FACTS AND MAPS
Location of Budapest in Hungary | |
Coordinates | 47°28′19″N 19°03′01″E |
Unification of Buda, Pest and Óbuda | 17 November 1873 |
Mayor | István Tarlós (Fidesz-KDNP) |
Area | 525.16 km2 (202.8 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | 1,733,685 |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
Postal code(s) | 1011–1239 |
Area code | 1 |
Weather
Budapest has a continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. Temperatures in summer (June to August) are between 25 °C and 30 °C with nights around 15 °C or 16 °C, though much hotter wetter can happen with days close to 40 °C and warm nights. Winters are a few degrees above zero and nights are between around -3 °C most of the time, though -20 °C has been recorded. Precipitation is common during all months with heavy showers in summer and snowfall in winter.
Money
Currently used coins: 5 HUF, 10 HUF, 20 HUF, 50 HUF, 100 HUF, 200 HUF
Currently used banknotes: 500 HUF, 1,000 HUF, 2,000 HUF, 5,000 HUF, 10,000 HUF, 20,000 HUF
Be sure when receiving change that all 1,000 HUF notes contain a vertical silver strip. Older notes without the strip are no longer valid. 200 HUF banknotes are also no longer valid, look out for these too!
Important phone numbers
Police 107 Fire:105
Stay healthy
Ambulance: 104 Central Emergency: 112
Phone
Calling outside Budapest press city code (Budapest is 36-1) or mobile (06-30/ 70 /20 ) Calling international press 00 + country code + area code + local number (Hungary country code is 36).
Mobile phones work in the metro, even in tunnels between stations.
Some phone booths take coins (including euro coins), but others only take pre-paid cards. The posted number for cr card calls will lead to unexpectedly high charges (1USD for a one minute call to the US) and is to be avoided. Unfortunately, you cannot trust T-mobile to charge reasonable prices on their pay phones. You can make international calls from callshops and internet cafés at more reasonable prices.
Internet
WiFi
Budapest is one of the most WiFi enabled cities in Europe. You can find hundreds of free WiFi hotspots all over the city - in cafes, restaurants, shopping malls and hotels, or even parks or busy streets.
In VII district (Erzsébetváros), which is surrounded by Károly körút, Király utca and Rákóczi út, free WiFi is provided by the government all over the district - in the cafes, shops, in the streets.
WiFi Networks
However, there are still some hotels and restaurants using offering paid WiFi usage, including the following:
HotSpotSystem.com. Has both Free and paid (Pro) types of service--chosen by operating (restaurant, hotel etc.). For paid access, internet time can be purchased by cr card right from your browser at the point of connection. Prices are set by operating business but can be like this (example taken from Hotel Astra) 1hr =600ft, 2hrs =960ft, 24hrs =1950ft. Time can not be purchased in other slots, and should be used at once (you can't pause it, nor to use it in several intervals during several days). For Pro access, speed is: 384 / 128 kbit/s incoming/outgoing traffic, and unlimited traffic within paid time. And the time left is only shown in popup that opens right at the start of connection--if you close it, you can't check how much is left.
Internet Cafes
There are many internet cafes throughout the city. Prices average 200 HUF/hour.
Budapest City Center![]() |
Budapest Local Transportation![]() |