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Budapest Hungary photo by Thomas Depenbusch (Depi) from Cologne, Germany-

Is Budapest Safe? Best Tips & Advice for Tourists

Budapest is the iconic Hungarian city with a buzzing tourist scene if you did not know Budapest is the 9^th largest city in the EU and the capital of Hungary home of Goulash.

Interestingly one side of the Danube river is called Buda and the other is Pest. Moreover, there are magnificent buildings lined next to the grand boulevards while the busy residents do shopping, dine, and enjoy the vibrant nightlife.

However, once you land and grab an airport shuttle to the city you will see that Budapest is very unique in many ways. Hence before hitting Budapest make sure to have the following in mind.

1. Budapest is a very Safe City

Budapest Hungary photo by Wilfredor-.  

Today hustle stories of scams can be seen in nearly every city on the planet and the same goes for the Budapest stories.

And perhaps some of them may be true but in general, Budapest is a safe city as long as you use your common sense.

Moreover, Budapest feels like a very safe to walk and sightsee through at any time of the day or night.

Barely anyone gets ripped off here at least not more than in other cities in Europe so this aspect should not concern you.

2. Metro tickets must be Validated

Budapest photo by 漏 Ralf Roletschek – Fahrradtechnik und Fotografie
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This tip is the most commonly found in any of the Budapest guidebooks however note that the public transportation network has a fairly common ticket inspection in place so unless you wish to pay a fee on the spot or find yourself in bigger trouble buy and validate your ticket prior to boarding.

All you need to do is stick your ticket into one of the orange machines placed at every metro station entrance and wait for one second.

Once you hear a validation mark printed on your ticket followed by a beep you are good to go.

3. Save Money on Public transportation

Budapest photo by Eastfarthingan-

It is cheaper to buy a bus or tram ticket before you board. So wherever you see a self-service ticket machine at the station or at the stop you are on don鈥檛 hesitate and use it.

It’s advised it’s cheaper to buy tickets in advance rather than hopping into a crowded vehicle and buying it directly from the driver. 

Read more about things to do in Budapest for Christmas here. 

4. In crossings, Pedestrians have the priority

Budapest photo by Chasingwhereabouts-.

Fear not to cross the street since in Budapest the drivers are well respective of the pedestrians.

For all anxious travelers here is a bit of safety reassurance that pedestrians always have the right of way on the pedestrian crossings in Hungary and the vehicle will give way to your safe passage.

But keep in mind that jaywalking is illegal in Hungary as in other European cities.

5. Budapest has English-friendly locals

Most of the articles today will tell you that the locals in Budapest do not speak any English however the experience says that this city is lovely for all English speakers.

Aside from the residents many street signs and shops are marked both in Hungarian and English and the same goes for the restaurants all have menus in English so you will be just fine.

Find out more about things to do in Budapest during a short stay by clicking here. 

6. Be alerted of 5-Star hotel deals

When you compare prices staying in Budapest is cheaper than nearly any other place in Europe.

This means you can find even better deals on hotel prices especially when it comes to 5-star hotels. Moreover, there are many superb accommodations in Budapest so make sure to wisely 鈥渇ilter鈥� your search results.

7. Winter shoes are a Must

If you travel to Budapest during the winter the pavements can be pretty slippery once the snow falls.

Hence to make your stay and sightseeing more bearable make sure to pack a nice pair of gritted waterproof boots before getting to the airport.

8. Tipping is Good manners

In this sense, the countries in Europe differ however Hungary is known for its tipping culture.

To put this expectation into numbers 10% of the total is well appreciated in all cases.

For exceptional service higher percentages are also welcome but just make sure that if you are in a caf茅 or a restaurant not to leave the tip on the table.

This is considered rude so just hand tip directly to the waiter.

Explore more about things to do in Budapest here.

9. Call for a Taxi don鈥檛 hail it from the street

Nearly all of the negative experiences you will hear about Budapest are based around taxi transportation.

And it is simple to avoid this really by just calling a proper taxi or a yellow cab and you are good. However, there are many non-reputable and non-registered drivers on the streets so if you try to catch one this way the chances are you would be ripped off.

Even when you call a taxi to pick you up make sure that their meter is running. In addition, note the same goes for airport hustlers because many drivers will try to 鈥減ick you up鈥� once you exit the landing area promising you a good deal on the price so have the same principles in mind.

10. ATMs

On a money-related note, ATMs are easily accessible throughout the city. It is recommended to be sure to use IBLA for the best currency exchange and you should avoid EURONET.

Because they charge a hefty service fee for using their ATM. In addition how many forints should you carry in your wallet? No more than 10,000 Ft.

furthermore, Hungary is part of the EU but not yet on the Euro and this means you will need to use Hungarian Forint which is very inflated.

These are very big bills whereby 300 Ft is equaled just over $1 USD. And the smallest bill is the 500 mark and it is advisable that you should not give cashiers at grocery stores more than 10,000 Ft they may not be able to break it.

If you require any tour while in Budapest, take a look at these options.