Fast Facts

American Express-- Budapest's only American Express office is between Vörösmarty tér and Deák tér in central Pest, at V. Deák Ferenc u. 10, 1052 Budapest (tel. 1/235-4330 or 1/235-4300; fax 1/267-2028). It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. There's an American Express cash ATM on the street in front of the office.

For lost traveler's checks, come to the office as soon as you can and they will assist you. If you do not want to wait that long, use a 20 Ft coin to initiate a call to England; the call (tel. 06/800-11128) is otherwise toll-free. For a lost credit card, make a local call to tel. 1/484-2639. If this is unsuccessful, try calling England at tel. 00-44-181-551-1111 (or dial tel. 00/800-04411 for the U.K. direct operator, and ask to call collect).

Area Code-- The country code for Hungary is 36; the city code for Budapest is 1.

Babysitters-- The former top babysitting companies in the city recently went out of business, so be sure to ask your hotel about its services before you book. Better hotels, including the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, can offer reliable babysitters for guests within 6 hours of a request.

Business Hours-- Most stores are open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday from 9 or 10am to 1 or 2pm. Some shops close for an hour at lunchtime, and most stores are closed Sunday, except those in the central tourist areas. Some shop owners and restaurateurs also close for 2 weeks in August. On weekdays, food stores open early, at around 6 or 7am, and close at around 6 or 7pm. Certain grocery stores, called "nonstops," are open 24 hours (however, a growing number of shops call themselves "nonstop" even if they close for the night at 10 or 11pm). Banks are usually open Monday through Thursday from 8am to 3pm and Friday from 8am to 2pm. Museums in Budapest are usually open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

Doctors & Dentists-- We recommend the American Clinic, I. Hattyu u. 14 (tel. 1/224-9090; www.firstmedcenters.com), a private outpatient clinic with two U.S. board-certified physicians and several English-speaking Hungarian doctors. There is an OB-GYN on staff, and an ultrasound machine on the premises; referrals are available for specialists. Payment is expected at the time of service (credit cards accepted), but the office will provide coded invoices in English in a form acceptable to most insurance carriers. The clinic is located in a modern building across the street from the Mammut shopping center, just a few minutes by foot from Moszkva tér (Red metro). Another suitable facility is IMS, a private outpatient clinic at XIII. Váci út 184 (tel. 1/329-8423), with English-speaking doctors; it's reached via the Blue metro line (Gyöngyös utca). The same drill applies with respect to payment and insurance claims. IMS also operates an emergency service after-hours and on weekends, III. Vihar u. 29 (tel. 1/388-8257).

For dental work, we recommend Dr. Susan Linder, who has an office at II. Vihorlat u. 23 (tel. 1/335-5245) (by foot from Pasaréti tér, which is reached by bus no. 5 or 29). Dr. Linder is the dentist for the U.S. and British embassies. Her hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8am to 6pm by appointment; she is also available for emergencies, except on weekends. In a pinch, you can also try S.O.S. Dent Kft, a 24-hour emergency dental clinic at VII. Király u. 14 (tel. 1/269-6010), just a few minutes by foot from Deák tér (all three metro lines); look for the red cross on the building. The dentists on staff do not all speak English. One more useful medical emergency number is the Anonymous AIDS Advisory Service (tel. 1/466-9283).

Electricity-- Hungarian electricity is 220 volts, AC. If you plan to bring any North American electrical appliances, you'll need a 110-220 volt transformer/converter. Transformers are available at electrical supply stores throughout the city. We recommend Trakis-Hetra Ltd., at VII. Nefelejcs u. 45 (tel. 1/342-5338 or 1/322-1459; metro: Keleti pu. [Red line]). If there is a transformer built into the adapter of the appliance that you are bringing, as there are in many laptop computers, you will need only a small adapter to fit the North American flat plugs into the round holes in the wall. This adapter may be hard to find in Budapest, so buy one before you depart.

