BME - Student Life

 

Transportation

Inland Transport
Arriving to Hungary.

Arriving by plane

In Budapest your plane will arrive to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (formerly known as Ferihegy Airport) - Terminal 2. () After passing through passport and customs control you can get to the city either by taxi, minibus or by public transport.

A ride to the city center should typically cost around 6500 HUF (appr. 22 EUR) depending on traffic conditions. In Budapest, all taxis must use the same tariff system, so prices are the same.

You find information on the Airport Shuttle Minibus service including prices and zones here.

If you have a tight budget you can use the Budapest public transport. The blue public transport bus 200E takes you from the airport to Kőbánya-Kispest metro station, where you need to change to Metro line 3 (blue metro line), which takes you to the city centre.

Arriving by car

Either you arrive in Hungary on a motorway or wish to use Hungary's motorway network you need to buy an e-vignette. It's a virtual vignette, replacing the traditional windscreen stickers. You can buy the e-vignette at retailers, petrol stations, on-line on the internet or by mobile phones.

If you arrive to Hungary on Motorway, buy the e-Vignette right at the border or latest at the first petrol station. In summer there can be long queus at the petrol stations, so buying the e-sticker in advance on the web can be a good idea. Actual toll fees you find on the website of the State Motorway Management Company.

Source here 

If you need any information (timetables, lines, fares, etc) about the Hungarain train and bus transport system check these websites:

MÁV - Hungarian State Railways. 

VOLÁNBUSZ – Hungarian Bus Transport Provider. 

 

Public Transport

Budapest has a large and quite convenient network of public transport of buses, trolley buses, trams, metro lines and the HÉV (suburban railway). The system covers the whole city and it is affordable with Hungarian student ID cards. The basic ticket is good for one trip; if you transfer, you will need to validate a new ticket or use a transfer ticket (except for metro lines, for a certain amount of time). Be sure to validate your ticket using the orange/yellow/red ticket-punching machines as controllers may ask to see your ticket, and will fine you for having an invalid one.

For more information and timetables visit the website of BKK (Centre for Budapest Transport): 

Tickets:
  • Single ticket:  350 HUF
  • Block of 10 tickets:  3000 HUF
  • Single ticket for public transport boat:  750 HUF
Passes:
  • Monthly Budapest-pass for students:  3450 HUF
  • Quarterly Budapest-pass for students:  10350 HUF
  • Semester pass for students:  16200 HUF
  • Discounted annual Budapest-pass for students:  37800 HUF

Tickets can be purchased from some newsagent's, metro stations and ticket machines.

Additionally, single tickets are available from the bus driver onboard at the price of 450 HUF.

Good to know:

Public transportation in Budapest virtually ends after 11pm, when the metro, streetcars and trolley buses stop operating. There are some night buses running (marked with "É"), but not as frequently.

For more information, visit the homepage of Centre for Budapest Transport.

Taxi

All taxi vehicles are yellow and each taxi charges the same fares

Fares:

Base fare: 450 HUF

Kilometer-based fare: 280 HUF/km

Time-based fare: 70 HUF/minute

Main taxi companies:

6x6 Taxi:  +36 1 666 6666

City Taxi:  +36 1 211 1111

Főtaxi:  +36 1 222 2222

Driving & Parking

Speed limits

The speed limit for cars and motorcycles on the motorway is 130 km per hour (approximately 80 mph) on highways, the limit is 110 km per hour (approximately 65 mph) and in town and village areas the speed limit is 50 km per hour (approximately 30 mph)

Important rules

Hungary has a zero tolerance policy for driving under the influence. It is against the law to use a hand-held cell phone while driving anywhere in Hungary and seat belts are mandatory for everyone in the car.

On-Street Parking

Generally, parking must be paid for between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm (with some exceptions) Monday to Friday. On-street parking is free on the weekends and on National Holidays. Budapest is divided into several street parking zones with different fees, from 175 HUF/hour to 550 HUF/hour.

Tickets must be purchased from the nearest parking meter and they need to be displayed on the dashboard. Parking meters except cash (HUF) or credit cards. Meters that have "Mobile Parking" stickers accept payment by cell phone as well. Registration to pay by phone is via SMS (you text your license plate number to the phone number indicated on the sticker and you text 'stop' when you wish to finish parking)

Parking Garages in Budapest

There are several multilevel, 24-hour parking garages in downtown Budapest. Also, many hotels and all major shopping malls offer parking.

P+R Parking

For longer periods, it is advisable to leave your vehicle in a P+R car park. P+Rs are generally found at underground stations and bus terminals.

