Hungary

Hungary is part of both the EU and the Schengen Area, so entry rules follow the common Schengen framework — always check your own situation before booking. Citizens of many countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, can currently enter visa-free for short tourist stays; travellers who do need a visa apply for a short-stay Schengen visa.

For visa-exempt visitors the key rule is the Schengen 90/180 rule: a maximum of 90 days within any rolling 180-day period across the entire Schengen Area combined — not 90 days per country. Your passport must have been issued within the previous 10 years and remain valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure.

The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) is now active — non-EU visitors are registered with biometric fingerprints and a facial photo at the border instead of receiving a passport stamp. A separate authorisation, ETIAS, is expected later in 2026 for visa-exempt visitors and is not yet in effect — any site claiming to take ETIAS applications right now is a scam. Verify current requirements with official sources before you travel.

Despite being an EU member, Hungary does not use the euro — it kept its own currency, the Hungarian forint (HUF, often written 'Ft'). A few hotels and tourist-area businesses quote euros but the exchange rate is usually poor, so plan to pay in forint. Cards and contactless are widely accepted, especially in Budapest, and you can tap to pay almost everywhere.

Still, carry some cash. Thermal baths, market stalls at the Great Market Hall, smaller bars in the ruin-pub district, and rural businesses sometimes prefer or require it. Use ATMs attached to major banks (OTP, K&H, Erste) rather than the yellow-and-blue Euronet machines you'll see all over tourist Budapest — Euronet charges high fees and pushes 'dynamic currency conversion'. Always decline the offer to be charged in your home currency; choose forint.

Tipping is customary for good service, but check the bill first. Many Budapest restaurants now add a 10–15% service charge ('szervízdíj' or 'service') automatically — if it's already on the bill, you don't need to tip again. If service isn't included, around 10% is normal. The Hungarian custom is to state the total you want to pay as you hand over cash or your card, rather than leaving coins on the table afterward.

Hungarians are generally polite and slightly more formal than many Western Europeans. A firm handshake with eye contact is the standard greeting, and titles and surnames are used until you're invited to switch to first names. A useful quirk to know: in Hungarian, the surname comes first — Nagy János is the man you would call 'János Nagy' in English. Hungarians usually flip the order when speaking English, but you'll see surname-first on documents, signs and name badges.

One genuinely useful taboo: don't clink your beer glasses when toasting. The convention dates to 1849, when Austrian generals reportedly clinked beers to celebrate executing 13 Hungarian leaders after the failed war of independence; many Hungarians still avoid it. Clinking wine glasses is fine. And while we're on food: 'goulash' (gulyás) in Hungary is a soup, not the thick stew sold abroad — the stew-like dish is called 'pörkölt'.

Thermal baths are a national institution and have their own etiquette. Shower thoroughly before entering the pools, keep voices down (these are places to relax, not party), bring flip-flops and a swim cap if you plan to use the lap pool, and follow the posted rules about which pools are mixed and which are single-sex on which days. Dress in towns is smart-casual; cover up in churches.

The main international gateway is Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport (BUD). Budapest itself has an excellent integrated public transport network run by BKK — four metro lines (including the historic yellow M1, the oldest underground on continental Europe), trams, buses and suburban HÉV trains. Buy single tickets, a 24-hour or 72-hour travelcard, or the Budapest Card (which bundles transport with sights and bath discounts). Tram 2, which runs along the Pest side of the Danube past Parliament, is a sight in itself.

For day trips and longer journeys, the national rail operator MÁV runs intercity trains to Lake Balaton (the country's summer playground), the wine town of Eger, baroque Pécs in the south, and the Tokaj wine region. Vienna is a comfortable 2.5-hour ride away on direct Railjet trains. Booking online via the MÁV app is straightforward and often cheaper.

Central Budapest is compact and walkable — the famous 'ruin pub' district around Erzsébetváros, the grand boulevard of Andrássy út, and the Castle District are all easy on foot or by tram. For door-to-door rides, use the Bolt app, which is the main ride-hailing service; Uber does not operate in Budapest. Avoid hailing taxis on the street — only use clearly branded taxis from a reputable company like FőTaxi (City Taxi, Taxi 4 and 6x6 are also reliable), or order one through an app.

Hungary has three main mobile carriers — Magyar Telekom, Yettel (formerly Telenor) and One (formerly Vodafone Hungary) — with strong 4G/5G coverage in Budapest and good coverage across the country. Prepaid tourist SIMs are available at the airport, carrier shops and convenience stores; you'll need a passport to register one.

For most short-trip visitors a travel eSIM is the simplest option — buy a data plan online before you leave, install it, and activate on arrival. Because Hungary is in the EU, a SIM or plan from another EU country also works here at no extra cost under 'Roam Like At Home' rules. Hungary's country code is +36.

Wifi is widespread and usually free in hotels, cafés, restaurants and on Budapest's metro stations. Tap-to-pay on buses and the metro is being rolled out gradually, but for now you still need a valid paper ticket or pass for most trips.

Hungary is a safe country overall, with low rates of violent crime against tourists. The US, UK and Australian advisories all place it at their lowest risk level — standard big-city caution is enough. The most common issue is petty theft: pickpocketing and bag-snatching in crowded tourist areas such as Vörösmarty tér, around Parliament, on the busy Tram 2 and 4/6 routes, and in packed metro stations and ruin pubs at night.

Two specific Budapest scams to know about. First, taxi overcharging — never get into an unmarked or unbranded taxi at the airport, the train stations or on the street; only use a clearly badged FőTaxi (or other reputable company), or summon one through the Bolt app. Second, the 'friendly local' bar scam, where attractive strangers invite tourists (usually men) to a bar that then hands over a hugely inflated bill backed up by intimidating staff. Stick to well-known venues and check prices before ordering.

Tap water is safe to drink throughout Hungary, including Budapest — the city is famous for its thermal springs and the water quality is high. Pharmacies (marked 'gyógyszertár' or 'patika', usually a green cross) are plentiful and a rotating duty pharmacy covers out-of-hours needs. The single emergency number is 112, with English-speaking operators. Travel insurance with medical cover is recommended.

Power: Hungary runs on 230V / 50Hz and uses the standard European Type C and Type F round two-pin plugs. UK and US visitors need a plug adapter; North American travellers should confirm their devices support 230V (most chargers do).

Language: the official language is Hungarian (Magyar), a Finno-Ugric language famously unrelated to its Slavic and Germanic neighbours — and famously difficult for outsiders to learn. English is widely spoken in Budapest, tourist areas and among younger people, and German is often the second foreign language, especially with older Hungarians. A few words like 'Szia' (hi), 'Köszönöm' (thank you) and 'Egészségedre' (cheers) are always appreciated.

Best time to visit: spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are ideal — pleasantly warm, long days, lighter crowds than the summer peak. July and August are hot, with Budapest often in the low 30s°C, and Lake Balaton at its busiest. Winter is cold but atmospheric, with Christmas markets and steaming open-air thermal baths.

Time zone: Hungary is on Central European Time (UTC+1), shifting to Central European Summer Time (UTC+2) from late March to late October.