Embassies-- The embassy of Australia is at XII. Királyhágó tér 8-9 (tel. 1/457-9777); the embassy of Canada is at II. Ganz u. 12-14 (tel. 1/392-3360); the embassy of the Republic of Ireland is at V. Szabadság tér 7 (tel. 1/302-9600); the embassy of the United Kingdom is at V. Harmincad u. 6 (tel. 1/266-2888); and the embassy of the United States is at V. Szabadság tér 12 (tel. 1/475-4400). New Zealand does not have an embassy in Budapest, but the U.K. embassy can handle matters for New Zealand citizens.

Emergencies-- Dial tel. 104 for an ambulance, tel. 105 for the fire department, or tel. 107 for the police. tel. 1/438-8080 is a 24-hour hot line in English for reporting crime.

Etiquette & Customs-- Old-world etiquette is still very much alive in Hungary. People speak very politely, hold doors open for women, readily give up seats on the bus for those who need them, and so on.

Eyeglasses-- Optika or ofotért is the Hungarian name for an optometrist's shop. The word for eyeglasses is szemüveg.

Internet Access-- The best place in town is Kávészünet, V. Tátra u. 12/b (tel. 1/236-0853). This is a comfortable and friendly place located in between Nyugati Pályaudvar and Jászai Mari tér, and is open Monday to Friday 8am to 10pm and 10am to 8pm on weekends. They serve coffee, sandwiches, and cakes and have rotating exhibitions of young artists, illustrators, or photographers. Minimum time is 15 minutes for just 100 Ft (50¢). Another convenient spot is the 24-hour Internet Café, VI. Andrássy út 46 (tel. 1/474-0929). They provide full service, including Internet access (minimum 15 min. for 200 Ft/$1), CD burning for 500 Ft ($2.50) apiece, and scanning for 200 Ft ($1) per page. Ami Internet Coffee, V. Váci u. 40 (tel. 1/267-1644; www.amicoffee.hu), near Ferenciek tére (Blue line), is open daily from 9am to 2am. This drab space has more than 20 terminals, and the cost is 200 Ft ($1) for up to 15 minutes, with pricing by 15-minute intervals. Yellow Zebra, V. Süto utca 2 (tel. 1/266-8777; www.yellowzebrabikes.com), a friendly hangout for back-packers, is open daily 8:30am to 8pm.

Language-- Hungarian (Magyar), a member of the Finno-Ugric family of languages, is unrelated to any of the languages of Hungary's neighboring countries. By and large, Hungarians accept the obscurity of their language and welcome and encourage any attempts at communication made by international travelers. Many Hungarians speak German and/or English. You shouldn't have much of a problem making yourself understood, particularly in Budapest. Everyone involved in tourism speaks at least a little English.

Colloquial Hungarian (published by Routledge, Chapman, Hall) is a good phrase book and comes with a cassette.

Laundry & Dry Cleaning-- Self-service launderettes (patyolat) are scarce in Budapest. The Mister Minit chain, a locksmith and shoe-repair service located in all large shopping centers throughout the inner city area, now offers a laundry service as well. Many hotels and pensions also provide laundry services. Private room hosts usually are happy to make a little extra money doing laundry.

Libraries-- The United States Information Service (USIS) has a public reference center in the Central Bank building, at V. Szabadság tér 7-9 (tel. 1/302-6200 or 1/302-0426). The USIS reference center holdings include a large CD-ROM database of recent newspapers and magazines, as well as a variety of reference texts. The former USIS book collection is now a part of the library of the Faculty of the Arts at ELTE University, XIV. Ajtósi Dürer sor 19-20 (tel. 1/343-0148, ext. 4435). Known as the "American Library," it is open to the public. Hours reflect the university's calendar, so call ahead. It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm (except opening at noon on Wed).

The British Council Information Centre is at VII. Benczúr u. 26 (tel. 1/478-4751; www.britishcouncil.hu). It's open weekdays from 11am to 5pm, with extended hours until 7pm on Monday and Thursday. Open Saturday 9am to 1pm.

Liquor Laws-- Alcohol is sold all over the place, and is available for purchase at all times. The legal drinking age in Hungary is 18.