 

 

 

Health Care

Medical care for citizens of the European Economic Area (EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) is provided on the basis of the European Health Insurance Card. The citizens of these countries are entitled to the same treatment under the same conditions as the residents of the above countries.

In the case of foreigners studying in Hungary, entitlement to health care services in Hungary is restricted to those foreign nationals who pursue their studies full-time at an institution of secondary or higher education and whose student status is based on an international agreement or a fellowship granted by the Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities.

First aid and emergency medical care are free for foreigners.

Emergency
  • General emergency service phone number:  112
  • Police:  107
  • Ambulance:  104
  • Fire service:  105
  • 24-hour English language crime hotline:  +36 1 438 8080
  • English language telephone directory service:  191
  • International operator:  199

Calling these numbers is free of charge.

 

 

 

Main attractions

Castle Hill

This World Heritage Site is easily visible from everywhere in Budapest. Undoubtedly the most spectacular of these impressive structures is the 18th-century Buda Castle, a massive 200-roomed palace that, like much of the city, is spectacularly illuminated at night. The famous Matthias Church and the Fishermen's Bastion are also popular sights.

Budapest Parliament

A highlight of a walk around Budapest's lovely pedestrian-friendly cobbled streets is the area around the country's architecturally pleasing Parliament building, and its neighbors, the Museum of Ethnography and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Guided tours (approximately 45 minutes) are available and include many of the building's highlights, such as the main entrance hall, various lobbies, and the Hungarian Crown Jewels.

Heroes' Square and Városliget

Heroes’ Square is the largest and most impressive square of the city. The Millennium Monument standing in the middle of the square was erected in 1896 to commemorate the 1000-year-old history of Hungarians.

With its pretty lake, Városliget is a popular recreational site for Budapest locals and visitors alike. Numerous cultural and recreational facilities have developed here over the years, including two large art museums (Museum of Fine Arts, and the Palace of Art); the Municipal Zoological and Botanical Garden, the Széchenyi Medicinal Bath and the fairytale Vajdahunyad Castle.

Danube Promenade

The Danube (or "Duna" in Hungarian) flows through Budapest from north to south, and in places within city boundaries it is as much as 640 meters in width. There are many places from which to enjoy views of this magnificent, majestic river and its bridges. One of the best is simply to stroll its banks (either the Buda or Pest sides, they're both good) as you take in the city's stunning architecture. Another great way to explore the Danube is by boat, and numerous tourist excursions depart regularly from the landing stages at Vigadó tér on the Pest bank and Bem József tér on the Buda bank.

Váci Street

Váci utca' is perhaps the most famous street in Budapest. It runs from Vörösmarty Square to the Central Market Hall and features a large number of restaurants, shops and cafés. Vörösmarty Square, located in the heart of Budapest, is always busy. This is where the famous Gerbeaud Café can be found, as well as the first station of the Millennium Underground.

Andrássy Avenue

This elegant avenue, recognized as a World Heritage Site, is often referred to as Budapest's Champs-Elysées. It is also called cultural avenue, as the Opera House, Pest's best theaters (nicknamed as Budapest's Broadway), the Academy of Music, and many museums are either on the avenue or just off of it. Andrássy Avenue is great for walks alongside the beautiful turn-of-the-century buildings or people watching in one of the many cafés.

Margaret Island

Margaret Island (Margit-sziget), barely 2.4 kilometers long and 503 meters wide is Budapest's main recreation and recuperative center for most locals. Thermal spring-fed medicinal baths, carefully tended gardens and paths, as well as the ruins of many historic buildings, all serve to attract many daily visitors. A highlight of any visit is the Palatinus Baths.

Gellért Hill

Gellért Hill offers some of the best panoramic views of Budapest. At the top of the hill is the Citadel (Citadella) and Budapest's Statue of Liberty is also located here; you can see her from all parts of the city.

Saint Stephen Basilica and the Great Synagogue

It took more than 50 years to build the Basilica, the largest church in Budapest. The patron saint of the church is St. Stephen, the first king of Hungary. Visit the dome's observation deck for a beautiful panoramic view of Budapest.

The Great Synagogue in Dohány Street is the largest Synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world.

Source: here and here

 

 

 

Surronding sporting chances

Bath & Swimming

The Császár-Komjádi Sports Swimming Pool (District II., Árpád fejedelem útja 8.) is one of the most popular swimming pools in Budapest. Its outdoor and indoor pools welcome the professional athletes and the amateur swimmers wishing to exercise and relax all year. Swimming lessons for children and adults are held in the training pools.

