Budapest

Safety

Budapest is a very safe city in the sense that there's small levels of violent crime throughout the city and generally most people feel safe walking around different areas of the city even at night. However, Budapest has a prominent issue with petty crime such as pickpocketing and there are many scams with the intention of allowing tourists to get ripped off as much as they will let the scammers. In this section I also included some tips regarding how to protect your own well-being and your own personal safety while in Budapest.

Taxis
When in Budapest you’ll be able to clearly establish an official and licensed taxi based solely on the fact that they have a similar design to New York taxis. Licensed taxis will operate mainly at taxi ranks throughout Budapest and they will have a taxi sign fixed to the roof as well as clearly showing their rates on the side of their vehicle (usually on the passenger side window). When at the airport if you do decide to get a taxi from the airport, which is an expensive option compared to public transport, then there is only one taxi rank outside of the exit of the airport. This taxi rank has a queue of taxis ready to take tourists to their destinations which are only accessible when tourists queue up to the booth which is next to it, to then order a taxi. When at the airport I was approached by two men asking if I wanted a taxi who had no identification on as well as looking a little worse for wear. Obviously I politely declined and they then left me alone, when they had asked someone else who they assumed to be a tourist, but was a local, if they wanted a taxi he replied “F*** Off, I know what you do”. I took this as a grain of salt and thought nothing of it until my tour guide told me that these unlicensed taxis will charge extortionate prices and if the person in the taxi decides not to pay, then they will be left in a remote location. In this instance a woman got into a taxi at the airport that was unlicensed and was charged 50,000 Forints rather than the standard 8,000 Forints for a journey to the city centre that would’ve been charged my a licensed taxi. When the woman had decided that 50,000 Forints (£140) was ridiculous and she refused to pay the taxi driver locked the door and drove her to the countryside to which he then made her get out and left her there. Even if you do get into a licensed taxi make sure when it comes to paying the taxi driver you look at the money you’re giving over as Hungarian money has a lot of zeros on it and an 1000 note looks very similar to an 10,000 note. You may end up out of pocket by mistake and by the time you realise your taxi driver would’ve drove off with a very big tip.

Exchanging Money
Exchanging money abroad can be a way to get the most for your money or be an easier way to exchange money back before returning home. Sadly, there are people all over the city that will try and rip tourists off by either exchanging their money for counterfeit money or giving you a really bad rate. Exchanging money on the streets is against the law and if anyone approaches you trying to do so then simply decline and walk away. If you did get ripped off by exchanging money in the street then there’s simply nothing you can do about it since you’re committing a crime by buying money off the streets. There have been extreme scenarios where people have been set up by these fake sellers on the streets who have sold money to tourists as fake “plain clothed” police then catch this act and demand to see your wallet to see if you’ve got anymore counterfeit money. By a slight of hand movement while you’re distracted these people posing as police officers will have helped themselves to any money in your wallet. If you dare question this then you may be faced with more intimation that may scare you away. Scammers will go even as far as to stand outside of exchange bureaus and offer tourists an even better rate than the one advertised. Once again this is a scenario that we all know to be too good to be true as you’ll be encouraged to exchange more at this extraordinary rate. When you get your money you might see a few Hungarian notes on top but when you search through your money you’ll see you’ve been given some currency in Belarusian Ruble since the two look similar. By the time you realise that you’ve been cheated out of your money you’ll look up to find your smiley seller gone. If you’re in Budapest and do want to exchange your money then the most reliable bank would be the OTP banks, which can be found quite frequently around Budapest, since you will get a fair rate for your money with real notes.

Fake Police
Fake police don’t only work in groups to catch people out when they’re breaking the law, as seen when these fake police catch people exchanging money on the street, they go even further to intimidate tourists whenever they can. Some “plain clothed” police officers may approach you for no reason at all and may quickly flash a fake form of police ID. This is shown to the victim so quickly that they have no real time to decipher whether it’s a real police officer or not but since they’re unaware of what real police identification would look like they go along with it. These fake police officers will work in groups, one will work to distract the victim while the others may try and pickpocket them while they’re still in a state of shock for being stopped by who they believe are the police. They may threaten you or use intimidation techniques so that you open your purse or wallet to show some form of identification, in some instances this might be a driving license or an national identification card. If you are approached by people who claim to be police then offer to go to the nearest police station to make sure their ID is official. If in doubt ask to see their ID again as real police officers will have no problem with this but scammers will as they might realise that you’ve caught on to their act.

