What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Budapest

Planning Your Trip

As of March 2008, the 1 and 2 forint coins are no longer valid currency. Prices are rounded to the nearest five forints. Starting in July 2009, the 200-forint note will be replaced by a coin with it completely being withdrawn by 2010.

Many changes have occurred in the transportation arena. In March 2008, Hungary applied the Schengen Agreement at its and airports. Air travelers coming from another Schengen zone country will fly into Ferihegy terminal 2A, once reserved for Málev, the Hungarian airline. Passports will no longer be checked between Schengen zone countries. For more information, see www.bud.hu/english/press_room/releases/. Unfortunately, due to high fuel costs and few Hungarian travelers, some of the more popular budget airlines no longer fly in or out of Budapest. To compensate for this lost revenue, MAV, the Hungarian train system, has been offering discounts on train travel to Western Europe throughout summer. It is now possible to book and print out tickets online, but the site is in Hungarian only.

Public transportation tickets have increased slightly. Single metro tickets are 270 Ft($1.45/£75); Metro transfers are 420 Ft($2.25/ £1.20); a book of 10 tickets is 2,350 Ft ($12.70/£6.70); one day, three day, and seven day passes are 1,550 Ft ($8.40/£4.40), 3,400 Ft($18/£9.70), and 4,000 Ft($22/£11.40) respectively. BKV, the company that supports all of the Budapest transportation has positioned inspectors at every metro station to prevent fare dodging, but currently only at the most traveled Yellow line Metro 1 and the Red line Metro 2 stations. The BKV site in English at www.bkv.hu/english/home/index.html has detailed information.

On the safety front, outdoorsy travelers should pay special attention when hiking the Buda Hills or any other forested areas, as there have been reports of wild boar attacks in recent months. In addition, there has been a 65% increase in the number of tick-borne encephalitis and meningitis throughout Hungary within the last year. If you have a peanut allergy, you should keep this phrase with you for restaurant dining; Ha bármi mogyorósat eszek, meghalok. "If I eat anything with nuts in it I will die." It is purposefully dramatic, since wait staff have a tendency to ignore other phrases. Finally, Budapest has a 24-hour pharmacy with a doctor available and pharmacists work three shifts. ALMA Pharmacy (VIII. Baross tér 9, near Keleti train station; no phone) has no nighttime fees imposed and you do not have to wait on the street like at other all-night pharmacies.

Where To Stay

The Mellow Moods chain will be opening two properties in August. The four-star Buda Castle Hotel (I. úri utca 39; tel. 361/413-2062; www.budacastlehotelbudapest.com) will open 24 rooms. Additionally, the 45-room Promenade Hotel is located in the heart of the shopping area (V. Váci utca 22; tel. 36/70/455-0333; www.promenadehotelbudapest.com). Gerlóczy Deluxe (V. Gerlóczy u. 1; tel. 361/235-0953; www.gerloczy.hu/rooms_delux) has finally opened its boutique hotel above the popular restaurant. Priced at 85 Euros ($111./£58) a night, the rooms may seem reasonable, but keep in mind that each person is obligated to order breakfast at an additional 10 Euros ($13/£6.85) per person. For the budget-minded, there is a new EasyHotel, brought to you by EasyJet (VI. Eotvos utca 25/a; no phone; www.easyhotel.com). As they do when booking a flight, rates depend on capacity at a given time. The small rooms are 7-9 square meters and amenities like television, housekeeping, extra linens, and towels incur surcharges.

Where To Dine

Perhaps I should start with where you can no longer dine. Since the guide went to press, Cream Restaurant and Music Pub and Articsóka have closed. New on the scene is Eötvös Loránd University (VIII. Rákóczi út 5; no phone), which has opened its cafeteria, Treff Ort Vendéglátó, to the public. A two-course set-menu meal is 680 Ft ($3.70/£1.95), but all menu options are posted daily. The XO Bistro is in the same building, but with higher prices.

What to See and Do

Several formerly free museums have implemented admission fees. The Nemzeti Múzeum -- Hungarian National Museum (VIII. Múzeum krt. 14; tel. 361/338-2122; www.hnm.hu) is now 1,000 Ft ($5.40/£2.85). Néprajzi Múzeum -- Museum of Ethnography (V. Kossuth tér12; tel. 361/473-2400; www.neprajz.hu) has a fee of 800 Ft ($4.30,/£2.30). The Museum of Fine Arts -- Szépmuuvészeti Múzeum (XIV. Housök tere; tel. 361/469-7100; www.szepmuveszeti.hu) now charges 1,200 Ft ($6.50/£3.40) for the permanent exhibition, but tours are still free. Ludwig Múzeum (IX. Komor Marcell u. 1; tel. 361/555-3444; www.ludwigmuseum.hu) has an admission fee of 1,200 Ft ($6.50/£3.40). It also offers free guided tours in English on Thu at 7pm and Sat at 5pm. Statue Park has been renamed Memento Park with the addition of a bunker, Stalin's grandstand, and a film of a secret agent. The Art Factory has opened their second gallery, Art Factory Gallery II (V. Falk Miksa u.12 /Markó u. 4; tel. 361/ 302-5172; www.budapestartfactory.com) on the famous antique row, which has also incorporated several contemporary art galleries. Hours are Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 11am-2pm.

For dedicated walkers who want to see the city at their own pace, the new Walker's Guide Tours (www.walkersguide.travel) offers self-guided walking tours. Rent a headset at the TourInform office or some participating hotels; choose from 12 different tours and 5 adventures, which cover 90 main attractions. Tours range from 3 hours for 3,000 Ft($16/£8.55) to a full day for 5,000 Ft ($27/£14). The colorful book of maps and pictures allows you to skip what does not interest you, and move around the city as you choose. Renovation on the Gellert thermals will continue until October 2008.

The Lake Balaton Region

Mosquito bites per hour are counted in different areas around the lake during the summer to determine the need to spray. A critical rate is 28 bites an hour, and this year's count is 48 bites an hour. Bring lots of repellent.

Tokaj

Hungary's first vinotherapy spa opened in the region most famous for its wines. The Andrássy Kúria Hotel, located 5km from the village of Tokajalsó, has combined wine tasting with beauty treatments and tourism. The 38-room hotel uses grapes, grape seeds, and the wine itself in many of their spa treatments. Grape juice facials are 4,800 Ft($26/£14), while the vinotherapy facials start at 7,500 Ft($41/£22). The center offers spa treatments exploiting the therapeutic anti-aging qualities of green grapes. Now guests can eat, drink and wear Tokaj wine, in addition to enjoying the views of the vineyards.

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Related Information:

• Destinations: Budapest, Lake Balaton
• Tips & Tools: Online Update

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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