questions answers Archives - Page 2 of 8

How to get to the Athletics Stadium in Budapest?

Posted on August 16, 2023August 18, 2023 by Budapest Guide

Budapest is hosting the World Championship in Athletics during the summer of 2023. It is the biggest event ever arranged in Hungary, and a brand new stadium awaits athletes and the audience. But how can you easily get to the stadium? Can I park my car by the stadium?

We have written a thorough article about the World Championship in Athletics in our Budapest Guide, and there you will find lots of information about the event and also answers to frequently asked questions. We have touched on traveling to the stadium, but in this article, we will give you more in-depth answers.

Can I park my car by the Athletics Stadium?

If you come to Budapest by car to look at the World Athletics Championships, then you probably know that finding a parking lot might be a problem. There is no big parking lot next to the stadium. What should you do then?

There are several options.

1:) Park your car elsewhere and use public transportation.

This is a great option, and it might be the easiest solution. In other words, travel to the city center of Budapest, with tram line number 2 to the end station, and walk to the stadium from there. You can read more about public transportation options later on in this article.

2:) Go shopping in OBI.

There is a OBI store (do it yourself retailer) close to the stadium. This parking lot might get packed during the event, but it might be a solution (OBI will probably not endorse this option, so don’t tell them that we came up with the suggestion). Buy a hammer and some other necessary accessories, leave your car in the parking lot, and walk to the stadium.

3:) Park your car in TESCO

A TESCO store at Soroksari út is very close to the venue. Here you pay for your parking based on the length of your stay. It is very cheap, so it will not cost a fortune, and it might be the best solution for those arriving to Budapest by car for an evening or a daytime event.ű

I want to get to the stadium by taxi!

Things are very easy if you want to use a taxi to get to the stadium. Find a taxi, book a taxi via your hotel or restaurant, and let them drive you to the stadium. There will for sure be many pirate taxies around the stadium, so only use taxies you have ordered yourself, or taxies belonging to an acknowledged company such as Radio Taxi, or you can use the service BOLT.

I want to use public transportation.

Several buses, trams, and trains (HEV) are traveling near the Athletics stadium. The best options for getting to the stadium is by using tram line number 1 or 2 and then leaving the tram at the stop Közvágóhíd. Tram number two travels along the Danube, making it Budapest’s most beautiful tram ride. This is the ideal tram if you live in the city center of Budapest.

Tram number one travels along the big ring in Budapest, making it a great solution if you live nearby this popular ring in Budapest. It starts on the Buda side near the Árpad bridge, and ends up on the Buda side again by the Kelenfoldi railway station (along the way, it travels on the Pest side and stops next to the Athletics stadium).

You can travel with the green train number 7 (HEV) to the stop Müpa – Nemzeti Színház. A public transportation boat will also travel to the Athletics stadium during the World Championship in Athletics.

Can I travel by bike to the stadium?

It is possible to travel by bike to the new Athletics Stadium in Budapest. There are many places for parking your bicycle near the stadium, and there are fairly good bicycle roads leading to the stadium. Of course, the bicycle roads in Budapest cannot be compared to those in cities such as Amsterdam, but they are improving little by little, and it is possible to use a bicycle to get to the stadium.

That’s it. You are now ready to travel to the stadium during the Worl Athletics Championships in Budapest. Do not forget to be early to the stadium, and be prepared for delays during entrance to the stadium and with public transportation (something that might happen when thousands of people travel to the stadium with public transportation simultaneously).

If you have any comments or questions, write them below! If you want to read more about other events, concerts, festivals, and markets in Budapest, take a look at this page.

Opening times during Easter in Budapest.

Posted on April 4, 2023April 5, 2023 by Budapest Guide

Are you coming to Budapest this Easter? Are you wondering whether or not stores, museums, thermal baths, and restaurants are open? What about the river cruises? What should you expect if you come to Budapest for Easter? Will you meet closed doors, or will life be as normal?

First of all, grocery stores, restaurants, thermal baths, and museums are normally open on Sundays. But, Easter is different. Here you can read about the different important Easter days and how they influence opening times in Budapest.

