Ungarn

Top 5 Orte

1. Hungarian Parliament Building · Budapest

   Landmark neo-Gothic building on the Danube; guided tours show the Holy Crown.

2. Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion · Budapest

   Castle district with museums, Matthias Church and the best views over Pest.

3. Szechenyi Thermal Bath · Budapest

   Huge outdoor and indoor thermal pools in City Park, open year round.

4. Lake Balaton · Siofok / Tihany / Keszthely

   Central Europe's largest lake: summer beaches, wine hills and the Tihany peninsula.

5. Eger · Eger

   Baroque town with a castle, thermal baths and the Valley of the Beautiful Women wine cellars.

Unterwegs vor Ort

• Öffentlicher Nahverkehr

  BudapestGO

  Official BKK app for route planning and buying tickets and passes for metro, trams, buses and trolleybuses. Day and multi-day passes are usually cheaper than single tickets. EU citizens 65+ ride free.

• Fahrdienst-App

  Bolt

  The main ride app in Budapest. Rides are done by licensed taxis at the regulated tariff, with the price shown before booking. Good way to avoid street taxi overcharging.

• Taxi

  Fotaxi / City Taxi

  Use official yellow taxis with a meter and company name, or order by phone/app. Fotaxi is the official airport taxi. Budapest taxi fares are fixed by the city (base fee plus per km and per minute), so every licensed taxi charges the same rate.

• Fahrdienst-App

  Uber

  Uber left Hungary in 2016. Reports say it returned in 2024 working with Fotaxi, but availability is patchy (varies). Bolt is the more reliable choice.

• Bikesharing

  MOL Bubi

  City bike share with about 200 docking stations in Budapest, open 24 hours, rented through the MOL Bubi app.

• E-Scooter

  Lime / Dott

  Dockless e-scooters in central Budapest, unlocked by app and charged per minute. Some zones have speed limits and no-parking areas.

• Züge

  MAV (Hungarian State Railways)

  Trains from Budapest to Lake Balaton, Eger, Pecs and abroad. Buy tickets in the MAV app or at machines. Volanbusz runs the long-distance bus network.

Geld und Bargeld

Währung: HUF · Hungarian forint

Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere in Budapest, including most taxis and markets. Keep some forint coins and small notes for tips, toilets and small stalls. Euros are sometimes accepted in tourist spots but at a poor rate. Use bank ATMs (not Euronet), always choose to be charged in HUF, and never change money on the street.

Wechselkurs nach HUF prüfen

Trinkgeld

Tipping is customary in Hungary, usually around 10-15% when service is good. Many restaurants, especially in central Budapest, now add a service charge (szervizdij) of 10-15% to the bill. If a service charge is on the bill you do not need to tip on top of it.

Nützliche Sätze

• A számlát kérem. The bill, please.
• Benne van a szervízdíj? Is the service charge included?
• Kerekítse fel ... forintra, kérem. Please make it ... forints (round up to this total).

Umgangsformen

• Greet shop and restaurant staff with 'Jó napot' (good day); a handshake is the normal greeting when meeting people.
• Old tradition: some Hungarians avoid clinking beer glasses (linked to the 1848-49 revolution). Clinking wine or palinka is fine.
• Say 'Egészségedre' (cheers) and make eye contact when toasting.
• In thermal baths, follow posted rules: swimwear required in most pools, swim caps in lap pools, shower first.
• Cover shoulders and avoid beachwear when visiting churches and the Great Synagogue (men cover heads in the synagogue; kippas provided).
• Validate paper tickets before travel or have a valid digital ticket; inspectors fine on the spot.
• Bargaining is not normal in shops; only light haggling at flea markets.

Maschen und wie du damit umgehst

• Overpriced bar or restaurant bill

  Wo: Budapest centre, especially around Vaci utca and nightlife streets

  So funktioniert’s: Bars and restaurants with no clear prices charge huge amounts for drinks or food, and staff may escort tourists to an ATM to pay.

  So vermeidest du es: Check a menu with prices before ordering and check the bill carefully. If threatened, call 112 and do not go to an ATM with staff.

• Friendly women invite you to a bar

  Wo: Central Pest, evenings

  So funktioniert’s: Women approach men on the street, suggest a drink at a bar they choose, then the bill runs to hundreds of euros and security forces payment.

  So vermeidest du es: Decline invitations to a specific bar from strangers; choose the venue yourself and see prices first.

• Taxi touts and fake taxis

  Wo: Keleti and Nyugati stations, airport arrivals, tourist spots

  So funktioniert’s: Unlicensed or rogue drivers quote high flat fares or use rigged meters. Some get commissions for taking tourists to rip-off bars.

  So vermeidest du es: Use Bolt, the official Fotaxi stand at the airport, or phone a licensed company. Licensed Budapest taxis are yellow with a meter.

• Street money changers and bad exchange booths

  Wo: Tourist streets and stations

  So funktioniert’s: Street changers hand over fake or out-of-date notes; some booths advertise 'no commission' but give poor rates.

  So vermeidest du es: Never change money on the street. Use bank ATMs or compare the real rate before exchanging.

• Dynamic currency conversion at ATMs and card terminals

  Wo: Euronet ATMs, shops, restaurants

  So funktioniert’s: The machine or terminal offers to charge you in your home currency at a bad rate, often with high ATM fees.

  So vermeidest du es: Always choose to pay in HUF and prefer bank ATMs.

• Extra tip demand on top of service charge

  Wo: Tourist-area restaurants

  So funktioniert’s: Staff claim the service charge does not go to them and ask for an additional tip.

  So vermeidest du es: By law the service charge goes to staff. Politely decline an extra tip if service charge is already on the bill.

• Pickpocketing teams

  Wo: Metro line 2 and 3, tram 4/6, Keleti station, Christmas markets, ruin bars

  So funktioniert’s: Groups jostle or distract in crowds and lift phones and wallets.

  So vermeidest du es: Keep valuables in front pockets or a zipped bag, especially on crowded transport.

Sicherheit

• Hungary has low violent crime; the main risk is pickpocketing and bag snatching, especially on busy public transport, at stations and markets.
• Pickpocket hotspots: metro stations, trams 4 and 6, Keleti and Nyugati stations, Vaci utca, Christmas markets, the ruin bar district (District VII) and Danube cruise boarding points.
• Drink spiking has been reported in Budapest bars: buy your own drinks and keep them in sight.
• Railway stations can be rough at night; take a Bolt or licensed taxi rather than walking long distances late.
• Use bank ATMs inside banks where possible and check for tampering.
• Carry ID (passport or ID card); police can ask for it.

Wie verbreitet Englisch ist

Good in central Budapest hotels, restaurants and with younger people; limited among older people and outside the big cities. German is also fairly widely understood.

Quellen

• GOV.UK Foreign travel advice: Hungary, safety and security
• Helpers Finance: Tipping and service fees at Hungarian restaurants
• Wikivoyage: Budapest
• Tripadvisor Budapest forum: Service charge
• Portfolio.hu: Uber to return to Budapest after eight years
• Budapest Info: alternative means of transport

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