Budapest Guide, Author at Budapest Guide

Budapest is opening again!

Posted on June 3, 2020June 3, 2020 by Budapest Guide

Budapest is opening to tourists once again. As a result, you can once again enjoy a boat trip on the Danube, and you can once again visit all your favorite restaurants in Budapest.

This is good news for everyone who would like to come and visit Budapest in the coming week and months. We have recently received news from many restaurants, and they are all telling us that they are opening once again. They are following all rules and regulations, meaning that waiters’ were masks and gloves (often), and they have also made changes in order for the guests to keep the distance needed.

If you want to enjoy a boat trip on the Danube with food, that can also be fixed. Are you looking for an airport transfer, we are already doing that. So, if you need a taxi driver to pick you up at Budapest airport and drive you to the hotel, just let us know.

Not everyone is welcome to Budapest

Before you come to Budapest, make sure to check the regulations when it comes to arriving at Budapest from your country. If you live in Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, or in the Czech Republic, you can easily visit Budapest, and you do not even need to go into a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

But, if you live in Sweden and want to come to Budapest, or maybe somewhere else, a quarantine is what you can expect, and that will ruin your holiday. In other words, make sure to check whether or not you are allowed to visit Budapest before you come.

If you have any comments or questions or need help to find out about what regulations are valid for you, write a comment!

Flights to and from Budapest during the coronavirus

Posted on April 3, 2020April 3, 2020 by Budapest Guide

While more than 50,000 flights were flying above Europe every day one year ago, that number of flights has been lowered to almost 10% because of the coronavirus. But, there are still 5000 flights in the air daily, and some of them fly to and from Budapest.

Before you read on, do not forget that only Hungarians and people with a work permit in Hungary are allowed to enter the country. So, even though there is a flight to Budapest from your city, you will not actually be allowed to enter the country, unless you are a Hungarian citizen with a Hungarian passport, or if you have a residence permit/work permit in Hungary.

But, which are those flights and cities still connected with Budapest?

Based on information on the website of Budapest Airport, there are still daily flights connecting Budapest with the following cities:

Minsk (Belavia Airlines)
Stockholm (Wizz Air)
Basel (Wizz Air)
Eindhoven (Wizz Air)
London (Wizz Air)
Dortmund (Wizz Air)
Barcelona (Wizz Air)
Warsaw (LOT)

People who come to Hungary from abroad are to stay in a 14-day quarantine after arrival to Budapest and Hungary.

If you want more information about the coronavirus in Budapest, check this article. Would you rather see some pictures of empty tourist attractions in Budapest? Find all the information you need here at hungarybudapestguide.com.

Pictures from Budapest during the coronavirus!

Posted on April 1, 2020April 1, 2020 by Budapest Guide

Hungary is in nationwide quarantine. People can go for a walk, but they need to keep a 2m distance to other people. They can go to work and they can purchase groceries and medicines. But, with most people staying inside all day, and no tourists in Budapest, the streets are almost empty.

We visited some of the most popular tourist locations in Budapest to see what they look like during the coronavirus quarantine. Here you can see the pictures we made during our little excursion.

Coronavirus pictures from Budapest

Szechenyi Budapest — The Szechenyi thermal bath is closed.

Andrassy Budapest — The Andrassy út in Budapest

The Fishermen's bastion in Budapest — The Fishermen’s bastion in Budapest

Gellert hill Budapest — Beautiful spring colors in Budapest

The view is still amazing at the Gellert Hill

We hope these images will cheer you up! We hope for the coronavirus to disappear as quickly as possible, and once again make it possible to visit Budapest!

If you want to get the latest news about the coronavirus in Budapest and Hungary, click the link.

Nationwide quarantine in Hungary from March 28.

Posted on March 27, 2020March 27, 2020 by Budapest Guide

From March 28th, Hungary will start a nationwide quarantine that will last for two weeks. It might last even longer, but at first, it is supposed to last for two weeks only.

The nationwide quarantine was announced by the Prime Minister in a radio speech this morning. People are still allowed to leave their homes to go to work, and also to buy groceries and medicines. You are also allowed to leave you home to take a walk, but you should only walk with a distance from others and it has to be because of your health.

People who disobey the regulations can be fined receive fines between 5.000 and 500.000 HUF (15-1500 Euro).

When can I go to the store?

One big change that will take place due to the quarantine is how the grocery stores and pharmacies will operate. Those who are 65 years or older can only visit stores between 9.00 and 12.00. Everyone below 65 years can only visit pharmacies and stores before 9.00 in the morning or after 12.00.

For more information about the coronavirus in Hungary, check this article.

No spring fair in Budapest in 2020

Posted on March 22, 2020March 22, 2020 by Budapest Guide

We were all looking forward to the spring fair in Budapest in 2020. But, because of the coronavirus, we can now forget all about it, and instead, hope that the virus will stop joking around soon, and thus, we can at least prepare for the Christmas markets which should open in November.

Yes, the spring fair was supposed to open in April 2020 and remain open for three weeks. But, the way things are today, this is not even something to think about. Why not?