Opening times during Easter in Budapest.

Opening times on Palm Sunday in Budapest.

The first day many people are curious about is Palm Sunday, the day on which Jesus came into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. This is an entirely normal Sunday, meaning grocery stores, museums, thermal baths, restaurants, and other institutions operate with their normal opening times. As a result, almost everything is open and available on this day.

Opening times on Maundy Thursday in Budapest.

Thursday is the day of the Last Supper with Jesus and his disciples. Hungary does not give much attention to this day, meaning that life goes on as normal, giving you the chance to shop in H&M, eat cake in Gerbaud, and enjoy the hot springs in the Gellert bath.

Opening times on Good Friday in Budapest.

Good Friday has been a national holiday in Budapest for some years. As a result, all grocery stores are closed, and so are fashion stores. Luckily for tourists, restaurants and museums remain open on this day, and the same is true about the thermal baths and the boats traveling up and down the river. Cinemas are also open if you want to watch a movie. On the day after, Saturday, business is back to usual, meaning you can once again go to grocery stores and fashion stores.

Opening times on Easter Sunday in Budapest.

Easter Sunday is very identical to Good Friday. In other words, grocery stores and fashion stores are closed. Besides that, most restaurants, thermal baths, river cruises, cinemas, and similar activities operate at full power due to the large number of tourists coming to Budapest to celebrate Easter.

Opening times on Easter Monday in Budapest.

Easter Monday is identical to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. You might find some 24/7 mini grocery stores open here and there, but all the big brands (Aldi, Lidl, Spar, CBA, Tesco, Auchan) are closed. This is not a day for shopping in Zara or Pull&Bear either, but if you are eager to go shopping, you should check out the Easter market which normally is open at the Vörösmarty square every day throughout Easter.

What are normal opening times like in Budapest?

On a normal day, a grocery store opens at 6.00 or 7.00 and remains open until 20.00 or 21.00. Some close earlier on Saturdays and even earlier on Sundays.
On a normal day, a clothes store opens at 10.00 and remains open until 20.00. Many fashion stores close earlier on Sundays.
Thermal baths open at 6.00 or 7.00 and remain open until somewhere between 18.00 and 22.00.
Museums often open at 10.00 and remain open until sometime between 18.00 and 20.00. Some museums are closed on Mondays.

Other programs in Budapest

Would you like to enjoy other programs in Budapest? Take a look at our Budapest calendar to find out what’s going on in Budapest while you visit the city.

Ordering from Amazon to Hungary – How does it work? VAT? Shipping costs?

Posted on December 6, 2022April 21, 2024 by Budapest Guide

Would you like to order products from Amazon to your address in Hungary? Hungary doesn’t have an Amazon store, so you must choose between Amazon.com, Amazon.de, and Amazon.co.uk. Which is the best for you? Which is the cheapest? Everything you need to know about ordering from Amazon to Hungary.

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, and it is an incredibly successful company. Not only do they sell products made by others, but they also create devices and products themselves, like the Kindle, Fire tablets, and much more. What can you do if you want to order from Amazon? It depends on which product you want to buy.

Order from Amazon to Hungary.

You will find very similar products on Amazon in Germany, the United Kingdom, and in the United States. So, where should you order from? In general, the best and easiest solution is to order from Amazon in Germany. Why is that?

Why is Amazon Germany the best solution for Hungary?

There are several reasons why you should order from Amazon.de if you live in Hungary.

It is the closest location to Hungary. This makes the delivery faster and easier, and often cheaper!
Since Germany is in the European Union, you don’t have to pay additional VAT or other costs as the goods arrive in Hungary.

These are the main reasons why you should order from Amazon.de to Hungary. You might find products cheaper on Amazon.com, but when you add the shipping fees, the VAT, and the waiting time, you will discover that it isn’t worth it.

What about Amazon.co.uk? You could consider it, but seeing the United Kingdom outside the EU and the strong British Pound, you will most likely do much better ordering from Amazon Germany instead.

Do you need to know German to order from Amazon.de? Not at all! You can search in English, and you can set the platform language to English. It will often translate your search request to German, but you will normally see all the necessary information about the products in English.