Expensive Drinks
As mentioned before in my Krakow post, which can be read by clicking here, there is a scam going around which involves two beautiful girls coming up to you and asking you for directions to a bar. The bar is luckily located just opposite and these girls then ask if you’d like to join them for a drink. The dream then turns into a nightmare when you’re faced with a bill which could be as high as £600, intimidation and threats are used to make these unsuspecting tourists pay up such as the use of bouncers blocking the door. Conveniently there’s an ATM outside of the bar, how lucky! This meaning the poor tourist who fell for this scam ends up paying one way or another and then is left to go home with an empty wallet. If people try to go to the police regarding their experience then the police may say that the prices were on the wall meaning it’s completely the tourists fault since they should’ve checked these prices before they ordered the drinks. In some cases this may be a valid reason but some bars may change the prices if they were ever questioned to reasonable prices like other bars around Budapest. Thus showing that the tourist was at fault and the bars practice is completely legal.

Fake Electronics
A scam that has become more popular and is more frequently taking place is people on the street selling the newest iPhone and electrical items at an astounding price. Once again this is another scenario that is way too good to be true. The scam goes as follows: a scammer will approach a tourist with an iPhone they want to get rid of with the reason being they won it or they just don’t want it anymore. The scammer then gets out the iPhone and turns it on to show that it works, seems like a good deal so far right? Wrong. The iPhone looks good from a distance but at closer inspection you’ll realise that this is a fake knock-off made cheaply in China. The difference being that this phone is slower and the icons are different as well as the battery being irreplaceable. It’s only once that you buy these items that you find out you’re out of pocket for as much as £250 for a cheap phone that can barely make calls. Once again if you did go to the police to report it, you could be charged for being in possession of a stolen phone and counterfeit goods. From this once again the tourist would be to blame for being so gullible, iPhones are never ever that cheap and if you did want to buy an iPhone abroad then the Apple Shop would be the best and only location. This being since it’s from a well-known and popular brand that is official and most likely the product will come with a guarantee.

Accommodation

When researching where to stay in Budapest I decided that I didn’t want to stay too close to the city centre as Budapest hosts great nightlife and with that comes along rowdy tourists stumbling back to their hotel at 3am. In addition to this, the prices near the city centre were extortionate for simply a room which may or may not include breakfast. The time of year I travelled within, which is Christmas, may also make hotel prices increase as Budapest see an increase in tourists due to their Christmas Markets around the city. As always I wanted a hotel which included breakfast since it would fill me up for the day until lunch and in itself would save me money and time each morning. Can a girl have it all? It seems apparently I could. I found a hotel that was only 20-25 minutes walk from the city centre as well as being surrounded by supermarkets and restaurants. The idea of this hotel got even better when I found out that it boasted a 4 star rating as well as including breakfast in the price. Luckily this hotel was located down a side street meaning it faced away from the main street and throughout my stay I couldn’t hear anything at all from the main street. Brilliant. Even though I walked to all of the attractions I had booked up, there were a range of different transport links located near the hotel: tram, bus and train networks going all across the city. This hotel is The Three Corners Bristol - a hotel I would recommend when staying in Budapest if you want to enjoy Budapest without the noise and the hefty price tag that comes along with it.

The Three Corners Bristol has a 24 hour reception, this not only being handy for people arriving at all hours during the day but if you ever needed something during the day or night then there would be staff there to accommodate your needs. The staff that worked on reception went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable during our stay as every time we left the hotel and came back we were greeted with a smile and a welcome. In addition to this, the hotel even allowed us to borrow some travel adaptors since the person I was travelling with left theirs at home. The hotel allows people staying at the hotel to leave their bags in a secured and safe baggage room, this being useful if you arrive early and want to explore the city before you’re able to check-in. Upon check-in the hotel gave us a range of leaflets regarding the different activities to do while in Budapest as well as a map of the city, which was a nice touch.

