# Budapest travel from Airport



## myhottoddy (Oct 19, 2010)

Will be arriving at BUD on a Thursday mid AM. We will stay 2 nights near castle area prior to boarding a river cruise.  Need help with public transportation from airport to city center.  2-people with large suitcases and back pack. Also can I convert US $ at the airport with ATM.  I have a Capital One Card that does not charge conversion fee.  Any info is appreciated.


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## Passepartout (Oct 19, 2010)

Much depends on your fitness and comfort level with international travel and languages. I found Budapest fairly easy to get around, the people helpful. The Budapest www.bkv.hu (local transport collective) showed their routes, rates, tourism opportunities on public transport. There's a button to read it in English. If you don't want to schlep your bags etc and deal with buses or trams (I can't blame you), I googled 'Budapest airport transfer' and found several outfits that would provide door-to-door airport to any hotel for under 20 Euro each way for 2 people. Here's one: http://www.airporttransfersbudapest.com/transferorder_budapest.html

I'm going to guess that the airport will have bank ATMs. Look for them after you've retrieved your bags and cleared customs. They will be outside the secure area. Don't use the money-changing booth.

I can recommend the funicular from the Chain Bridge up to the Castle hill. I took my bride up there for a romantic dinner and views of the Parliament, St Stevens etc. 

Sounds funny, but we enjoyed the old city market alongside the Danube. We bought some Ukrainian lacquer boxes for souvenirs, and some embroidered vests. Lots of hand-work there comes from further East.

Budapest is a great city. As are many you will experience on your cruise. Have fun.

Jim Ricks


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## KarenLK (Oct 19, 2010)

Further East -- do you mean China???


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## Jimster (Oct 19, 2010)

*travel*

Budapest is a city with good public transportation but if you are lugging big bags (I am unclear why anyone would have big bags, however)do yourself a favor and get a private airport transfer.  It is not that expensive.  I am reminded of "penny wise and dollar foolish."  Once you are near the castle then you can take the subway almost everywhere.  If you want a slice of the USA Hungarian style I'd try the West End mall.  It is almost more American than America.  It has a TGI Fridays and Hilton and many other familiar stores and a movie theater too.  I know you didn't travel all that way just to see another American mall but if you are there long enough, you may miss some USA amenities.  Personally, I sometimes like to dine at an American style restaurant because I miss "free refills" - a concept lost on the Europeans.  I have to have my requisite amount of Coca Cola LIght (it is really Coke Zero but they don't have Coke Zero or Diet Coke).  If you don't go to that type of restaurant, then be prepared for a charge of about $5.00 per diet coke.  Obviously, also enjoy the ethnic food.


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## vacationhopeful (Oct 19, 2010)

Love Budapest!  Must go to the Szechenyi Bath ... opens around 6AM. Closing at various times based on the season of the year. When I was there several years ago, English was not a widely printed or spoken language.  But language was not an issue at the baths. Is really a big part of their cultural experience. These are very reasonably priced baths. 

All pools are coed. Outdoor pools are (1)quiet thermal pools with chess boards, (2)center pool cold water is lap pools, and (3)water park thermal pool with jets & a current channel. Indoor pools include a hot pool, ice plunge, and regular thermal pool. Some rooms are beautiful - love the pool with the business people reading the folded newspapers like on a subway and the domed ceiling.

Changing rooms are in the basement under the entrance; the men's room is used by some women as a short cut to the metro station or trolley stops --- men changing, woman walking thru.... No curtains or booths. :hysterical: 

Next to last stop on M1 (Metro 1) in behind Hero's Square ....

Rick Steves did a 1/2 hr DVD tour of Budapest City 3 short months (in August) before I went the first time (about 6 years ago). Rent it (borrow from a library). It is one of the few which was allowed to fill at those city baths. When I saw it 9 months or so after I went on TV, all I kept saying was "that is exactly what I saw".

Added: Use the private transportation from the airport.


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## Passepartout (Oct 19, 2010)

KarenLK said:


> Further East -- do you mean China???



Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Iranian caviar. We saw lots of handmade merchandise from there. I found an antique shop on a back street and bought an old petit point needle work picture. We went there shortly after the Soviet breakup. Lots of people who had little were liquidating it for Western cash. China, not so much.... Jim


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## urban5 (Oct 19, 2010)

We found a transportation service desk at the airport that we used, in 2006 it was 19$ pp round trip from airport to our hotel downtown.  Transport was done in large van and beside me and wife there were only two others in van.  Van service gave us a card with phone number that we had the front desk call the day prior to our leaving to set pick up time.  They were right on time, and got us to the airport with no concerns.  As others have said Budapest is a wonderful City with lots to see and do.  Our hotel was right on the river (Marriott) and sitting on our patio we watched the river cruise boats go by all the time.  Planning on a long river cruise next trip to Europe.


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## Carolinian (Oct 20, 2010)

I second the airport shuttle vans.  They will take you right to your hotel and cheaper than a taxi.  There are counters right after you exit customs.

I usually prefer using local buses and trains from an airport into town and have done this in Budapest, but it is easier going back to the airport than into the city, and it usually involves two changes, tram to metro to bus.

There are two Farihegy airport terminals.  Farihegy I is mainly LCC's and is closer to the city, while Farihegy II is most of the legacy airlines and is farther out.  There are two buses from the relevant metro stop to the airport, one of which takes a convuluted route and only goes to Farihegy I and the other takes a direct route and goes to both.  There is another bus that goes between the two terminals if you end up at the wrong one as it would otherwise be an extremely long walk.

There is also a suburban train that has a Farihegy stop, but this is closer to the village center than the airport, and is walkable from Farihegy I, though a longish walk, but not from Farihegy II.  I have never used the suburban train, but it would also involve changing to the metro, and then probably a bus or tram.


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## beejaybeeohio (Oct 20, 2010)

*Taxi*

We took a taxi to/from airport that was under $40 each way to Hotel Pallazzo Zichy on the Pest side.

Once in the city we used the Metro system every day.  Loved being able to take subway, tram, trolleys and busses.  Beware of 2 things- the escalators down to the platforms move _FAST_! and look out for the old falling gypsy lady scam.


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## myhottoddy (Oct 21, 2010)

*Thanks for the advice*

We have decided to take a shuttle, airport or private, since we can't read the signs in Hungarian!  Hotel is just across from the Hungarian National Museum.  No need to return to the airport since we will board a Viking River cruise after 2 nights at the hotel. Still confused on the currency exchange issue.  Hopefully we can locate an ATM at the airport or pay the shuttle in advance by CC.


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## vacationhopeful (Oct 21, 2010)

Oh, I would so love to be there. I have been there 2 times, both times the during part of the last two weeks of November.

My best travel friend and I went to Heroes Square the very first morning. It was bright and sunny. The trees had no leaves, allowing us to clearly see the skyline, roofs and onion domes, spirals & turrets of the various buildings. Both of us had travelled over a good part of Western Europe - this skyline was so different. It left us both with a "WOW". 

Prague did not feel near as unique, as it had lots of spirals, but not the turrets or scattered onion domes. 

As for the Hungarian signs and language, both of us did just fine. But year 2, our 3rd traveller never stopped whining about all the words with no vowels which made those words impossible to comprehend --- but he always found chocolate covered & filled cousounts and correctly pay for them.


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## Passepartout (Oct 21, 2010)

*Currency exchange...*

As of today the exchange is super easy. $1 USD= almost 200 Hungarian Forints- 199.6... You probably should limit how many Forints you purchase for your 2 days there. Then check what the currency of choice is on Viking R.C. I'm going to guess it's Euros on board, but check- That info will be in the stuff they send you or their FAQs. The Purser's desk will probably exchange (for a price), or find a bank ATM at the first port in Euroland (possibly Vienna?)

Can you slip me into your carry-on? I'd love to go back!