The people of Hungary are still allowed to be outdoor and walk the streets of Budapest. But, the fair is even more for tourists. But, considering that tourists are not allowed to enter the country, the main source of visitors and income for the market is not even present, and thus, there is no need to keep the market open. And even more important, such an event will make you meet lots of other people, eat together, and it is a perfect place for the coronavirus to spread. As a result, the latter is most likely the main reason why the spring fair isn’t going to be arranged in 2020.

Want to know more about other events in Budapest? Check our Budapest calendar.

Hungary will be closed for tourists as of today!

Posted on March 16, 2020March 16, 2020 by Budapest Guide

The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that Hungary will close its borders for all private persons who are not Hungarian. As a result, tourists will no longer be able to enter the country.

As a result, there will be closed doors for tourists, meaning that they will no longer be able to enter the country. Local restaurants who have suffered a lot already will suffer even more because of this. But, there is even more.

As of today, restaurants, bars, and other stores will have to close at 15.00. The only exceptions are pharmacies, grocery stores, and those closely related to those categories.

Some theaters and cinemas have been living with the chance to have gatherings for crowds with less than 100 people. But, as of today, they will have to close as well.

Viktor Orban also said that so far it has only been about individual cases of the coronavirus in Hungary. It is expected, however, that in the coming days and weeks it will turn into crowds.

For more news on the coronavirus in Budapest and Hungary, check this article!

Restaurants in Budapest closing because of the Covid-19 virus!

Posted on March 15, 2020March 15, 2020 by Budapest Guide

Everyone working with tourism is suffering because of the Coronavirus. That is also true in Budapest, and as a result, lots of restaurants have decided not to remain open in the coming days, weeks, and most likely, months.

One of the best restaurants in Budapest, Textura, which is operated by the same people who run the restaurant Borkonyha (with one Michelin star), reported that they will close the restaurant from March 16th. At first, they plan to re-open the restaurant at the start of May.

We also received a report from a waiter in a very nice Hungarian wine restaurant in the city center (BorLaBor), that after only having a few visitors in an entire day, the management decided to close the restaurant from March 16th as well. Hopefully, the restaurant will be able to re-open once the virus danger is over.

These are just two examples of something that is a trend among restaurants, not only in Budapest but worldwide. Many restaurants in Budapest reported about a 20% revenue decrease in January, followed by approximately 40% in February, and with the total stop of tourism in March, the March numbers will be catastrophic for everyone.

For more daily updates on the coronavirus in Budapest, click the link!

We will return with more information about restaurants in Budapest as we expect many more announcements because of similar situations in the upcoming days and weeks.

Six new people diagnosed with the Coronavirus in Hungary

Posted on March 14, 2020March 14, 2020 by Budapest Guide

At the daily update on March 14, we have been told that the number of people diagnosed with the Coronavirus in Hungary has now grown to 25. That means an increase of six persons since yesterday. This is the biggest increase in one day so far in Hungary.

We do not know anything about the people infected with the virus so far. But, they are all Hungarians, telling us that the virus is now spreading among people inside the country. All schools, universities, and kindergartens will be closed from Monday.

For more updates on the coronavirus in Budapest and in Hungary, check this article.

Kindergartens and schools to be closed in Hungary from March 16.

Posted on March 13, 2020March 13, 2020 by Budapest Guide

The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced Friday evening during a live speech at Facebook that the schools and kindergartens in Hungary will be closed from March 16th.

He did not give any information about the duration, but he did expect it to be a question of months and not weeks! The universities were closed earlier this week, and now the kindergartens and schools follow in the same example.

For those attending school, there will be online courses and digital teaching. In other words, this is not a holiday, but they will study from home instead.

Viktor Orban also said that it is very important that the parents try to solve the problem of watching out for the children at home. It might be tempting to ask the grandparents for help, but considering that the virus is more dangerous for those who are old, he encouraged everyone to try to solve this without involving the grandparents.

Would you like to know more about the Covid-19 virus in Hungary? Click the link for daily updates in our main article!

Not all cinemas close because of the Coronavirus in Budapest!

Posted on March 12, 2020March 12, 2020 by Budapest Guide

Yesterday, it was said that all indoor gatherings with more than 100 people present had to be canceled. As a result, theaters, cinemas, and other cultural programs were expected to be canceled from March 12th. But, some cinemas have fixed the problem, meaning that they only sell 99 tickets to each movie. So, if you want to watch a movie in a Budapest cinema, you still have the chance!

Some cinemas remain open even though the coronavirus regulations are strict

A few weeks ago, we wrote an article dealing with the price of a cinema ticket in Budapest. We also told you how much you will have to pay for popcorn and a nachos with some salsa dip. But, did you know that you can still enjoy a movie in a Budapest cinema combined with some popcorn?

If you visit www.cinemacity.hu, you can still reserve tickets, purchase tickets, and prepare to have a nice evening out, even though people fear the coronavirus. So, they have set a limit on 99 tickets per film, meaning that there will not be more than 100 people present. In that way, they will stay clear of the regulations from the government, and those who care more about movies than about the coronavirus will have a chance to give heed to their interest.

Want to know more about the coronavirus in Hungary?

But, people will most likely stay at home. The upcoming James Bond premiere has been postponed, because of the virus. Anyone releasing a movie now will know that it will get a big minus, so I guess other big releases coming in the upcoming weeks and months might do like James Bond and postpone their premieres as well.