The room we stayed in, which was a twin room, featured two single beds as well as the room itself being very spacious and featuring air conditioning. As the room was facing away from the street it meant that I was able to sleep like a baby throughout my stay and being able to relax in peace. The hotel room had a range of amenities such as a mini-bar, a flat-screen TV which had a range of English speaking channels as well as a massive wardrobe with three different storage compartments. The wardrobe even had room to put my suitcase in when it wasn’t being used, this making the room even more spacious and free of clutter. There was a safe available which was used constantly throughout my stay to store my passport, money and other valuables while I was out exploring the city of Budapest. The room also featured a desk and chair, which was useful when I wrote out postcards to send to family members as well as write down information which I’m now typing up as we speak. The bathroom went above and beyond my expectations (as far as a bathroom can go) as there was a makeup mirror on the wall next to the main mirror. There were a range of different cupboards underneath the sink which was used to store my toiletries rather than trying to fit them all around the sink. There was free WiFi available throughout all areas of the hotel which allowed me to download films to watch on my return journey as well as keep up to date on social media. Less than a minutes walk from the hotel was an Aldi, with inexpensive prices and large quantities this shop was brilliant. I was able to buy pastries when returning at night for a quick snack and being able to buy bottles of water and soft drink that I could store in the mini-bar in my hotel room. Since our breakfast included a full continental and some items for a cooked breakfast, we were able to fill ourselves up before we ventured out for the day. We had saved around 1500-2000 Forints per day by getting a buffet style breakfast provided by the hotel for us at no extra charge.

The hotel was €215 (approximately £195) for three nights, which worked out to be €35 a day per person that stayed there (as there was two of us). Considering that this hotel holds a 4 star rating, breakfast being provided at no extra charge as well as all of the features mentioned, I consider this to be great value. I chose not to stay in the city centre of Budapest, which as mentioned before can be very expensive, since rooms for a 4 star hotel can start at €160 per night which is way too pricey for a person travelling on a budget. This also taking into consideration that the price mentioned may not include breakfast as well as the constant reminder of the Budapest nightlife.

Where to visit & What to do

Before travelling to Budapest I had already planned what I had wanted to do and had already paid for the majority of the attractions and tours I had planned to go on. However, as I developed a kidney infection before travelling as well as having the norovirus that was going around at the time, I was limited to what I was able to do. Regardless, I’m still going to mention places that are worthwhile to visit while in Budapest. As I walked to every attraction, even though my hotel wasn’t near the city centre, I’m going to list the address rather than the transport links.

Street Art & Urban Tour

The Original Walking Tour

Address: Each tour has a different location depending on what tour you book as well as what tour company you book with.
Ticket Prices: The tour company I went with: Free Budapest Walking Tours operate on a pay as you feel basis meaning at the end of the tour you pay what you feel the tour was worth - http://www.triptobudapest.hu/tours/the-original-tour/

The Original Walking Tour is one which introduces tourists to Budapest by not only showing them the impressive architecture on the many buildings around the city but by also explaining the history behind Budapest. The tour goes around both areas: Buda and Pest while exploring different restaurants and the local cuisine of Budapest while also telling tourists on the tour how to avoid scams around the city.

The tour started at the meeting point: Vörösmarty Square in front of the Lion Fountain. Our guide then took us to a quieter part of the Square, which was very hard considering there was Christmas Markets left right and centre, to explain to us the brief history of Budapest. Budapest has a very long history, one of the most notorious points in history being in the 16th century where Budapest was under Turkish influence and then in the 17th century Budapest then became under Habsburg influence. Between the beginning of the 18th century and the end of the 19th century there are many changes to Budapest: they prospered in economic and cultural change but then they face the Revolution of War and Independence. The 20th century is the most notable century as Budapest becomes occupied by the Germans which leads to many Jews becoming outcasts and face horrific conditions under the Nazis in Hungary. The Soviet Army had originally occupied Budapest in 1944 which was started by the German invasion and it took them longer than expected to leave. 40 years to be exact.

The first stop on our tour and for me it was my favourite part of the tour, was the visit to the Budapest Eye as well as the Michael Jackson Tree. Our guide told us that Michael Jackson had a huge group of fans throughout Hungary, especially in Budapest, to which led to these fans commemorating his death by decorating a tree outside a hotel he had stayed at: Kempinski Hotel. Since 2009 fans have stapled messages and images of the singer to the tree as well as laying flowers and other objects in remembrance. The Budapest Eye, much like the London Eye, allows tourists to get a view of the city from a great vantage point as our guide told us it's one of the largest ferris wheel in Europe.