Hiking

Ex Pub (District XI., Mészöly utca 1.) is a pub and a climbing club in one place. After sporting you can relax wit billiard,  table soccer, quiz night (on Mondays). There are very cheap prices for all services.

Fitness & Aerobic

Buda Fitness (District XI., Bercsényi utca 12.) is a very near place to BME with friendly prices. There are trainings in group, or personal coaching, also sauna and solarium.

Mass Fittness Club (District XI., Bartók Béla út 61., entrance from Fadrusz street) besides having variety of aerobic courses and body building machines, provides TRX, HotIron, BOSU, sauna, infrasauna, turmix-bar, fitness shop, free Wifi, coaching.

Gilda Max Fitness Allee (Allee Shop Center, District XI., Október huszonharmadika u. 8-10. 3rd floor) is a place of a fittness network in Budapest. You can find three movement groups, which act as basic pillars including the various forms of training: Aerobics/Fitness, Bodybuilding, Combat Sports. The gym also has several supplementary, comfort functions: sauna, infra-sauna, solarium, massage, buffet, WIFI, hairdresser, beautician, nail salon.

Yoga

DownDog Yoga Studio (District XI., Bartók Béla út 23.) has three locations in Budapest, where we gladly provide our advanced and beginner guests with Hatha, Ashtanga, Dynamic-Hatha, Vinyasa Flow and Spine-Yoga classes. DownDog passes can be purchased at any of our studios and are valid at all our locations.

Mandala Yoga Studio (District XI., Bartók Béla út 55.) has wide range of yoga types. There are average prices. If you like more yoga, you can do there a school to be a trainer.

Dance

In organisation of Goldance School, at Szent Imre Gimnázium (District XI., Villányi út 27. ), near to the Móricz Zsigmond körtér, there is a dance school where you can study zumba, salsa, rocky, west coast, bachata and ballroom dancing. Prices are not too high and there are many discounts.

Running

Margaret Island is the greenest, most popular run in Budapest. It has everything that a great running route needs: a scenic, shaded, waterside trail around a popular park, with views across the Danube, leading you past fountains, sports fields, a zoo, ancient ruins, hotels and the city's main outdoor swimming pools. And the trail has been paved in springy rubber matting, making it gentle on your legs. You can find more information about the place here.

Kopaszi-gát is a beautifully landscaped narrow peninsula in south Buda, next to Rákóczi Bridge. Nestled in between the Danube on one side and a protected bay, popular for kayaking, on the other it has a lovely beach feel. Kopaszi-gát is also a favorite picnic spot and the park offers lots of outdoor activities from biking to ball games. It is a great place for kids, with its playgrounds, a sandy beach, green grass with ducks and an indoor playhouse. The sign in the park says it all: 'Fűre lépni szabad!', which means 'walking on the grass is permitted. More information about the place is here.

 

 

 

Dining out

Madách Square

Located at one of Gozsdu udvar's exits is Madách Square, which has become one of the most popular recreational centres in Budapest, thanks to spots like Központ, Telep, Konyha, Castro and Hivatal. In good weather, the square fills with people and excitement flowing out from all of the square's venues.

Gozsdu

The beautifully restored Gozsdu Courtyard, once the core of Budapest's Jewish quarter, is popular with locals. Packed with restaurants, pubs and bars, the place comes alive every evening. Gozsdu Courtyard (Gozsdu Udvar) was a row of buildings with a series of inner courtyards connecting Király utca and Dob utca, with apartments on the top floors, and small shops and workshops on the ground floor. Recent renovations converted the old passageway into a modern residential and entertainment complex with some great restaurants and pubs.  Favorite hangouts to check out include the lively Kolor, the very popular Spiler 'bistropub', the trendy wine bar DiVino, the Jewish-Italian restaurant Yiddishe Mamma Mia, and the French-style Café Vian. All offer indoor and outdoor dining.

 

 

 

 

Nightlife

When nighttime rolls around, Budapest is transformed into a socialite's heaven. There's no specific entertainment district, as the diverse nightlife is spread all through the city – choose from pubs, dance clubs, jazz bars, cocktail bars or casinos. The new wave of entertainment is represented by the many 'Ruin Pubs'. Live music, charming retro décor, unique atmosphere and late opening hours make these places popular. The summer brings an even greater wealth of options, when Budapest expands its nightlife into several outdoor venues

 
Ruin Pubs

Szimpla: Szimpla Kert is one of the oldest "ruin pubs" in Budapest, and a popular hangout for students and art types. Szimpla offers concerts, movie nights, a computer room, a great collection of old furniture, reasonable prices, and a laid-back atmosphere. Most people come here to have a beer. A good bet almost any night.