How much does it cost to ship products from Amazon to Hungary?

For the purpose of this article, I created an order of three products that I want to send to Hungary from Amazon.de. I added a nice Samsung monitor that I can use while writing articles in the Budapest Guide. Even though I am a computer nerd, I need to smell good so I added a bottle of Hugo Boss perfume as well. Since it is important to read, I also added a brand new Kindle from Amazon to my shopping basket.

I was quite lucky with this order because all products are dispatched and sold by Amazon. As a result, they can group all products into one order and package. This makes shipping cheaper.

It is worth noticing that the price of certain products often increases the moment Amazon realizes that it is sent abroad. As a result, the price of the three products suddenly became 291 euros instead of 273 euros when I reached the checkout. Shipping is then added to the order, making the final price 313 euros.

amazon order to hungary — The good thing is that when you see the final price, you know that no more costs will be added. You don’t need to fear hidden costs, nor that your package will be stuck in customs until you pay VAT.

What about products that Amazon doesn’t send to Hungary?

Most products can be sent to Hungary from Amazon in Germany and from Amazon in the United Kingdom and the United States. But, sometimes, there are exceptions. I have often seen that Amazon is unwilling to send its own products, such as Fire tablets, Echo loudspeakers, and the Kindle to other countries. What can you do if you experience that?

There are solutions that you can use to solve such problems as well. It is very easy, and you normally pay only for additional shipping.

Mail forwarding from Germany (Mailboxde).
Mail forward from the UK (Forward2Me)
Mail forwarding from the United States (Shipito).

You can visit any of the three sites above and get a free storage address in the UK, the United States, and in Germany. It is entirely free. You will immediately receive a postal address in that given country. This can be used as you order products from Amazon in that country. Since you are delivering products within the country, you will pay less for the products and for shipping.

As the package arrives to the address, you will receive a notification in email. You can then have the package sent to your home address in Hungary. The cost depends on the site and the weight of the package, but it normally doesn’t cost more than Amazon would make you pay to send the package to Hungary.

Eager to go shopping on Amazon? Use the links below.

Is it worth ordering from Amazon to Hungary?

It is possible to order from Amazon to Hungary, but is it worth it? Many people expect it to be very cheap in Hungary. Some products are cheap, but not all products. You will be surprised if you go to a fashion store and see a price tag with prices in different currencies. What will you discover? The price in Forint is very similar to the Euro price, sometimes identical, sometimes cheaper, and quite often, more expensive. As a result, you don’t find similar products cheaper in Hungary than elsewhere.

If you compare the prices of computers, monitors, and accessories, you will often see that the price are a little bit cheaper in Hungary, but not much. If you want to know for sure, go ahead and compare the prices of an exact product, and you will immediately see whether it is worth it or not.

There are, however, certain products that you cannot buy in Hungary. It is obvious that you order such products from Amazon (if they are available). Examples of such products are Amazon products. You can also find giant discounts on Amazon around Black Friday and Easter, and then it is absolutely worth shopping on the platform.

I hope this article has answered many of your questions about ordering products from Amazon to Hungary. If you have further tips, insight, or questions, use the comment field below.

Can I pay with Euros in Budapest?

Posted on November 23, 2022November 24, 2022 by Budapest Guide

Would you like to pay with Euros in Budapest? Hungary has been a member of the European Union since 2004. Does that mean that the Euro is an official currency for payments in Hungary? No!

When Hungary first joined the European Union in 2004, everyone expected Hungary to quickly introduce the Euro. That didn’t happen. Instead, the economy of the country has become worse and the current politics point more in the direction away from Europe, instead of moving closer and closer to Europe.

What does this mean for you as you come to Budapest? Can you pay with Euros in Budapest?

Is Euro an accepted payment currency in Budapest?

Even though the Hungarian Forint is the official currency of Hungary, most stores and restaurants accept payments by Euro. Many will say that they only accept Euro bills (not coins). But, there are a few things you should be aware of.

If you want to pay in cash.

