I SHALL RE-VISIT THIS ENTRY AND ADD BITS AND PIECES AS WE GET NEARER,
Currently (17 May 23) the pound is worth 425 Ft. Making 1000 Ft worth around £2.30
The direct Ryan Air flight from BRS-BUD (at silly o'clock) are now back down to £55-£65 (after climbing to £120 when the draw came out!) ... But I certainly feel comfortable taking Wizz Air from Birmingham Int Dept at 2200 arrive Budapest 0125 - it is still only £18 !
The 2 AIRPORT BUSES in Budapest both work 24/7, with departures every 20 mins or so.
FAST AIRPORT Bus 100E has increased from 900 Ft to 2200 Ft. as of 1 April 2023 (£5) - it is NOT included in any of the Travelcard / BKK Travel passes etc.
The slower 200E has more stops (which might be beneficial, as the metro stops at 11pm) and IS INCLUDED in the TRAVEL CARD packages!
BKK BUDAPEST TRAVEL-CARD / PASSES
Travelcards for 1 or 3 days (2500 and 5500 Ft) are quite expensive and do not include the local MAV TRAINS or regional buses out to the stadia. If you are staying 4 days or longer - you really should buy the 15-day pass! Confusingly, the BKK has the 15-day pass under the heading"MONTHLY PASSES" on their app (Budapest Go) and on their machine dispensors. They have now stopped doing the 5 and 7 day packages ;-(
15 DAYS TRAVEL PASS is only 6300 Ft / £15 and it includes many of the MAV regional trains and VOLÁNBUSZ regional bus lines! Yes. You Londoners ... Read it and weap...
NOTE: Only the one month BKK passes are valid on
the single DANUBE FERRY line
on Tuesday to Fridays only. Otherwise, FERRY tickets cost 1500 Ft. / €4 Per trip and are valid ALL DAY ... Limited service just re-started on 27 April 2023 with ferries EVERY TWO HOURS -
SEE THIS
If you are a student with ISIC card or pupil under 14 ... A ONE MONTH BKK PASS IS ONLY 3450 Ft / £8.
My understanding is if you are over 65
AND carry your passport with you - travel is FREE of charge. Please read this document to be sire -
bkk.hu/downloads/5330/
I imagine that the Hungarian FA will allow match-ticket holders free transport on match-day (as they did in 2018).
THE NATIONAL OPERA HOUSE is now fully refurbished and restored to its former glory ... Sadly, the prices now reflect it!
Still, the cheapest seats are around 10000 Ft (£23) and considering just the entry fee into the opera house is 2500 Ft for tourists to visit the place, its probably not all that a bad deal...
opera.jegy.hu/ticketsearch/1
I VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND DOING
THE CAPITAL CIRCUS. They really do put on a fantastic show. Highly skilled acroba and quite spectacular clowns etc The leafy location is stunning and its in a lovely domed stone building. Even the metro line that takes you there (M1) is the oldest and most atmosphric line!
Mostly on weenend afternoons and tickets are a BARGAIN 2500-5000 Ft (£6-£11).
fnc.jegy.hu/
BATH-HOUSES / MEDICINAL WATERS
You really most do this. Remember to take your own flip-flops / bathing suit / towel etc ... as everything costs extra.
The wonderfully atmospheric Kiraly Thermal Bath has been shut since 2020 for renovetions (due to re-open in 2024).
In terms of old and genuine (and much less touristy) I'd recommend the VELI BEJ Baths aka. Császár Bath
Hotel Csaszar Budapest. Open 3pm-9pm midweek. Open in the mornings on weekend only.
Árpád fejedelem útja 7 – CLOSED 12-3pm for cleaning!!
3-hour PM ticket: 4500 ft / £10.50
Another place, with mostly locals (and without the time restrictions!) is
Lukács baths on Frankel Leó út 25
en.lukacsfurdo.hu/prices - open 07-19h
Adult / STUDENT or PENSIONER 4400/3200 £10/£7.50
For a purey local experience, with very little ambiance, but all the medicinal powers of the hot waters ...
Dandár baths is just South of town and you'll be hard pressed to find a tourist there ...
Adult / STUDENT oe PENSIONER 3400 Ft / 2100 Ft £8/£5
CHEAP PLACES TO EAT
Budapest is full of Polish style Milk Bars. The old Soviet canteen relics where a lovely mama serves you meat, potato, two veg and a massive soup broth for under 1000 Ft (£2.50). Typically, they are only open from 11am-3pm.
One place open until 6pm is Kicsi Mama on konyhája, Lónyay u. 7 - their goulash soup (800Ft) and dumplings (700Ft) make lovely snack food if you are less hungry. If you go there after 2pm ... feel free to warm your food up in their public microwave...
“CC” CENTRAL CANTEEN at Kazinczy u. 24 is open from 0700-1530 - a plate of food is 990Ft and add soup/desert for 250Ft each.
A little dearer, but really worth it, is
Menza Mester önkiszolgáló étterem at Irányi u. 27 open 11am-5pm. Real home cooking and their set-menu (1790 Ft) changes daily
FACEBOOK PAGE.
A plave that gets rave reviews for the food and the old couple that run it, is the sit-down 'brown spoon' at Alsó erdősor 36 (a few hundred metere East of the main synagogue) called
Kívánság kifőzde. Mon-Fri from 1130-1530. You will struggle to spend more than £5-£6... Menu
HERE.
A big favourite of mine for an evening pitta or laffa (big nan wrap) is
HUMMUS BAR. About 10 places all around Budapest and Bratislava. A vegetarian wrap is 800 Ft and a meat one is 1200 Ft (£3)
