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.

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.

January Name Days

1. Fruzsina
2. Ábel
3. Genovéva, Benjámin
4. Titusz, Leona
5. Simon
6. Boldizsár
7. Attila, Ramóna
8. Gyöngyvér
9. Marcell
10. Melánia
11. Ágota
12. Ernő
13. Veronika
14. Bódog
15. Lóránt, Loránd
16. Gusztáv
17. Antal, Antónia
18. Piroska
19. Sára, Márió
20. Fábián, Sebestyén
21. Ágnes
22. Vince, Artúr
23. Zelma, Rajmund
24. Timót
25. Pál
26. Vanda, Paula
27. Angelika
28. Károly, Karola
29. Adél
30. Martina, Gerda
31. Marcella

February Name Days

1. Ignác
2. Karolina, Aida
3. Balázs
4. Ráhel, Csenge
5. Ágota, Ingrid
6. Dorottya, Dóra
7. Tódor, Rómeó
8. Aranka
9. Abigél, Alex
10. Elvira
11. Bertold, Marietta
12. Lídia, Lívia
13. Ella, Linda
14. Bálint, Valentin
15. Kolos, Georgina
16. Julianna, Lilla
17. Donát
18. Bernadett
19. Zsuzsanna
20. Aladár, Álmos
21. Eleonóra
22. Gerzson
23. Alfréd
24. Mátyás
25. Géza
26. Edina
27. Ákos, Bátor
28. Elemér

March Name Days

1. Albin
2. Lujza
3. Kornélia
4. Kázmér
5. Adorján, Adrián
6. Leonóra, Inez
7. Tamás
8. Zoltán
9. Franciska, Fanni
10. Ildikó
11. Szilárd
12. Gergely
13. Krisztián, Ajtony
14. Matild
15. Kristóf
16. Henrietta
17. Gertrúd, Patrik
18. Sándor, Ede
19. József, Bánk
20. Klaudia,
21. Benedek
22. Beáta, Izolda, Lea
23. Emőke
24. Gábor, Karina
25. Irén, Írisz
26. Emánuel
27. Hajnalka
28. Gedeon, Johanna
29. Auguszta
30. Zalán
31. Árpád

April Name Days

1. Hugó
2. Áron
3. Buda, Richárd
4. Izidor
5. Vince
6. Vilmos, Bíborka
7. Herman
8. Dénes
9. Erhard
10. Zsolt
11. Leó, Szaniszló
12. Gyula
13. Ida
14. Tibor
15. Anasztázia, Tas
16. Csongor
17. Rudolf
18. Andrea, Ilma
19. Emma
20. Tivadar
21. Konrád
22. Csilla, Noémi
23. Béla
24. György
25. Márk
26. Ervin
27. Zita
28. Valéria
29. Péter
30. Katalin, Kitti

May Name Days

1. Fülöp, Jakab
2. Zsigmond
3. Tímea, Irma
4. Mónika, Flórián
5. Györgyi
6. Ivett, Frida
7. Gizella
8. Mihály
9. Gergely
10. Ármin, Pálma
11. Ferenc
12. Pongrác
13. Szervác, Imola
14. Bonifác
15. Zsófia, Szonja
16. Mózes, Botond
17. Paszkál
18. Erik, Alexandra
19. Ivó, Milán
20. Bernát, Felícia
21. Konstantin
22. Júlia, Rita
23. Dezső
24. Eszter, Eliza
25. Orbán
26. Fülöp, Evelin
27. Hella
28. Emil, Csanád
29. Magdolna
30. Janka, Zsanett
31. Angéla, Petronella

June Name Days

1. Tünde
2. Kármen, Anita
3. Klotild, Cecília
4. Bulcsú
5. Fatime, Fatima
6. Norbert, Cintia
7. Róbert
8. Medárd
9. Félix
10. Margit, Gréta
11. Barnabás
12. Villő
13. Antal, Anett
14. Vazul
15. Jolán, Vid
16. Jusztin
17. Laura, Alida
18. Arnold, Levente
19. Gyárfás
20. Rafael
21. Alajos, Leila
22. Paulina
23. Zoltán
24. Iván
25. Vilmos
26. János, Pál
27. László
28. Levente, Irén
29. Péter, Pál
30. Pál

July Name Days

1. Tihamér, Annamária
2. Ottó
3. Kornél, Soma
4. Ulrik
5. Emese, Sarolta
6. Csaba
7. Apollónia
8. Ellák
9. Lukrécia
10. Amália
11. Nóra, Lili
12. Izabella, Dalma
13. Jenő
14. Örs, Stella
15. Henrik, Roland, Örkény
16. Valter
17. Endre, Elek
18. Frigyes
19. Emília
20. Illés
21. Dániel, Daniella
22. Magdolna
23. Lenke
24. Kinga, Kincső
25. Kristóf, Jakab
26. Anna, Anikó
27. Olga, Liliána
28. Szabolcs
29. Márta, Flóra
30. Judit, Xénia
31. Oszkár

