course there are some private international day cares in Budapest as well which you can check out. To be sure your child grows up in an international environment it might be interesting for you to sent him or her to one of the facilities below.
Libraries in Budapest
Read good books!
If you fancy reading a book once in a while but don’t want to buy it or it is not avilable anymore for any reason I recommend to you to go to one of the many libraries in Budapest. In most of them you can find fantastic books and even international ones if you don’t speak Hungarian. Check out the libraries listed below.
International Book Stores
English, French, German books!
For foreigners there are several bookstores in Budapest offering books in many different languages such as German, English, french, Italian and so on. Of course the big bookstores like Libri offer international books as well but there are some bookstores in Budapest specialized on foreign language books.
Universities in Budapest
The universities in Budapest
Budapest is a city full of universities with a lot of students not only from Hungary but also all over Europe and the rest of the world. You could say that Budapest is a student city which also reflects in the club, bar and nightlife scene of Budapest. If you decided to come to Budapest to study check out the universities in Budapest.