Euro payments are normally accepted if you pay by cash. This is nice if you have brought Euro bills to Budapest. But, it isn’t always smart to use your Euro bills as you pay with cash in Budapest. Why is that?

Most restaurants and stores calculate with terrible exchange rates. If the real exchange rate of 1 Euro is 410 Forint, you will often see that restaurants and stores calculate with a much lower rate, for example, that 1 Euro is 370 Forint. As a consequence, you will end up paying much more than if you paid with the local currency.

What can you do about this? You can either go to an exchange office and change your Euro to Forint, or you can withdraw Hungarian Forint with an ATM. Would you like to learn more about the Hungarian currency and how you can find the best exchange rates? Click the link.

If you want to pay by card.

If you pay with your VISA or MasterCard, your bank will calculate with the exact exchange rate. But, you better be aware that many terminals will ask you in the payment process whether you want to pay with Euro or with the local currency (HUF). If you get such a question, pay in the local currency because you will end up paying less in this way.

A lot of things have changed in 2022…

The value of the Hungarian Forint has dropped a lot compared to the Euro and the US Dollar in 2022. As a result, prices in Hungary have increased a lot. To secure their income, many tourist companies now fix their prices in Euro instead of having fixed prices in Forint. In such cases, you have to pay the Euro price anyway. But, in most cases, the Forint price is the one that you should be looking for.

You can pay with Euro in Budapest, but you pay less if you use the Hungarian Forint

That is the answer to this question. If you have further comments, or questions, or want to share your experience paying with Euros in Budapest, use the comment field below.

Free parking in Budapest

Posted on November 20, 2022September 8, 2023 by Budapest Guide

Are there any free parking spots in Budapest?

Thank you for the question! This is a good question and, at times, a tricky question. The local government has removed more and more free parking spots in Budapest, but there are still some. Here we will write about some of those free parking spots.

First of all, in large parts of the city, it is free parking on Sundays and after 22.00 in the evening (on the other days). However, this is in general, so make sure to check it out as you park your car to know if this is valid for where you would like to park your card as well.

General advice is to never to leave valuables in your car because, as in all other cities, there are people in Budapest as well who like to steal valuables from cars, so if you have lots of valuable stuff in your car, you better go to a secure parking lot instead with guards, to make sure that you, your car and your values stay safe!

Free parking in Budapest

Campona

You must park outside the city center if you want 100% free parking in Budapest. You can park mostly anywhere in the 22nd district of Budapest and in other “outside districts” such as the 4th district, the 17th district, and many others. Still a better option is to park in the giant parking lot by the shopping mall Campona outside the city center of Budapest. From there, you can travel with public transportation buses to Moricz Zsigmond Korter, Bikas, Park, or Ujbuda center, and then you can travel further on with the green metro line to wherever you want to in Budapest

You can type Campona Budapest in your GPS and you will be taken to the mall and its giant parking lot. This is probably the best option right now if you want a 100% free parking in Budapest.

Market Central (Vecsés, Fő út 246-248)

This is a shopping area very close to Budapest Airport. Here you find all sorts of stores, such as Tesco, Praktiker, DM, kik, Deichmann, SportFactory, Lidl, Müller, Burger King, and many others. A large parking lot is in front of the complex, and you can leave your car here for free. From here you can travel by bus 200E towards Köbanya Kispest and travel on the blue metro line from there to the city center of Budapest.

The parking lot along the main road connects the city center with the airport. You should, of course, be careful with leaving valuables in the car, just like you should anywhere else in the city.

P+R parking in Budapest (not free, but very cheap).

It is hard to find free parking in Budapest at central locations, but there are a couple of P+R parking options that will allow you to leave your car at a cheap price and then travel on with public transportation to all of Budapest within a few seconds. These were completely free until July 1st in 2023, but they now require a payment. Luckily, they are still cheap, making them great options!

What is the price of the different P+R parking options in Budapest?