Jim Ricks


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## Jimster (Oct 22, 2010)

*exchange*

I would warn you that you will probably be approached to do a black market exchange for dollars- not a good idea.  Also, make sure you get your subway tickets stamped!  The subway police are not nice people to deal with and they will target foreigners.  If you wonder how they know you are a foreigner, look in the mirror


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## vacationhopeful (Oct 22, 2010)

Jimster said:


> The subway police are not nice people to deal with and they will target foreigners.  If you wonder how they know you are a foreigner, look in the mirror



They BROWN SHIRTs got my best travel friend the first year. It was ALL his fault, really. We travelled in/out of Eastern Europe via Budapest. Upon arrival, we brought single trip transit tickets. The days back in Budapest before heading home, I brought a 3 day unlimited transit pass. He told me he thought it would be cheaper to buy the individual tickets. He actions translated to "buy sometimes". I told him that was just asking for trouble. Second day, late afternoon while coming off the metro, the transit officiers (3 of them) stopped me. I give them my pass, they examine it and nod while giving it back to me. I say "Thank you" and start walking. He was behind me and they go to stop him; he points to me and tries to continue on. They keep saying "ticket" and he starts with the "don't understand" while trying to continue walking. I did walk off 50+ feet before stopping to watch. Very quickly it goes from 3 to 5 transit officiers. I decide to just go back to the hotel (pension) where the front desk clerk asks me where is my friend as I get my 5 pound room key? Told them he got caught riding the metro without a ticket and if the transit police call, get the info for me to bail him out. Both of the 20-23 yo girls start telling me their personally stories with getting caught riding when they were short of money. Over an hour of hard laughing.

He showed up 2+ hours later, with a transit pass. Been 6 years and have never heard what happen between him and his new friends. He did and has always bitched at me for ratting him out with the desk clerks. Hey, I don't speak Hungarian, don't know anything about Hungarian laws and surely, did not want to leave him in a Hungarian jail.

Besides, the gals at the front desk had some great transit cop stories. And that added one more to their collection.:hysterical:


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## Carolinian (Oct 24, 2010)

myhottoddy said:


> We have decided to take a shuttle, airport or private, since we can't read the signs in Hungarian!  Hotel is just across from the Hungarian National Museum.  No need to return to the airport since we will board a Viking River cruise after 2 nights at the hotel. Still confused on the currency exchange issue.  Hopefully we can locate an ATM at the airport or pay the shuttle in advance by CC.



They take credit cards, unless that has changed recently.  They always have in the past over many years, and I suspect that would not have changed.

Don't change money at the hotels - awful rates.  An ATM is a good bet, although BUdapest is one of those cities where you can actually find exchange houses with good rates and no commission (although not in the airport, train stations, or Castle Hill).


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## Carolinian (Oct 24, 2010)

Jimster said:


> I would warn you that you will probably be approached to do a black market exchange for dollars- not a good idea.  Also, make sure you get your subway tickets stamped!  The subway police are not nice people to deal with and they will target foreigners.  If you wonder how they know you are a foreigner, look in the mirror



There is a variation of the black market exchange scam that I was targeted on in Budapest my first trip there in the middle of the afternoon on a busy major street.  I had glanced at the rates at a couple of exchange houses, and had a man come up saying ''change money, change money'' and just kept walking.  He followed me about a block repeating that and then two guys in naugahide suits (almost a uniform of thugs in this part of the world) approached, quickly flashed something and said ''were the police''.  They then went through a routine of questioning the Hungarian man in English (another tipoff) and asking him to produce his ID and money.  Then they turned to me and asked to see my ID and money.  I asked to see theirs again, and they again flashed it quickly and I said ''no, I want to see it''.  They flashed it less quickly and I saw enough to convince me that whatever it was, it did not appear to be a police ID.  They repeated their demand more aggressively, then said ''come with us''.  I said, ''no, I think I'll find some REAL police''.  At that point they pointed to the Hungarian guy and said ''well, he's the one we really want, be careful'' and beat a hasty retreat.


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