Lost & Found-- Be sure to tell all of your credit card companies the minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen, and file a report at the nearest police precinct. Your credit card company or insurer may require a police report number or record of the loss. Most credit card companies have an emergency toll-free number to call if your card is lost or stolen; they may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency credit card in a day or two. Visa's U.S. emergency number is tel. 800/847-2911 or 410/581-9994. American Express cardholders and traveler's check holders should call tel. 800/221-7282. MasterCard holders should call tel. 800/307-7309 or 636/722-7111. For other credit cards, call the toll-free number directory at tel. 800/555-1212.

If you need emergency cash over the weekend when all banks and American Express offices are closed, you can have money wired to you via Western Union (tel. 800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com).

Identity theft and fraud are potential complications of losing your wallet, especially if you've lost your driver's license along with your cash and credit cards. Notify the major credit-reporting bureaus immediately; placing a fraud alert on your records may protect you against liability for criminal activity. The three major U.S. credit-reporting agencies are Equifax (tel. 800/766-0008; www.equifax.com), Experian (tel. 888/397-3742; www.experian.com), and TransUnion (tel. 800/680-7289; www.transunion.com). Finally, if you've lost all forms of photo ID, call your airline and explain the situation; they might allow you to board the plane if you have a copy of your passport or birth certificate and a copy of the police report you've filed.

The BKV (Budapest Transportation Authority) lost-and-found office is at VII. Akácfa u. 18 (tel. 1/267-5299). For items lost on a train or in a train station, call tel. 1/312-0213. For items lost on an intercity bus (not on a local BKV bus), call tel. 1/318-2122. Good luck.

Luggage Storage-- There are left-luggage offices (csomagmegorzo or poggyász) and lockers at all three major railroad stations. At Keleti, the office is in the main waiting room alongside Track 6. It's open 4am to midnight. At Nyugati, the office is in the waiting room behind the international ticket office and is open 24 hours. The lockers are nearby, and the cost is also the same as at Keleti. Déli Station has a new automated locker system in operation in the main ticket-purchasing area; the lockers are very large, and directions for use are provided by a multilingual computer.

Mail & Post Office-- Mail can be received by clients at American Express (see "American Express," above); a single Amex traveler's check is sufficient to prove that you're a client. Others can receive mail by asking friends and family to address letters to "c/o Poste Restante, Magyar Posta, Petofi Sándor u. 17-19, 1052 Budapest, Hungary," and can pick mail up at this same building, Petofi Sándor u. 17-19 (tel. 1/318-3947 or 36/1-487-1100). This confusing office (Mon-Sat 7am-9pm), not far from Deák tér (all metro lines), is the city's main post office. There are also post offices near Keleti and Nyugati stations. The post office near Keleti is at VIII. Baross tér 11/c (tel. 1/322-9013), and is open Monday to Saturday 7am to 9pm. The post office near Nyugati is at VI. Teréz krt. 51 (tel. 1/312-1480), and is open Monday to Saturday 7am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 8pm.

Names-- Hungarians write their names with the family name first, followed by the given name. When mentioning Hungarian names in this guide, we have employed the international form of given name followed by family name. The only exception is with street names, where we have used the Hungarian style: hence Ferenc Deák (the man) but Deák Ferenc utca (the street).

Newspapers & Magazines-- The International Herald Tribune, USA Today, Guardian, Guardian Weekly, The Economist, Financial Times, Times of London, European, Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal Europe, and Time are all commonly found in luxury hotels and at kiosks and bookstores in the central Pest neighborhood around Váci utca. At larger newsstands you can also find People, Vogue, Harper's, and, once in a blue moon, the New York Times. On any given day at Sajtó Térkép, with locations at V. Kálvin tér 3 (Blue line) and V. Városház u. 3-5 (Ferenciek tere, Blue line), you might also find such periodicals as Barron's, the Nation, the GQ, Architectural Digest, and House & Garden.

For English-language articles on current events and politics in Hungary, pick up the Budapest Sun or the Budapest Times, both weeklies. The free monthly Visitors' Guide provides listings of cultural events, as does the trilingual Pesti Est, Where Magazine, and the Web-based Ontheglobe.com (which your humble author writes and edits). All of these publications are widely available.