The price is 350 HUF per entrance (valid between 06.00 and 22.00). In other words, if you arrive at 8.00 and leave at 21.50, you only pay 350 HUF (less than 1 euro) for the entire parking time. If you leave your car there for the night, you need to pay 105 HUF per hour between 22.00 and 06.00. If you arrive at 10.00 on a Monday and leave the parking lot at 10.00 on a Wednesday, you will end up paying three-day tickets (3×350) and also 16 night hours (16×105). The end result is then 2730 HUF, approximately 7 euro. The parking lot is guarded, meaning that it should be considered fairly safe to leave your car in this and other P+R locations in Budapest for a couple of days

1) Etele tér P+R (not free, but cheap)

You can type this name into Google Maps, leading you to a big parking lot in Budapest. It is located next to a big shopping mall named Etele Plaza, and from here, you can travel by metro line 4 to Kalvin square and Fövam square which are central locations in Budapest. Be aware that many people use this option on weekdays, meaning it might be hard to find a free parking lot, but if you are patient and lucky, it should work out nicely!

2) Örmezö P+R (not free, but cheap)

This is located close to the first parking lot mentioned (Etele tér P+R), on the other side of the railway lines. It is the perfect place to start your trip to Budapest as you can leave your car for free and travel by metro to downtown. You can buy tickets at the metro station. If you’d rather travel by tram to central Budapest, that can also be done using tram 49.

3) KÖKI Terminál P+R (not free, but cheap)

This isn’t entirely free, but it is quite close to free. It is located next to metro line three (the blue line) and the station named Köbanya Kispest. It is a part of a giant mall, meaning that you can easily shop at this location besides parking your car.

The mall is between the main city center of Budapest and the international airport, making it ideal for those traveling between the city and the airport or who just want a good location for parking their car. It is possible to buy tickets for longer periods of time here, including a ticket valid for 30 days. Such long-term tickets must be bought in the parking office at the -1 level of the mall.

Above you can see the prices and tickets available for parking at Köki Terminal in Budapest.

4) Arena Plaza parking lot (this is not P+R, making it much more expensive than the other options)

The parking lot belonging to the Arena Plaza shopping mall can be used for free. It is not super central, but by walking a bit you can reach the Keleti Palyaudvar, and there you will find two metro lines, making it easy to get on from there in town.

November 2022 update. You can now only park for free for 2 hours in Arena Plaza. After this, all the following hours will cost 300 HUF (appx. 1 Euro). The parking lot is possible to use during the opening times of the Plaza itself.

5) Bikas Park (this is not P+R, so it is more expensive than the other options)

This is not very central, but this location has a metro station, and from here, you can easily travel to central locations using public transportation. It is also nice to know that this entire region has free parking, so if you cannot park at the large parking lot on the Bikas park, then you can also park for free in the streets around the park. Be aware of the fact that it is a local market at Bikas Park every Saturday, so all cars have to be removed from the spot before the market starts (they have to be removed latest on Friday evening before midnight).

This is a great place to leave your car if you come to Budapest by car and want to do a day of sightseeing before traveling in the evening. You can also leave your car here for days, but that isn’t a normal thing to do. If you leave your car here, make sure not to leave it from Friday to Saturday as it will be removed due to the market (a great local market in Budapest).

December 2022 update: The local government just changed its policy about Bikas park. Since December 5th in, 2022, you need to pay a parking fee here of 300 HUF per hour between 8:00 and 18:00 on weekdays. It is still free parking here on Saturdays after the market has finished (around 13.00) and on Sundays.

Is the Hungarian Parliament far from the City Park in Budapest?

Posted on November 8, 2022April 21, 2024 by Budapest Guide

Before you arrive in Budapest, it is hard to know about the distances between the different attractions. The Hungarian Parliament is one of the most beautiful buildings and attractions in Budapest. But, if you want to do a nice sightseeing walk in Budapest and walk from the Parliament to the City Park, how far will you have to walk?

There are several ways to answer the question. First of all, if you are a tourist, then you want to walk on the most scenic road to the City Park. In other words, you should walk from the Hungarian Parliament to the St. Stephen’s Basilica. From there you should walk along Andrassy avenue until you reach the Heroes Square. And when you have walked across the famous square, you are located in the City Park where you can find the zoo, the Szechenyi bath, the Vajdahunyad castle, and lots of other sights and attractions.

