By Plane

The Hungarian flag carrier is Malév Airlines. There are no intra-Hungary flights.

Budapest is served by two adjacent airports, Ferihegy 1 and Ferihegy 2, both located in the XVII district in southeastern Pest. Ferihegy 1 is the airport that all budget airlines use, while Ferihegy 2 (which has a Terminal A and a Terminal B) serves the flagship carriers and other traditional airlines. The distance between the Ferihegy 2 terminals is about 1 block, so there is no need to be concerned if you arrive at the airport for your flight and are at the wrong terminal, but there is some concern if you arrive at the wrong airport. With Hungary's entry into the Schengen zone, terminal 2A is exclusively used for flights to Schengen countries, so you will pass through security, but not Passport Control. All other flights will depart from 2B and have Passport Control. There are several main information numbers: For airport information, call tel. 1/296-9696; and for general information, call tel. 1/296-7000. For ease of language, use the airport's English version website at www.bud.hu/english for flight information. The airport code for Budapest is BUD.

A new airport called FlyBalaton opened and closed in the Balaton region town of Sármellék. The airport code is SOB; however, when Ryanair pulled it from its schedule, Lufthansa's weekend-only services from Hamburg International were not enough to keep the airport open. At this writing, the airport will be closed indefinitely, but for updated information, you should call the Keszthely Tourist Travel Agency at tel. 83/354-256. There is no domestic air service in Hungary.

Arriving passengers at either airport need to pass through Customs and Passport Control, when appropriate, before they emerge into the bustling arrivals halls of the respective airports.

Ferihegy 1 was remodeled and enlarged just a few years ago, due to the then-expanding number of budget airlines; however, a large number of airlines have pulled out due to lack of demand. Ferihegy 2 is larger, but still not overwhelming -- you shouldn't have any fears of getting lost in it like some other major airports. In each airport, you'll find accommodations offices, rental-car agencies, shops, exchange booths, plus a Tourinform desk. Exchange rates are much less favorable in airports than in the city, so rather than change money, take it out of the ATM. Even with bank fees, you'll come out ahead in the end. Often, people become confused and anxious with currency in thousands, so to avoid surprises or unnecessary ATM fees, do yourself a favor and print out a currency cheat sheet before leaving home from www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet.

By Train

Trains arrive regularly from Vienna, Bratislava, and other European cities either as a destination or as a train passing through for somewhere else. It will depend on where your journey began as to which of the three stations you arrive at. In order to curb fare dodging, some of the tracks are barricaded by inspectors who will want to see your ticket when leaving a train as well as boarding it. Don't toss your tickets until you leave the station.

By Boat

There are a number of cruise ships on the Danube route making Budapest a stopover or final destination. For those not on a cruise ship, there are hydrofoils that transport passengers between Vienna or Bratislava and Budapest as well as smaller towns within Hungary. For information and schedules in English see www.mahartpassnave.hu after clicking on the British flag.

By Car

Once you arrive in the city, you'll want to either park your car or return it to the rental agency. Driving in the city is hazardous to one's health as there are not as many stop signs as needed. There are many one-way streets, and restrictions on making turns onto major roads, so you'll have to find the right place where you can turn around in order to head in the direction you want.

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.