Passports-- For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. For general information, call the National Passport Agency (tel. 202/647-0518). To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center (tel. 900/225-5674); the fee is 55¢ per minute for automated information and $1.50 per minute for operator-assisted calls.

For Residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a €12 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) or at most main post offices.

For Residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

Pharmacies-- The Hungarian word for pharmacy is gyógyszertár, or occasionally, patika. Generally, pharmacies carry only prescription drugs. Some hotels advertise "drugstores," but these are just shops with soap, perfume, aspirin, and other nonprescription items. There are a number of 24-hour pharmacies in the city -- every pharmacy posts the address of the nearest one in its window. If necessary, ask for a specific address at Tourinform. Your best bet for 24-hour service year-round is Oktogon Patika on Teréz körút, next to Hotel Radisson (off Oktogon square, tram nos. 4 and 6). If you are looking for basics like pantyhose, chapstick, and so on, you'll want to find a drugstore rather than a pharmacy. A number of European drugstore chains have set up shop in Budapest; look for the Drogerie Mart, know as DM.

Police-- Dial tel. 107 for the police.

Religious Services in English-- Roman Catholic Masses are held at 5pm on Saturday in the Jesuit Church of the Sacred Heart, VII. Mária u. 25 (tel. 1/318-3479). Nondenominational services are given on Sunday at 10:30am at the Óbuda Community Center, III. Kiskorona u. 7 (tel. 1/250-0288). Presbyterian and Anglican services are held on Sunday at 11am at VI. Vörösmarty u. 51 (tel. 1/246-2258). The Christian Science Society is located at II. Kútvölgyi út 20-22. Jewish Hungarian-language services are held at the main synagogue, VII. Dohány u. 2-8 (tel. 1/342-8949), on Friday at 6pm and Saturday at 9am.

Restrooms-- The word for toilet in Hungarian is WC (pronounced vay-tsay). Noi means "women's"; férfi means "men's."

Shoe Repair-- The Hungarian word for cobbler is cipész or cipo javitás, and scarcely a neighborhood in the city is without one. You can try a Mister Minit shop (a chain of minishops found in many major shopping areas) if all you need is something quick and professionally less demanding. Ask your hotel reception for the nearest cobbler.

Smoking-- Smoking is forbidden in all public places (including all public transportation), except in most restaurants and pubs, where smoking is considered to be an indispensable part of the ambience. Although a 1999 law requires all restaurants to have a nonsmoking section, the fact is that most barely comply. Expect most restaurants to be smoky places. Tilos a dohányzás or Dohányozni tilos means "No Smoking."

Taxes-- Taxes are included in restaurant and hotel rates, and in shop purchases. International travelers are entitled, upon leaving the country, to a refund of the 25% VAT on certain purchases.

Telephone-- To make local phone calls: The Hungarian phone company MATÁV provides much better service than in the past, but it still falls significantly short of Western standards. For best results, dial slowly and don't be too quick to trust a busy signal; rather, try again.

The area code for Budapest is 1, and all phone numbers in Budapest (except mobile phones) have seven digits. Phone numbers in this book are printed with the area code. Most other towns in Hungary have a two-digit area code and six-digit telephone numbers. To make a call from one Hungary area code to another, first dial 06; when you hear a tone, dial the area code and number. Numbers that begin with 06-20, 06-30, or 06-70 followed by a seven-digit number are mobile phone numbers. Mobile phones are extremely popular and some of the listings in this book are mobile phone numbers. Be aware that all phone calls made to a mobile phone are charged as long-distance calls, regardless of the location of the caller or the receiver. Budapest telephone numbers are constantly changing as MATÁV continues to upgrade its system. (You should note, for instance, that any Budapest number beginning with a "1" has been changed; try replacing the 1 with a 3 or a 4.) Usually, if the number you are dialing has recently changed, you will get a recording first in Hungarian and then in English, indicating the new number. If further information is needed, dial tel. 198 for local directory assistance.