The second stop on our tour was a visit to the outside of St Stephen’s Basilica, which is the largest church in Budapest. This Basilica is famously known as it holds one of Hungary’s most famous treasures: St Stephen’s mummified right hand (Holy Right Hand) who was the first King of Hungary. There is an entrance fee of 200 Forints to St Stephen’s Basilica which some people claim doesn’t have to be paid but out of respect and to make sure that the church is maintained it would be advisable to pay. To see the famous Holy Right Hand will also set you back a small fee as by paying this you’ll be able to turn on a light to see it more in-depth. This fee is applied to make sure that this 1000 year old hand is well preserved as it’s considered a famous treasure of Hungary. If you don’t want to pay this fee, during popular seasons such as Christmas, there is bound to be one person or another willing to pay the fee to see the hand illuminated. Even though I didn’t go inside to St Stephen’s Basilica the inside is simply beautiful with even more stunning views available for visitors if they want to climb the 364 steps to get to the rooftop. This will set you back 600 Forints but there is also an option to use the elevator if people don't want to climb the 364 steps.

Our guide then took us along to Danube Promenade, which is one of the most popular locations for tourists visiting historical sites as well as landmarks. One of the most notable landmarks is the Hungarian Academy of Sciences to which is the most important learned society in Hungary. The people that work for this Academy focus primarily on supporting research and development for science as well as representing Hungarian science. Along the Danube Promenade there’s a famous monument and tribute to the Jews who were murdered by the Nazis. Even though I never took a picture of these shoes the monument is a powerful reminder that Jews of all ages were mercilessly killed (there are 60 pairs of cast iron shoes which are in different sizes). While at this monument everyone should take a moment to reflect on how fortunate we all are and pay their respects.

The Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge that connected the sides of Pest and Buda together, is one of the most recognisable and popular landmarks in Budapest. Our tour guide didn’t go into too much information regarding the Chain Bridge but one fact that really stood out to me was that Will Smith had climbed the Chain Bridge to do the famous #InMyFeelings Challenge which was created by Drake from his song ‘In My Feelings’. However, sadly the Chain Bridge prohibits people from climbing it since it’s unsafe and has then led to many copycats to try and climb it. However, there is a permit which allows some people to climb the Chain Bridge but surprisingly Will Smith supposedly didn’t ask for one.

After walking along the Chain Bridge we were brought to the Castle District which is made up of Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church on the Buda side. The Buda side is the higher-class part of town to which is home to the most expensive homes whereas Pest is the more affordable place to live with more businesses and nightlife. Visiting the Castle District involves a lot of walking and involves walking up a lot of steps. If you also don’t like heights then visiting area such as Fisherman’s Bastion wouldn’t be a good idea as from the top there’s iconic views of the city. Fisherman’s Bastion was built during the late 19th century and was finished during the early 20th century, it was used as a viewing terrace and over a century later its still primarily used for its original function. Even though it has been destroyed over time, such as during World War II and due to air pollution, these problems were quickly solved and the Bastion was restored. Our tour guide told us that it is now completely free to visit Fisherman’s Bastion - to go up onto the viewing terrace and get a higher vantage point to take pictures of the city. Previously tourists had been charged a small fee to access this but many tourists quickly figured out that there was only a small difference in their pictures and it wasn’t worth paying extra.

Behind Fisherman’s Bastion there is one of the most unique churches in Budapest and to which some people claim to be in Europe. This Church is called Matthias Church which was named after the the King Matthias Corvinus who in the 15th century remodelled and expanded the Church. He made other significant improvements to the Church such as making it one of the best wedding venues in Hungary as well as adding a bell tower called the Matthias Bell Tower. Matthias Church also holds a multi-functional purpose as holding concerts, weddings, Christmas masses and religious celebrations throughout the year. As the Church is so popular visitors need to buy a ticket to enter, which is priced at 2500 Forints, which also includes admission to a museum within the Church. There is a range of information within the Church regarding a more in-depth history as well as being greeted with magnificent designs throughout the interior (such as the stained glass windows, wall paintings and carvings). If you want to go up to the top of the Bell Tower that will set you back 200 steps as well as a small fee.

Even though our tour guide didn’t take us up to Buda Castle, he still showed us the location and explained to us the function of it. Inside of Buda Castle is the National Gallery which portrays the life of Hungarians as well as the history through artworks dated back to the 18th and 19th century in addition to international pieces of art. When visiting there are English inscriptions relating to the information of the artwork as well as English speaking tours being offered. Buda Castle also functions as The Budapest History Museum and is also recognised as a World Heritage Sight. Admission to Buda Castle is free but there are different admission prices depending on what museums and areas you want to enter. Admission for the National Gallery is 1600 Forints whereas admission to The Budapest History Museum can either be 2000/2400 Forints depending on the time of year you visit.