August Name Days

1. Boglárka
2. Lehel
3. Hermina
4. Domonkos, Dominika
5. Krisztina
6. Berta, Bettina
7. Ibolya
8. László
9. Emőd
10. Lőrinc
11. Zsuzsanna, Tiborc
12. Klára
13. Ipoly
14. Marcell
15. Mária
16. Ábrahám
17. Jácint
18. Ilona
19. Huba
20. István
21. Sámuel, Hajna
22. Menyhért, Mirjam
23. Bence
24. Bertalan
25. Lajos, Patrícia
26. Izsó
27. Gáspár
28. Ágoston
29. Beatrix, Erna
30. Rózsa
31. Erika, Bella

September Name Days

1. Egyed, Egon
2. Rebeka, Dorina
3. Hilda
4. Rozália
5. Viktor, Lőrinc
6. Zakariás
7. Regina
8. Mária, Adrienn
9. Ádám
10. Nikolett, Hunor
11. Teodóra
12. Mária
13. Kornél
14. Szeréna, Roxána
15. Enikő, Melitta
16. Edit
17. Zsófia
18. Diána
19. Vilhelmina
20. Friderika
21. Máté, Mirella
22. Móric
23. Tekla, Líviusz
24. Gellért, Mercédesz
25. Eufrozina, Kende
26. Jusztina
27. Adalbert
28. Vencel
29. Mihály
30. Jeromos

October Name Days

1. Malvin
2. Petra
3. Helga
4. Ferenc
5. Aurél
6. Brúnó, Renáta
7. Amália
8. Koppány
9. Dénes
10. Gedeon
11. Brigitta
12. Miksa
13. Kálmán, Ede
14. Helén
15. Teréz
16. Gál
17. Hedvig
18. Lukács
19. Nándor
20. Vendel
21. Orsolya
22. Előd
23. Gyöngyi
24. Salamon
25. Blanka, Bianka
26. Dömötör
27. Szabina
28. Simon, Szimonetta
29. Nárcisz
30. Alfonz
31. Farkas

November Name Days

1. Marianna
2. Achilles
3. Győző
4. Károly
5. Imre
6. Lénárd
7. Rezső
8. Zsombor
9. Tivadar
10. Réka
11. Márton
12. Jónás, Renátó
13. Szilvia
14. Aliz
15. Albert, Lipót
16. Ödön
17. Hortenzia, Gergő
18. Jenő
19. Erzsébet
20. Jolán
21. Olivér
22. Cecília
23. Kelemen, Klementina
24. Emma
25. Katalin
26. Virág
27. Virgil
28. Stefánia
29. Taksony
30. András, Andor

December Name Days

1. Elza
2. Melinda, Vivien
3. Ferenc
4. Borbála, Barbara
5. Vilma
6. Miklós
7. Ambrus
8. Mária
9. Natália
10. Judit
11. Árpád, Árpádina
12. Gabriella
13. Luca, Otília
14. Szilárda
15. Valér
16. Etelka, Aletta
17. Lázár, Olimpia
18. Auguszta
19. Viola
20. Teofil
21. Tamás
22. Zénó
23. Viktória
24. Ádám, Éva
25. Eugénia
26. István
27. János
28. Kamilla
29. Tamás, Tamara
30. Dávid
31. Szilveszter

The weather in Budapest and Hungary is a normal Middle and Eastern European weather. It has definetly peaks, especially in the winter wich can hurt because it can get down to 20 degrees below zero but that’s really rarely. The average temeperature during winter months is -5 to -10 degrees celsius. In the summer time in Budapest cafes, pubs and bars get out their chairs and tables to serve the guests on the streets or in the backyard. This time is for sure the one when you want to come to Budapest.

As all cities do, Budapest has many twin or partner cities all over the world. With its 2 million inhabitants Budapest has quite big cities as twin cities e.g. New York City or Berlin. Check out the list of all twin cities of Budapest.

• Berlin, Germany since 1991
• Fort Worth, Texas, USA since 1990
• Lisbon, Portugal since 1992
• New York City, USA since 1992
• Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1995
• Tel Aviv, Israel
• Vienna, Austria
• Zagreb, Croatia since 1994
• Frankfurt, Germany since 1990
• Košice, Slovakia
• Vilnius, Lithuania
• Dublin, Ireland since 2006
• Istanbul, Turkey

There are three major train stations in Budapest. Déli pályaudvar which is the biggest train station on the Buda site, Nyugati pályaudvar which is the biggest train station and Keleti pályaudvar which is the most frequented train station in Budapest.
For international trains I would start looking at Keleti pályaudvar as there are the most international trains leaving and arriving if you are going to the west. For trains leaving and arriving from the east the Nyugati pályaudvar is the right to look for. 