Public pay phones charge varying amounts for local calls depending on the time of day that you place your call. It's cheapest to call late in the evenings and on weekends. Public phones operate with 20, 50, and 100 Ft coins or with phone cards (in 50 or 120 units), which can be purchased from post offices, tobacco shops, supermarkets, travel agencies, and any MATÁV customer service office (MATÁV Pont).

Hotels typically add a surcharge to all calls (although some allow unlimited free local calls).

To call to Hungary from abroad: Dial the appropriate numbers to get an international dial tone (011 from the U.S.), then dial 36 (Hungary country code), followed by the appropriate city code (for Budapest, 1), followed by the six- or seven-digit telephone number.

To make international calls: To make international calls from Hungary, first dial 00 and then the country code (U.S. or Canada 1, U.K. 44, Ireland 353, Australia 61, New Zealand 64). Next you dial the area code and number. For example, if you wanted to call the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., you would dial 00-1-202/588-7800.

For international calls to the U.S., there are several options. Our preferred method these days is to make all international calls from abroad through a U.S.-based "callback" service. These services allow you to gain access to a U.S. dial tone from abroad, typically by dialing in to a computer in the U.S. that then automatically calls you back with the dial tone. International calls made in this manner are billed at competitive U.S. calling rates, which are still significantly cheaper than Hungarian international rates. These services generally charge an activation fee and a monthly maintenance fee, as well as other fees, so you should decide whether you are likely to be making enough calls for this service to be worthwhile. A company called Kallback seems to offer the best package; call tel. 800/959-5255 or 800/516-9992, or visit www.kallback.com.

Alternatively, you can use a phone card and access the international operator through a public phone, though older phones are less reliable; again, a 20 Ft coin is required to start the call. You can also place an international call at the post office at VI. Teréz krt. 51 (near Nyugati railway station), as well as from the following MATÁV offices: MATÁV Pont in West End City Center near Nyugati Station, MATÁV Pont in Mammut at I. Széna tér, and MATÁV Pont Budai Skála at XI. Október 23 u. The main telecommunications office, at Petofi Sándor u. 17 (near Deák tér), also provides telephone service.

Hungarian telephone books list the numbers of all countries that can be directly dialed. MATÁV also publishes a useful English-language pamphlet on international calling that includes country codes. Failing either of these resources, dial tel. 199 for international directory assistance.

Those calling the U.S. can reach the AT&T operator at tel. 06/800-01111, the MCI operator at tel. 00/800-01411, and the Sprint operator at tel. 00/800-01877. Australia Direct (tel. 06/800-06111), Canada Direct (tel. 00/800-01211), New Zealand Direct (tel. 06/800-06411), and U.K. Direct (tel. 06/800-04411 [BT], or 06/800-04412 [Mercury]) are direct-access numbers that connect you to operators in the country you're calling, with whom you can arrange your preferred billing.

For directory assistance: Dial tel. 198 if you're looking for a number inside Hungary, and dial tel. 199 for numbers to all other countries.

For operator assistance: If you need operator assistance in making a call, dial tel. 199 if you're trying to make an international call and tel. 198 if you want to call a number in Hungary.

Time Zone-- Hungary is on Central European time, 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time from March 26 to October 26; from October 27 to March 25 (during the equivalent of daylight saving time), the difference is 1 hour and 5 hours, respectively.

Tipping-- The tipping rate is generally 10-20%. Among those who welcome tips are waiters, taxi drivers, hotel employees, barbers, cloakroom attendants, toilet attendants, masseuses, and tour guides. If a restaurant bill includes a service fee, as some restaurants do (be sure to ask), there is no need to tip; if not, add 15-20% to the bill.

Useful Phone Numbers--

U.S. Dept. of State Travel Advisory: tel. 202/647-5225 (manned 24 hr.)

U.S. Passport Agency: tel. 202/647-0518

U.S. Centers for Disease Control International Traveler's Hotline: tel. 404/332-4559

Water-- Tap water in Budapest is generally considered safe for drinking. Mineral water, which many Hungarians prefer to tap water, is called ásványvíz. Purified bottled water (szénsav mentes) is sold in delicatessens and groceries in the tourist areas; all brands have a pink label for identification.