Our tour ended outside of Matthias Church where our guide explained the different ways to get back down to the Chain Bridge: the most obvious option being to walk (since it’s free) but also mentioned that there’s Funicular (Cable Car) which is priced at 1200 Forints for a single journey or 1800 Forints for a return journey. If you do decide to get the Funicular then be prepared to queue since I saw people waiting up to 40 minutes to get a 2 minute journey (even though funiculars operate very frequently). I would avoid at all costs unlicensed taxis operating throughout the area as well as shuttle buses operating since they will be overpriced and not worth the money. These unlicensed taxis are easy to indicate since these "taxi drivers" will be standing next to an unmarked car with no indications that it's a taxi saying that they will give you a good price to take you back to the Chain Bridge or back into the city centre. Not only will you be overcharged heavily but your own personal safety will be at risk as you could be driven anywhere.

Hungarian Parliament

Address: Budapest, Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3, 1055 Hungary
Ticket Prices: Admission for EU residents is 2200 Forints whereas Non-EU residents will be charged 6000 Forints. There’s reduced admission for students as well as free admission for children aged under 6 years of age. Tickets can be bought either online or at the Hungarian Parliament - https://www.jegymester.hu/eng/Production/480000/Parliament-visit.

The Hungarian Parliament was originally built in 1885 and was completed in 1904 which took 40 million bricks as well as 100,000 people to work on the construction of the building. The style follows the style of many other buildings in Budapest, which is a Gothic Revival style as it features a central dome and a symmetrical facade (design elements being equal and balanced). This can be seen through the two halls on either side being exactly the same size and shape even though they housed the lower house and the upper house. The era of which the Parliament was constructed represents one in which Hungary saw enormous economic growth and one which represents the confidence that Hungarians had during this time. The Parliament is a World Heritage Site and it’s considered one of the most prestigious and most beautiful buildings in the world. Currently there are nearly 200 members of Parliament as well as 600 staff members working constantly to uphold efficiency and work to uphold security of the Hungarian Holy Crown.

When visiting Parliament you’ll have to join a guided tour, which is available in a range of different languages, to which you’ll be joined between 20 and 30 people. I had a horrible experience on my guided tour as my tour was the last for the day which meant that it was rushed. Our tour guide seemed to want to get rid of us by getting through the information as quickly as possible. Regardless, I would advise getting an earlier tour to see the magnificent beauty that the interior of the building holds as well as to be able to go through the Parliament at a slower pace. After you go through the airport style security at the entrance you’ll then have to walk up 100 steps to get to the corridors leading to the main floor of the Parliament building, if you have difficulty walking or have children then there’s an elevator available. There is a lot of walking on this tour and make sure you stay with your group and guide to make sure you don’t get lost within the 691 rooms in the Parliamentary building, which makes it the biggest building in Hungary, as well as featuring 12 miles of stairs. The one positive is that the first carpet you walk across is red, so at least you can say you’ve walked the red carpet at least once in your life.

The Grand Stairway/Staircase has 96 stairs, the significance of the number 96 being that it refers to the nations millennium in 1896 (the 1000th anniversary of Hungary). Our guide then told us that as the building is made out of limestone it’s constantly being refurbished as there’s a lot of air pollution in Budapest decaying these walls. The stained glass windows of the building were removed during World War II so they wouldn’t become damaged or destroyed and afterwards they were returned to their original position. After the war the Hungarians tried to restore the building as best they could to what it was before and have succeeded greatly. During the Communist era of Hungary there was a large red star placed on top of the Central Tower above the dome, which was then removed since the fall of communism. I would’ve preferred more information regarding the Grand Stairway rather than information about the building itself but either way it was very interesting.