Keleti Pályaudvar

Most international trains arrive and leave at Keleti train station. The trains coming from western countries therefore have to go through the whole city to reach Keleti railway station. The railway station can be reached with Metro M2. For a better orientation even though it is unfailable we give you a picture of Keleti pályaudvar.

Nyugati Pályaudvar

The Nyugati train station is the station for domestic trains. Most trains here are going to the outskirts and smaller cities of Eastern Hungary. The Nyugati train station can be reached with Metro M3. You cannot miss the Nyugati pályaudvar but nevertheless we offer you a picture:

Déli Pályaudvar

The Déli train station is covering the domestic western part of Hungary as well as some Internetional trains. The station is very rotten and ugly. Déli pályudvar can be reached with Metro M2. Deli pályaudvar is the biggest train station on the Buda side and every taxi driver knows but for a better orientation we give you a picture od Déli pályaudvar. 

Of course, most information about Budapest you will get here on BudapestAgent.com but once in the city without mobile device and you need a Budapest map or some information about traveling or whatever you might probably want to see a tourist office near you. So here are adresses of official tourist offices in Budapest. But don’t be shy, Hungarians are friendly people and most probably will help you if you can.

• Head office: 1052 Deak ter (Sütö utca 2) 
  Phone: +36 1 438-8080 
• 1061 Lisz Ferenc ter 11
  Phone: +36 1 322-4098
• 1062 Nyugati Palyaudvar
  Phone: +36 1 302-8580
• 1014 Szentharomsag ter
  Phone: +36 1 488-0475
• 1052 Varoshaz utca 7
  Phone: +36 1 428-0377

Taxis are the best way to get from A to B in Budapest as they are quite cheap and you don’t have to worry which way to go. Nevertheless there are many taxi companies trying to ripp tourists off and make some extra money. phenomenon which I haven’t seen anywhere else is that the taxi is cheaper if you call it by phone than if you catch it on the street or let the hotel call it. Also pay attention on where the taxi driver is going with you as some try to cheat and take longer ways to earn more money but that is usually not the case. Therefore it is useful to always have the number of your favourite taxi company with you just in case you need a taxi. The companies listed below are all reliable and speak Enlish so you can choose which ever sounds best to you.

If you decide to travel by public transportation in Budapest during your stay the first thing you should do is to get a map of the bus, tram, metro, HÉV network. These are the four major transportation ways in Budapest. Usually you get the maps on any big square like Deak Ferenc tér, Oktogon, Moskva tér and so on. But also on the train stations and at the Budapest airport. There you get tickets as well. You can choose between single tickets and weekend tickets or if you stay longer it would be good to get ticket for a complete month.

Budapest Metro

The Metro in Budapest is the fastest way to travel through the city. There are three different Metro lines going through Budapest. 
M1 (yellow line) is going from Mexikói ut in the north east of Budapest to Vörösmarty tér in the center of the City.
M2 (red line) is going from Déli pu (west train station) on the Buda side to Örs vezér tér in the eastern part of Budapest.
M3 (blue line) is going from Újpest központ in northern Budapest to Köbánya Kispest in the south of Budapest.

All Metros are running between 4.30 and 23.30 o’clock

Bus and Tram

The bus and tram network in Budapest is very big so there is no chance to describe it like the metro net. We give you some good links you can use.
The tickets are most of the time sol in metro stations. There you can buy one way tickets, weekend tickets or tickets for a month. Here you can find all ticket offices by district.
If you are at a ticket office ask for a bus and tram map.

Budapest HÉV

The Budapest Hév is a train going from different places at the center to the suburbs of the city. In total there are 4 Hévs starting from different points in Budapest. For quick travelling to places like Szentendre the HÉV is a perfect transportation as it is modern and fast and in the same time cheap. In the morning traffic the HÉV in Budapest is unbeatable.

Many of the national holidays in Hungary are the same as in other countries such as Easter, New Years Eve or Christmas. Of course there are some differences but mostly they are similar. One thing here in Hungary that differs and was new to me since we don’t have this rule in Germany is that bank holidays have to be compensated on another day. Means if the public holiday is on a tuesday and you get the monday off it is very likely (most of the time even regulated by the law) that you have to work the following saturday and have only sunday off that weekend. A rule which I don’t really like but OK. 

Anyways, here are the public holidays in Hungary.

• 01.01. New Year
• 15.03. Anniversary of the Revolution (1848-49) and War of Independence
• 16/17.04. Easter
• 01.05. Labour Day
• 04.06. White Sunday
• 05.06. White Monday
• 20.08. Celebration of the Foundation of the State and St. Stephen of Hungary’s Day
• 23.10. Day of the Proclamation of the Republic, Anniversary of the Revolution (1956)
• 01.11. All Saints Day
• 25.12. Christmas Day
• 26.12. 2nd Day of Christmas

The All Saints day is a very much celebrated day in Hungary. Everybody goes to the cemetery to put flowers on the grave. On that day all shops are closed so the city is empty but the cemeteries are crowded.