Instant: You will love this ‘ruin bar’ on Pest’s most vibrant nightlife strip and so do all your friends. It has six bars on three levels with underground DJs and dance parties. Always heaving.

Fogasház: Fogasház is another embodiment of what has become a ‘Budapest concept’. It got really big a few years ago (now it includes a “kert”, a summer garden, open in the winter too) and got on the pub-crawl and Erasmus maps.

Clubs (Indoor and Outdoor)

A/38: Moored on the Buda side just south of Petőfi Bridge, the ‘A38 Ship’ is a decommissioned Ukrainian stone hauler from 1968 that has been recycled as a major live-music venue. It’s so cool that Lonely Planet readers online voted it the best bar in the world. The ship's hold rocks throughout the year.

Akvárium: In the old bays below Erzsébet tér, where once buses used to drop off and pick up passengers, you'll now find Akvárium Klub, delivering a varied program of Hungarian and international live music, from indie, jazz, world and pop to electronica and beyond. A carpet of drinkers layers the surrounding steps in warm weather.

Ötkert: It’s not really a ‘garden club’, though the ‘Five Garden’ (‘five’ as in district V) does pretend to be that. Ötkert has great drinking and dancing spaces, including a cool central courtyard.

Doboz: It’s a nightclub, a bar, a courtyard, artist's workshops, a shop, a gallery and an apartment all together. DJs and/or concerts keep the crowd entertained at night.

Corvintető: On the top of the former Corvin department store, this excellent club, with stunning views from its open-air dance floor, holds a variety of nights from techno to rooftop cinema.

Holdudvar: Trying to be all things to all people – restaurant, bar, gallery, open-air cinema, disco and kert (outdoor garden club) – is not always advisable, but the ‘Moon Court’, occupying a huge indoor and outdoor space on Margaret Island, does a decent job of juggling all five tasks.

Budapest Park: Europe's largest outdoor club, Budapest Park  brings you the greatest international stars for the five month season. The place is perfect for wild parties as well as for a relaxing outdoors in good weather.

Hidden Gems

Kertem: Right in the middle of City Park, Kertem is a wonderful beer garden, filled with multicoloured chairs and trees strung with fairy lights. By day it's an easygoing oasis full of families, by night it's a great place to grab a beer and a burger and listen to live music (hosted on weekend evenings).

360 Bar: If you walk into the right wing of the Paris Department Store on Andrássy Avenue and step into the elevator, in a matter of seconds you'll be greeted by sunshine or sparkling city lights, and have Budapest at your feet. In the evening, you can enjoy excellent wines and beautiful sunsets here, while chilling to down-tempo tunes. There is no dress code to fear, you won't feel embarrassed in sneakers - 360 Bar promotes a free, urban spirit of living, which is underscored by the simple design of the highest rooftop bar of Budapest, where you can admire a 360 degree panorama of Budapest all summer long, accompanied by light drinks and an open kitchen..

Source: here and here

Useful links

http://welovebudapest.com/  

https://www.facebook.com/welovebudapest.en

http://www.budapest.com/

 

 

 

Basic Hungarian Vocabulary

Basics

Yes – Igen

No – Nem

Please – Kérlek

Thank you – Köszönöm

You’re welcome – Szívesen

Excuse me – Elnézést

I’m sorry – Sajnálom

Greetings

Hi! - Szia!

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night! – Jó reggelt/napot/ estét/éjszakát!

How are you doing?” – Hogy vagy?

I’m fine, thank you. – Köszönöm, jól!

Bye! – Szia!

Goodbye! – Viszontlátásra!

Relationships

You're pretty. – Csinos vagy.

You're good looking. – Jóképű vagy.

Let's meet for a coffee. – Találkozzunk egy kávéra.

Kiss me! – Csókolj meg!

Food&Drink

I'm hungry! – Éhes vagyok!

I'd like a beer / wine / pálinka. – Kérek egy sört/bort/pálinkát.

Bon appetit! – Jó étvágyat!

Cheers! – Egészségedre!

I'm full! – Tele vagyok!

The bill, please! – A számlát kérem!

Shopping

I would like a… - Szeretnék egy…

How much is it? – Mennyibe kerül?

Bankkártya Credit card – Bankkártya

Cash – Készpénz

Directions

Where is the…?” – Hol van a…? Vajon be tudja fejezni a mondatot?

Right – Jobbra

Left –Balra

Entance - Bejárat

Exit - Kijárat

Sources & more: here and here