The shortest walking road from the Parliament to the City Park.

The shortest road is exactly three kilometers. But, it is a quite boring road and you will miss all the beautiful attractions, so do not follow the primary suggestion from Google Maps if you are to do this walk.

*Do not walk like this… neither of the recommendations here is recommended.*

If you are in a hurry, these are the fastest tracks, but they are not the best. Instead, follow the path recommendation below. It is approximately one kilometer long, but it is a way nicer path. Along the way, you will walk along the most famous boulevard in Hungary (Andrassy Avenue). There you can see the Hungarian State Opera, lots of fashion stores, and beautiful buildings, and you will also see famous museums such as the Terror House museum, and much more.

walk in budapest — *This is the nicest way to walk from the Parliament to the City Park and the Heroes Square in Budapest.*

I hope these instructions have given you some useful information about how to walk between these popular areas and attractions in Budapest. If you have any similar questions, please use the comment field and I will do my best to answer.

Is it safe to visit Budapest and Hungary with the present situation in Ukraine?

Posted on March 30, 2022March 3, 2023 by Budapest Guide

Have you been waiting for COVID to disappear so that you could finally come to Budapest (again)? But, as you finally started to plan your trip to Budapest again, the entire conflict between Russia and Ukraine showed up and suddenly you got one more reason to worry. But, do you need to worry about the conflict if you are coming to Budapest and to Hungary?

Hungary has more than 2150km of borders and the biggest part of this is the border shared with Slovakia at a total of more than 650km. The second-largest border is shared with Romania (443km), then followed by Austria with which we share a border of 366km. But, what about Ukraine?

The smallest border part in kilometers is with Slovenia (only 102km), and then comes Ukraine with which Hungary has 133km of common border. And yes, that can be experienced these days as the number of refugees entering Hungary from Ukraine might have reached 500,000 already.

But, it is very important to understand that on the Ukrainian side of the border, there are several cities and villages in which a large part of the population speaks Hungarian. So far, these villages and cities haven’t been attacked at all, meaning that they are still doing good, even though they are a part of Ukraine.

Is it safe to visit Budapest right now? — The Fishermen’s Bastion in Budapest – Source: Pixabay

What is the situation in Hungary?

The Hungarian people have done a wonderful job taking care of the people arriving in the country from Ukraine. Locals have opened up their homes and their wallets, and the government is also working with helping refugees coming to the country. Many of the refugees travel on to elsewhere in Europe from Hungary, while some reside here, hoping to stay here until the situation has calmed down in Ukraine so that they can return to their country once again.

As a tourist in Hungary…

If you come to Hungary as a tourist, you will most likely not notice anything at all. You might hear more of the Ukrainian language than normal, but since you most likely are unable to discern the languages you don’t know, you will not know whether the people you hear speak Hungarian or Ukrainian or any other language that you don’t know.

If you think about security, then there is no need to worry at all. It is considered a negative thing in general that the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Órban has a quite close friendship with Vladimir Putin, but if you think about the security of the country, then that might actually give it a little additional piece of security (if you fear Putin attacking areas outside Ukraine).

What about COVID?

Are you still worried about COVID as well? You might need to use a face mask on the flight carrying you to Budapest and to Hungary, but there is no need to use a face mask elsewhere in Hungary (besides if you have to visit a hospital or medical facility). There are still quite a lot of COVID each and every day and there are still quite some people dying due to COVID daily. However, people mostly live their lives like before COVID and all programs are available as they would normally be.

No matter what, you can come to Hungary without any worries. Get ready for a nice river cruise on the Danube, some tasty Goulash soup, and maybe a sweet sip of some wine from Tokaj?

When will Disney+ come to Hungary?

Posted on March 23, 2021April 19, 2022 by Budapest Guide

Are you in lockdown in Budapest (Hungary), or are you just curious about when Disney+ will come to Hungary? Or are you planning a trip to Hungary, but you worry about whether or not you will be able to stream The Mandalorian and all the other popular shows on Disney+ while visiting the country? Here we will give you a status report about Disney+ and its situation and future in Hungary!

