|
 |
Driving
Vehicle documents
Visitors from countries that subscribe to the Vienna Code
do not need an International Driving Permit. Check with
your motor vehicle insurance company regarding any documents
you will need and whether additional insurance is required.
Third-party cover can be bought at the border. You must
carry a warning triangle, first-aid kit, and spare bulbs
for front and rear lights, and have flexible mud-guards
fitted on your rear bumpers. The international registration
letter of your country of residence must be displayed
at the rear of your car. It is illegal to bring cans of
petrol into Hungary.
Rules Of The Road
Always carry your full valid driving licence (or International
Driving Permit, if necessary), vehicle registration documents,
and insurance documents with you at all times. Traffic
drives on the right in Hungary. At junctions priority
is given to drivers coming from the right, unless otherwise
indicated. Trams always have right of way. You are not
allowed to drive if you have consumed any alcohol. Seat
belts are obligatory, and children under 12 are not allowed
to ride in the front.
Roads, Tolls And Speed Limits
Roads in Hungary are divided into four categories: motorways,
highways, secondary roads, and minor roads. The only toll
roads are the section of the M1 between the Austrian border
and GyÞr, and the M5 between Budapest and Kecskemét.
Speed limits are 120 kilometres (74 miles) per hour on
motorways; 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour on principal
highways; 80 kilometres (49 miles) per hour on other main
roads; and 50 kilometres (31 miles) per hour in built-up
areas.
Driving Tips
In Budapest, call FÞvinform, tel: +36 1 117 1173
for information on driving conditions; elsewhere, call
Útinform, tel: +36 1 322 2238. Information is given
in English and German between 08.00 and 18.00. When driving
in the countryside, watch out for horse-drawn carts, trucks,
and bicycles.
Assistance
Emergency phones are positioned every two kilometres (1.2
miles) on motorways. For 24-hour assistance in English,
dial 088 outside Budapest, or contact MAK (Magyar Autoklub),
Rómer Flóris u. 4/a, Budapest, tel: (01)
252 8000
Ferries
Ferry services run on the River Danube between Budapest
and Esztergom, and between Budapest and Vienna. For 24-hour
ferry information, contact Útinform, tel: +36 1
322 3600/322 7052.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| 
Landlocked Hungary stretches from the Austrian frontier, across
the rolling hills of Transdanubia, to the endless horizons
of the Great Plain. In the north, the River Danube and a chain
of forested uplands form the boundary with Slovakia. To the
south, the land lies open to the plains of Croatia and Serbia.
The metropolitan delights of Budapest and the shores of Lake
Balaton, the “Hungarian Ocean”, are well known,
but Hungary has much more to offer than its capital city and
its great lake. Pastoral traditions are still in evidence
in the Great Plain, where steppe-like landscapes are preserved
in the world-famous Hortobágy National Park. The uplands
are a wonderful recreational asset for city-dwellers, especially
the Danube Bend region. Provincial towns in Hungary have a
strong individual identity, from industrial Miskolc to 2,000-year-old
Pécs.At the end of the 9th century AD, Hungarian tribes
crossed the Carpathian Mountains and took possession of the
Danube basin. Successive invasions, by Mongols in the 13th
century, then later by Turkish forces, Habsburg king-emperors,
and Soviet tanks, have moulded Hungarian history, bringing
devastation or unwanted occupation to the land and its people.
Before World War I, Hungary was three times the size it is
today, and consequently many Hungarians live outside the country's
present borders. In 1989, Hungary precipitated the collapse
of Communism by dismantling border barriers and allowing East
Germans to flood into the west. The country was an early post-Cold
War candidate for membership of the European Union and became
a member of NATO in March 1999.Hungarian cultural life blossomed
in the 19th and early 20th century, with international figures
emerging in music, art, and architecture. Franz Liszt was
one of the finest romantic composers of the 19th century,
while Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók
were noted for their 20th-century interpretation of Hungarian
folk music. In the late 19th century, Mihály Munkácsy
was famed for his large-scale realistic paintings, and Victor
Vasarely was a major exponent of Op Art in the 1960s. Two
of architect Frigyes Schulek's mock-medieval designs, the
Fishermen's Bastion and Matthias Church, are among Budapest's
most famous monuments. Despite the fine poetry of János
Arany and Sándor PetÞfi, and the novels of Mór
Jókai, Hungarian literature is less known outside the
borders. |
Budapest
Ancient Buda on a hill to the west and modern Pest to the east,
spanning the mighty Danube, form one of the great metropolitan
cities of Central Europe. Buda's Castle Hill is the usual starting
point for exploring this vibrant city. The buildings, destroyed
in World War II have been painstakingly restored. The great Gothic
Matthias Church, and the Fishermen's Bastion, offer wonderful
views over the Danube. Beyond the huge Royal Palace with its museums
and galleries are the dramatic cliffs of Gellért Hill,
topped by the giant Freedom Monument in commemoration of soldiers
who died fighting the Nazis. The broad boulevards of Pest are
lined with imposing edifices like the National Museum and the
extraordinary Museum of Applied Arts, one of the city's many fine
art nouveau buildings. Pedestrians throng the fashionable shopping
street of Váci utca or stroll along the Danube Embankment,
where the neo-Gothic parliament building has pride of place.
