Budapest is served by two adjacent airports, Ferihegy 1 and Ferihegy 2, both located in the XVII district in southeastern Pest, approximately 10 miles from the city center. Ferihegy 1 is the airport that many budget airlines use, while Ferihegy 2 (which has a Terminal A and a Terminal B) serves major Hungarian airline Wizz Air and other major airlines. Ferihegy 2 is perhaps better-known internationally as Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (IATA code BUD).

If you have not booked a private transfer with us then you have a few options. The airport contracts exclusively with Fotaxi (tel. 1/222-2222), the oldest taxi company in Budapest. All taxis take credit cards and all drivers speak at least one foreign language (which may or may not be English -- most likely German if not English, if this is helpful to you).The fares are fixed rates per cab, not per person, and adhere to predetermined zones within the city. Fares are from zones 1-4 and cost from 3,500 Ft to 5,400 Ft. These taxis are metered as well, so if the metered fare is less than the zone rate, you pay the reduced fare. By law, all taxis must give you a paper receipt for your fare.

There are also two public transportation options with a journey time of approximately one hour each. From Ferihegy 2, take bus no. 200E to the last stop, Kobánya-Kispest. From there, the Blue metro line runs to the Inner City of Pest. The cost is 450 Ft from the bus driver for the first bus and 540 Ft for the Metro ticket; discounted tickets can be bought from the automated vending machine at the bus stop (coins only, but not recommended) or from any newsstand in the airport. From Ferihegy 1, take bus no. 93 or 200E to the same metro stop as above. There is also a 100E bus that travels directly into the city center and those tickets can be bought for 900 Ft from a Tourist Information kiosk inside the airport.

There is an airport shuttle (tel. 1/550-0000) called miniBUD which needs to be reserved five hours or before your arrival in Hungary. You can reserve your place on the shuttle online from a price of just €19.50 for a single traveler. (Per-person price discounts are given for larger parties.) You can read more at www.minibud.hu.

Trains arrive regularly from Vienna, Bratislava, and other European cities. It will depend on where your journey began as to which of the three stations you arrive at; however most trains arrive at Budapest-Keleti Pályaudvar railway station, which is also a station of the M2 (East-West) line of the Budapest Metro. Buses operated by Hungary's national bus network, Volán Association, as well as taxis, are available outside the train station.

Please Note: 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.

Budapest has an extensive, efficient, and inexpensive public transportation system. It is not without its glitches though, due to the renovation of one of the four Metro lines, which will continue until the end of 2020 at least. There have been interruptions throughout parts of the city at various times, but buses have been provided to replace any tram or metro that has been disrupted by construction.

The biggest disadvantage, however, is that metros and tram routes stop running for the night at around 11:00pm - 11:30pm depending on the line. Some areas of the city, most notably the Buda Hills, are beyond the reach of some night bus services making taxi drivers happy to provide those late-night journeys. During rush hours, all forms of transport are crowded so it is best to plan your travel around these times. Especially important to visitors is that Castle Hill can be reached in only three ways by public transportation and all of these modes of transportation are quite crowded in the high seasons, making travelers highly likely to be targeted by Budapest's professional pickpockets.

Tickets for the Metro (and other BKK-owned transport systems such as the bus and tram) cost 350 Ft, with a transfer ticket costing 530 Ft. A Budapest Card, which includes other perks such as admission to various points of interest, can be bought for 6,490 Ft for 24 hours, 9,990 Ft for 48 hours, and 12,990 Ft for 72 hours. For more information on the Budapest Card, go to www.budapestcard.org. For more information on the Budapest Metro, visit www.bkk.hu/en.

NOTE: Beware of transportation inspectors! The fines for not having a validated ticket or pass are 8,000 Ft if paid on the spot or 16,000 Ft if paid later. An inspector has the right to ask for your passport (you are legally required to carry it at all times) or ID and to call a police officer if the need arises. They do not have the authority to harm you or arrest you.

Don`t be scared of taking a taxi in Budapest; there are plenty of honest taxi drivers here. You can hail them from the street or call for one in advance. The reliable ones are easy to identify from the street as they will have a company logo and phone number and a working meter. Make sure the meter is running before you leave. If not, find another taxi. If you hail one on the street, the base fare is generally 700 Ft, then 300 Ft each kilometer thereafter. When ordering a taxi by phone (all the companies here have English speaking operators), the rate is higher. Waiting time costs 75 Ft per minute. Taxis are available from the international airport at the kiosks in front of Terminals 2A and 2B. The ride from the airport into central Budapest costs approximately 8,000-10,000 Ft depending on wait time and the number of pieces of baggage handled.

We do not recommend driving a car in Budapest. Driving in the city is hazardous as there are not as many stop signs as needed, there are many one-way streets and restrictions on making turns onto major roads; and public transportation is too convenient to endure the hassle of driving. If you are renting a car we suggest you pick it up as you depart the city to avoid excessive rental/parking expenses.