So, let us start with the current status. If you visit the DisneyPlus website while residing in Hungary, you will see the following screen.

As you can see on the picture, the service is unavailable. There is a little text in the upper right corner asking if you are a subscriber already, and it gives you the chance to login. But, even if you login, you will not be able to stream anything, because then you will see the following error message.

You will see an error message like the one above in the language of your Disney+ subscription. Above the language is Norwegian, but if the language of your Disney+ subscription is set to English, German, or some other language, you will see the error message telling you that Disney+ is unavailable at your current location message like above.

In other words, even if you have a Disney+ subscription, you will not be able to enjoy it while visiting Hungary…. or?

Is it impossible to watch Disney+ in Hungary?

There are a few ways to stream Disney+ while in Hungary. I can currently recommend the following article which explains easily how to watch Disney+ in Hungary if you already have a subscription, and it also gives instructions on how to get a Disney+ subscription and watch it in Hungary, if you do not have a subscription yet. You can find the article at https://www.thevpnboss.com/disney-isnt-available-in-my-country-what-can-i-do/.

When will Disney+ come to Hungary?

Disney+ is already available in quite a lot of European countries, and the situation is quite similar to the situation with Netflix some years ago. They were available in the most “popular” European countries, but we have to wait for it in Eastern Europe and countries such as Slovenia, Serbia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary.

But, it has now been made public that Disney+ will come to Hungary on June 14th in 2022!

In other words, this summer Disney+ will finally come to Hungary, meaning that you can stream The Mandalorian, The story of Boba Fett, Loki, and lots of other Disney+ original content and awesome movies on the streaming portal.

That should be considered awesome news. And if you have a Disney+ subscription in some other country, then you can use the same subscription while in Hungary. In other words, you do not need an additional subscription to watch Disney+ in Hungary, but you can use your present subscription while in Hungary. In the same way, Hungarians who will purchase a Disney+ subscription in Hungary can use the same description while visiting other countries in which Disney+ is available.

There are some differences in content between countries for Disney+ and the ratings you see will also reflect the ratings of the country you are in and not your home country. Besides that, everything works in the same way.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy your days in Hungary!

Is it dangerous to travel on the river Danube in Budapest?

Posted on October 22, 2019October 22, 2019 by Budapest Guide

During the summer of 2019, a terrible accident happened on the river Danube as a ship with more than 20 passengers sank after a collision with another boat. This leads many people to ask whether or not it is actually safe to do a river cruise in Budapest? Here you will find the answers and the information you need!

If you have ever seen a picture of Budapest, you have most likely seen the beautiful Danube as well. It is amazing as it divides the city of Budapest into Buda and Pest, and it can be crossed on one of many bridges. The most famous of the bridges is the Chain Bridge, the first bridge that was built. It was finished in 1849. But, do you know why it took such a long time for a bridge to be constructed at all? Because of the current! There is so much water floating down the river at all seconds, making it a much harder river to control than, for example, the Charles Bridge in Prague (a bridge that was built more than 500 years earlier).

Budapest by night - a beauty for the eye and for the soul! — River cruise in Budapest – is it safe?

There is a lot of water passing by at any second, and the normal rate is somewhere between 2500-3000 m3 per second. But, in times of flooding (which it was during the time of the accident), the amount of water can increase to around 6000 m3 per second. The most extreme amount ever measured was more than 10,000 m3 per second.

Swimming in the Danube

The quality of the water in the Danube has improved lately, and at some locations, people do swim in the Danube. But, that is not in the main river, but at smaller extensions of the river without the strong current. There is an annual competition in Budapest where one can swim across the Danube by the Liberty Bridge, but every single participant is followed by a boat in order to be able to pick them up in case they do not manage. In other words, if you do not have great swimming skills, the Danube can be a really scary river.

If you are a great swimmer, it can still be dangerous, especially close to the bridges where underwater currents can pull you down towards the bottom before you are pressed towards the surface once again. During normal circumstances, the deepest parts of the Danube within the borders of Budapest is around 6 meters deep. But, when the river floods, it can easily reach 10 meters and more.

