We are coming to Budapest in December for the Christmas markets. We will be staying in the centre of Budapest? What is the crime rate, will we be safe to wander around at night?
Our answer is not scientific, but rather based on the experiences we have from other tourists we know and also as locals who have been hanging out in the city for a long time. In general there is not much crime taking place in the centre of Budapest, neither during daytime or by night. The crime taking place is not violent crime, but rather pick pockets and women tricking you into night clubs where you later get high bills and similar. The American Embassy writes:
“Crime in Budapest is a concern. Be careful during your visit, and exercise the same caution you would in any big city or tourist area at home. Do not walk alone at night; keep your belongings secure at all times. Passports, cash, and credit cards are favorite targets of thieves. Keep items that you do not store in your hotel safe or residence in a safe place, but be aware that pockets, purses, and backpacks are especially vulnerable, even if they close with a zipper. We recommend you use a travel money belt that keeps your cash and passport under your outer clothing and well out of view. Be sure to secure these items when you get back to your hotel or residence. “
If you are a girl or a lady it is especially important not to walk alone, but always have someone to walk with in the evenings. In most situations, 99.9%, there will be no problem if you walk alone, but still sometimes you can hear of situations where things have happened to people walking alone. BUT, that is very seldom, and you do not really need to be afraid… just be careful, and do not be stupid!
As a tourist you will mostly avoid those areas recognized as dangerous in Budapest, so we recommend that you stay in the city centre, enjoy life there and just common sense!
If you have any feedback, response or maybe disagree with our text, just write a comment!
Frequent european traveller from London, who incidentally considers the streets of London very unsafe at night. However, most western european countries can be unsafe if you do not use common sense as outlined above. As for Budapest, I travel here on a regular basis and consider it possibly THE safest City in Europe!!
Glad to hear that this is your experience in Budapest (that we share)! 🙂