Pécs
This attractive southern city with its universities and colleges
has the confident air of a provincial capital. The Turkish presence
is more marked here than anywhere else in Hungary, the most prominent
building in the main square being the Pasha Kasim Mosque, now a
Christian church. Fine buildings of many periods dot the townscape;
the four-towered cathedral goes back to the 11th century, and close
by are important Roman remains. The city is sheltered by the Mecsek
Hills, their lower slopes covered with vineyards. Wine is also produced
in the Villány region to the south-east.
Entry
Requirements
Citizens of the European Union (EU) do not need a visa to enter
Hungary for stays of less than six months. Other nationals should
consult the Hungarian embassy or consulate in their country of residence
before departure, for information regarding visa requirements.
Emergency Phone Numbers
Ambulance: 104
Police: 107
Fire brigade: 105
Time Zones
Central European Time (GMT plus one hour). Clocks are put forward
one hour from the last Sunday in March to the Saturday before
the end of October.
Transport
Metro, buses and trams
Trolley buses and buses operate in most Hungarian towns and
cities. Yellow trams (villamos) run in Debrecen, Miskolc, and
Szeged, as well as in Budapest. Express buses (numbered in red)
stop only at main stops. The numbers of those travelling between
main termini only are prefixed with an "E". Strips
of tickets are sold at street kiosks and tobacconists. These
can be used on buses, trams, trolley buses, and the metro. Tickets
valid for 24 hours or longer are also available. The Budapest
metro, which has three lines, operates from 04.30 to 23.10.
Stations are marked with a large red "M". You can
buy tickets at ticket windows, street kiosks, and tobacconists.
These are good for one line only but can be used for up to an
hour, during which time you can break your journey as often
as you like.
|
|
|
|
Before
you go get covered for all events
Electrical Devices
The electrical current is 220 volts AC. Round, two-pin plugs
are standard. An adapter is essential for UK and Irish appliances.
Money
Notes and coins
The official monetary unit is the forint (Ft). Notes come
in denominations of Ft 5,000, 1,000, 500, 100, and 50. Coins
are issued in Ft 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1.
Currency Exchange
Travellers cheques are the safest way to carry money, and
you should buy these in your own country before you leave.
You can exchange these at banks and shops in the main tourist
centres. American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Diners Club
are widely accepted except in more rural areas. Current exchange
rates are listed in the major newspapers. Travel agencies
such as IBUSZ charge commission (usually 1 percent) to change
money and do not always accept travellers cheques. You will
find bureaux de change in all large towns, but check the rate
and commission charged: you will probably get a better deal
in a bank, especially on small transactions. Banks are open
from 08.00 to 15.00 Monday to Thursday, and 08.00 to 13.00
on Fridays. ATMs are increasingly common, and you can obtain
cash from banks with major credit cards. You can also cash
Eurocheques to the value of Ft 18,000 per day at some banks.
Tipping
Waiters, hairdressers, and taxi drivers expect a tip of 10
to 15 percent of the bill.
Public Holidays
1 January: New Year's Day
15 March: Day of the 1848 uprising against Austrian rule
Easter Monday
Whitsun Monday
1 May: Labour Day
20 August: Constitution Day
23 October: Republic Day
25 and 26 December: Christmas
(Note that when a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday,
the Monday or Friday becomes a holiday too.)
Travellers With Disabilities
For information on accommodation and travel within Hungary
for travellers with disabilities, contact the Hungarian National
Tourist Board in your own country before departure. The Hungary
Camping Guide, published by the Hungarian Tourist Board, lists
30 campsites suitable for travellers with disabilities. They
also publish a brochure describing Hungary's many thermal
spas, renowned for their curative treatment
|
|