We then moved onto the room which held the Hungarian Crown Jewels in the Dome Hall which are protected by two guards at all times throughout the day. While standing near these jewels we were told to stay away from the rope and not to take pictures of these jewels as photography is strictly prohibited. While we admired the Crown Jewels we watched the changing of the guard, some may consider us lucky, I wouldn’t. Our tour guide made everyone push and shove by shouting at us to make sure the guards could change efficiently. It’s hard to see these jewels close up with the size of the tours and with people pushing to get to the front. Regardless our tour guide went on to tell us the history behind the Hungarian Crown Jewels - with the many times they have been lost or stolen. Regardless, after World War II they were transported to Western Europe in the hands of the American Army for protection. They were held among America’s gold reserves in Fort Knox for safekeeping from the Soviet Union. Eventually in 1978 the jewels were returned to Hungary under the rule of President Jimmy Carter (39th US President). The Holy Crown of Hungary features a small cross that is slanted to which there are many theories and explanations for. The best theory being that is was simply a mistake as in the 17th century the Holy Crown was locked in a box that the keys had become lost. The crown was going to be used to crown the coronation for Ferdinand the Third’s wife, Maria Ann, meaning they had to force the box open which resulted in the slight slant of the cross. It’s fascinating that even though the Hungarian Crown is over 1000 years old it has been preserved very well throughout everything that had happened over this millennium.

The next part of our tour led us to Deputies Chamber but before we went in our tour guide showed us the hallways outside of it. These hallways are lined with cigar holders to which live up to their name by storing cigars when representatives were called back in to vote (no cigars were allowed in the Deputies Chamber). Each holder is numbered meaning representatives could pick up where they left off and not get confused by picking up anyone's cigar. After admiring this invention we went inside the Deputies Chamber but only as far as behind the back row of seats - we weren’t allowed to go further into the chamber. There are 438 leather chairs which are used for the deputies whereas there are separate seats which are designed specifically for ministers of the government in the inner circle. Our tour guide demonstrated how people in the assembly would cast their vote, which is done from the comfort of their own seat as well as being able to see the results from their seats from the screens on either side of the walls in the Deputies Chamber. The style of this chamber is very similar to the House of Commons in the Houses of Parliament (Westminster, London).

The last part of our tour led us through a hallway which was filled from one side to another with elegant furnishings and gold featured all across the ceilings. There is around 40kg of 24 carat gold used throughout the whole building which shows the pride and high status of the building as well as the people using it. There are numerous pillars decorated with statues of people of importance in Hungarian history, each statue with enormous attention to detail as well as being well preserved throughout the time the Parliament has been functioned and used. The stained glass windows are one of the most magnificent pieces throughout the whole building, each window looks brand new and the colours really stand out as they contrast the colours on the interior. Overall, each room in Parliament clearly shows how much time, effort and dedication has been put into making these rooms. They also reflect how proud the Hungarians feel of their country.

Thermal Baths

Address: Each location with a Thermal Bath has a different address.
Ticket Prices: Some locations offer entry to Thermal Baths for free whereas others charge a fee for entry and access to towels.

Szechenyi Thermal Baths
Address: Budapest, Állatkerti krt. 9-11, 1146 Hungary
Ticket Price: The price for admission for the Szechenyi Thermal Baths differ regarding whether or not you’d like a cabin or a locker as well as the time of day and the day you visit. More information can be found here - http://szechenyispabaths.com/prices/.

The Szechenyi Thermal Bath is the largest thermal bath complex in the whole of Europe as it features 3 outdoors pools as well as 15 indoor thermal pools. It was built in 1913 even though it had been planned for construction since the 1880’s.There are also steam cabins, saunas, jacuzzis and medical services such as a weight bath and medical massage (which are only available when the person has a valid medical prescription). There are more options available when visiting such as massages, aqua fitness and cellulite treatment. Throughout the year the thermal bath is open, even throughout rain and snow, as the thermal baths maintain a temperature between 18 - 40°C. The location of this thermal bath is located in the biggest green park of Budapest: Városliget. Around this thermal bath you can also find the Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden as well as Vajdahunyad Castle.

The only downside to visiting would be that buying an entry ticket doesn’t include a towel and if you chose a cabin or a locker, you will have to pay a different price. The website is very confusing since there's a wide variety of products available (16 different options), some offer tickets to specific events on certain days such as a Pool Party Ticket being available only on weekends. There are options to buy added extras such as a towel (4200 Forints) and a bath kit including a towel, mineral water, a swimming cap, flip flops, shampoo and shower gel (8200 Forints).

There are many other thermal baths around Budapest each with their own point of interest, I only mentioned one as it’s the most visited by tourists, here are a list of some others:

Rudas Baths
Gellért Baths
Király Baths
Veli Bej Baths
Lukács Bath

Travel

While in Budapest I used no form of public transport whatsoever, from my hotel I walked to every attraction that I had wanted to visit as well as walking to any other places of interest. The main reason for this being I wanted to save money on transport as well as keeping myself healthy. However, I know some people may rely on public transport for a number of reasons as well as it being more efficient in getting from one place to another.