Although it is the union of three separate cities: Buda, Pest, and Óbuda (meaning Old Buda) and divided by the River Danube (Duna), Budapest is a city to explore and discover on foot. Pest is the heartbeat of the capital and has the majority of the sightseeing and nightlife while Buda and Óbuda, located in the hills on the left bank of the Danube, have the two most advantageous vista points in the city, on Castle Hill and the even higher Gellert Hill. Castle Hill is charming to stroll around and is one of the most beautiful parts of Budapest with its magnificent view of Pest. Budapest is architecturally stunning, a gem of Hapsburg splendor. Be sure to look up as you explore Budapest as some of the most fascinating architectural and ornamental details are on upper levels or atop the city's buildings.

Overall, Budapest is one of the safest cities in Europe. There are problems with pickpockets on crowded buses, trams, or metros and caution should also be taken in crowded shops. In addition, due to some political issues, there have been demonstrations that have takem place at various times of the year. For the most part, they are localized in the park in front of the U.S. Embassy, in front of Parliament and at Heroes Square. So far there have not been any threats to tourists, if you just stay clear of those areas on the day of the problems.

Also, the U.S. Embassy provides a list of restaurants in Budapest that engage in unethical business (such as excessive billing, physical intimidation and assaulting customers for nonpayment of excessive bills) although it is not comprehensive. We recommend you avoid these establishments.

The currency of Hungary is the Forint (writen as Ft or HUF). U.S. dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for forints upon arrival. You will notice that some cards and tickets are priced in Euros if purchasing them outside the country before your trip, but once in Hungary, you will pay for everything in forints. Currency exchange desks and ATMs can be found at the airport and many locations throughout the city.

English may be spoken at your hotel and in the tourist areas, but not everywhere. The further away you get from tourist surroundings, the less likely it is to speak English with someone unless they are expatriates or academics. We suggest you familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello (szia), goodbye (búcsú), excuse me (elnézést) and numbers 1-10.

The official city pass for Budapest is called the Budapest Card (www.budapestcard.org), and we recommend purchasing it if you want to visit a lot of the points of interest outlined by TripMasters. Budapest Cards can be bought from outside the country, priced in Euros, but if you buy inside the country, you will pay in forints. As the forint prices are already detailed in the Metro section, the online-only Euro prices are as follows: €22 for a 24-hour card, €33 for 48 hours, and €44 for 72 hours. This card entitles you to free rides on BKK-operated transport systems (except the funicular) and entitles you to discounts on hop-on hop-off tours, dinner cruises, and free admission to a number of sights, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Aquincum Museum, the Budapest History Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery, the Hungarian National Museum, Memento Park, the New Budapest Gallery, Lukacs Baths, and many more! Note that other businesses and landmarks offer reduced admission for Budapest Card holders even if they may not offer it for free. This card also allows you to enter attractions at the front of the line instead of being forced to wait to purchase a ticket. For a full list of discounts and an FAQ, including where to buy the Budapest Card when in Budapest, visit www.budapestcard.org.

The baths of Budapest have a long history, dating back to Roman times, and thermal bathing is deeply embedded within the Hungarian culture. Széchenyi Baths in City Park, is the largest spa complex in Europe; but there are also the Gellért Baths and the Lukács Baths as well as the Rudas and Király baths.

Many visitors find a trip to the baths intimidating in the beginning. The most difficult part may be approaching the ticket window, with its long list of services and prices, often without English translations. And bathhouse employees tend to be unfriendly (most do not speak English), and have little patience. In general, buy a belépõ jegy (entrance ticket), which allows you to use both the thermal baths and the swimming pools and generally entitles you to a free locker in the locker room (öltözo); or, at some bathhouses, you can opt to pay an additional fee for a private cabin (kabin). Either way, an attendant will lock the door for you and give you a token on a string to keep getting back in. Signs posted in all thermal baths instruct you to shower before entering the water.

As a rule, bring shower shoes to all thermal baths and a towel. Swimsuits are required in mixed company and a bathing cap is required in most swimming pools. It's useful to bring your own shampoo, body lotion and toiletries for showering afterward, but most thermal baths have hair dryers. Locker room attendants appreciate tips - 200 Ft is typical, unless you have repeatedly returned to the locker, then make it a bit more.

There are drinking fountains in the bath areas, and it's a good idea to stay hydrated. Bathing on an empty stomach can cause nausea and light-headedness for those unaccustomed to the baths. Some of the pools will show that you should not stay in the hot water for more than 10 minutes at a time. Most bathhouses have snack bars in the lobbies where you can pick up a cold beverage or sandwich on your way in or out, but you must eat it there.