The conclusion is: Do not swim in the Danube when in Budapest, do not even try to swim, and warn any others that even consider getting close to the river.

What about a river cruise in Budapest?

There are many river cruises available in Budapest, and lots of companies working with providing awesome tours that give tourists fantastic memories. You never hear much about them, simply because they get no attention, and because there are no accidents. The only time you hear about them is when something happens. Luckily, that is very seldom, and that is why you never heard about it before the accident on May 29th in 2019.

As long as you stay on the ship (and not in the water), there is no problem and no need to worry before you board a river cruise in Budapest. The ships are also well equipped, meaning there are safety vests available for all passengers. During the accident on May 29th, things went so fast that they didn’t have time to get any such equipment. The accident was caused by human error, something that might just as well happen on a bus, in a taxi, or in an airplane.

The conclusion is: You shouldn’t worry at all about taking a river cruise in Budapest. It is very safe, the boats are controlled and well-equipped, and it will give you a memory for a lifetime as you enjoy the view and the food/drinks served on board.

Maybe it sounds dangerous considering the strong current. Of course, it does. But, doesn’t it sound dangerous to sit in a box of metal at 10,000 meters? Wouldn’t be fund to fall out from there either, would it? In other words, stay on the plane and stay on the boat, and you will be safe and have an enjoyable time!

What are your thoughts/questions?

These are some pure facts and thoughts related to whether or not it is safe to go on a river cruise in Budapest. Do you have some experience that you would like to share? Or do you have a question related to the river Danube or some specific river cruise in Budapest? Write your question or comment in beneath!

Hotels near the Christmas markets in Budapest

Posted on August 25, 2019August 25, 2019 by Budapest Guide

Are you looking for a hotel near the Christmas markets in Budapest? Which hotel should you pick? Here you have some suggestions for centrally located hotels in Budapest near the most important Christmas markets!

As you might know already, Budapest is a fantastic city. And even though the city is fantastic all year round, it is especially beautiful before Christmas. That is when the Christmas lights are turned on, and the Christmas markets at the Vorosmarty square and the Saint Stephen’s square open.

The two biggest and most important Christmas markets in Budapest

The two circles show the areas of the two biggest Christmas markets. As you can see, they are located close to one another, meaning that there only is a short walk between both markets. Based on these locations, it is quite easy to find a hotel centrally located close to both Christmas markets.

Hotels near the Christmas markets in Budapest

It all depends on how much money you want to spend, but here you will find some recommendations that will make the Christmas markets easy to visit throughout the day without walking very much!

The five-star option – Kempinski

This hotel is located by the green square which you can see on the map above, almost in the middle between the two Christmas markets. It is an amazing five-star hotel with all the exclusive and nice features you might need. A sure winner if you want a central location combined with luxury!

Check the Kempinski prices and read more about it here.

If you want to swim in between your visits to the Christmas markets, choose Kempinski.

A four-star option – Mercure City Center

This is a very central hotel located in the Vaci utca (the shopping street). It is very close to the Christmas market at Vorosmarty square (only a few minutes away), and a little bit further away from the other market. But, you can still reach the market at the Szent Istvan ter within less than 10 minutes on foot. The hotel normally has very good prices and considering that it is a four-star hotel, it should be worth taking into consideration.

Check the prices and read more about the hotel here.

A three-star option – Hotel Central Basilica

If you want to live closer to the Christmas market in front of the Saint Stephen’s Basilica, this is as close as it gets. Hotel Central Basilica is a three-star option that will give you a brilliant location at a low price. It isn’t as luxurious as the other two hotels, but it will do the job for most tourists who plan on spending more time outside the hotel than on the inside.

Read more about Hotel Central Basilica here.

These are some suggestions to those looking for a hotel near the Christmas markets in Budapest. There are several hundred hotels to pick from, but not all of them have a central location. And it is true, you save a lot of time living at a central location. It might be more expensive than living far outside the city center, but if you first spend money on a flight ticket, an airport transfer, and other services, why not spend a few dollars extra in order to live at a good location as well?

If you have further questions or comments related to hotels located near the main Christmas markets in Budapest, write them in the comment field.