Transport in Budapest

In Budapest there's an extensive range of methods of transport such as trams, trolley buses, a metro system as well as a suburban railway system for the outer areas of Budapest (HÉV trains). Some of these methods of transport, such as the metro, run throughout the night with a reduced service. In the summer there is also a scheduled boat service that goes across the Danube river from spring until autumn. After getting on your chosen method of transport make sure that you punch your ticket with the time and date, to avoid getting a fine, which you should keep with you until you finish your journey.

This is the list of prices for different methods of transport in Budapest - https://bkk.hu/apps/docs/turisztikai_kiadvany_en.pdf

Single Ticket - 350 Forints (450 Forints if purchased on board)
Transfer Ticket - 530 Forints
Airport Shuttle Bus Single Ticket - 900 Forints
Metro Ticket Up To Three Stops - 300 Forints
Single Boat Transportation Ticket - 750 Forints
24 Hour Travelcard - 1650 Forints
24 Hour Group Travelcard - 3300 Forints
72 Hour Travelcard - 4150 Forints
168 Hour Travelcard - 4950 Forints

Transfers to and from the Airport

Travelling to and from the airport can be a long and tedious journey if not planned and researched in advance. There are many options of getting to and from the airport to your hotel or accommodation:

Bus 100E - This bus service costs 900 Forints and runs every 30 minutes and transports tourists from the airport to three stops: Kálvin tér, Astoria and Deák tér (which are located all around the city centre of Budapest). Unfortunately this bus doesn’t currently have a night service and the last bus departs at 12:30am.
Bus 200E - One of the more frequent bus services is the 200E as it runs every 7 minutes with a journey time of 45-50 minutes. It also comes with a cheap price tag of only 350 Forints but this being since the bus stops at are on the M3 Metro Line which is currently under repair.
Train from Ferihegy to Nyugati - With over 100 trains per day going to and from the city centre and only taking around 30 minutes, this is one of the most convenient option for people staying in the centre of Budapest. A one-way ticket means you will need to buy a 200E bus ticket (350 Forints) to get to the actual train station from the airport and then buy a train ticket from Ferihegy to Nyugati (I cannot find exact prices for a one-way ticket).
Taxi - As mentioned previously getting a taxi proves to be difficult if you don’t follow the correct procedures, luckily when exiting Terminal 2A and 2B at the airport there are yellow booths to order taxis from. Taxis may cost around 8000 Forints for a one-way journey from the airport to the city centre as from 2013 a fixed rate was introduced to prevent people from being overcharged.
miniBUD - One of the cheapest shuttle services I found when travelling to Budapest is miniBUD, a one-way journey costs around 6000 Forints compared to a taxi costing 8000 Forints (based on two people travelling). This option has to be prebooked before arriving in Budapest which also saves time and hassle at the airport.

Apps to Download

Budapest Travel Guide Offline

Similar to an app I mentioned when I travelled to Krakow, Budapest Travel Guide Offline is an app that can be used to travel around Budapest without the need for WiFi or any form of internet connection. It gives information regarding the history of Budapest and the history to many popular landmarks such as Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion as well as recommending places of interest such as restaurants, pubs and theatres.

If you want to have a guided tour around Budapest but don’t want to pay for a guide, then this app lets you guide yourself meaning you can go at your own pace and see the landmarks of Budapest in any order.

Metro Map Lite

If you chose to travel around Budapest and any other countries for that matter then Metro Map Lite has put some of the metro maps from countries around the world into one app. This saves you from searching for a different app to help you navigate your way around a specific country each time you visit.

Once you have downloaded the app it can be used offline and can be used to research the different lines as well as plan how to get from one station to another. It even gives the option to see how long it would take to walk the route you’re researching. If you turn on your GPS location then you can see what metro station is closest to you and to then plan a journey from it.

Taxify

As Budapest doesn’t currently support Uber, this app is the next best thing when in need of a taxi in Budapest. Like Uber, this app shows you a rough estimate of the price they're going to charge you and stand by it, this being helpful in preventing you from being overcharged. This app can be used in 28 counties and 50 cities across the globe meaning it'll be unlikely you won't be able to find a ride.

I've seen numerous promotions and offers for free rides, whether it be recommendation by friends or entering a competition with the Taxify company directly. Even without the free rides Taxify offer very competitive and cheap prices compared to the rates of regular taxis in Budapest.