Need to Know - Budapest - page 25

Advance Planning
Two months before Book your accommodation if you will be travelling in the high season
and want to stay somewhere special. Take a look at the 'what's on' and English-language
media websites.
One month before Reserve seats for a big-ticket concert, musical or dance performance.
Book top-end restaurants now.
One week before Make sure your bookings are in order and you have all booking referen-
ces.
Useful Websites
Budapest Sun Online ( www.budapestsun.com ) Popular English-language site, with local
news, interviews and features; now powered by Xpat Loop ( www.xpatloop.com ) .
Caboodle ( www.caboodle.hu ) Still Hungary's best English-language portal, with daily news,
features, events and irreverent comment.
Budapest Info ( www.budapestinfo.hu ) One of the better overall tourist websites.
Lonely Planet ( www.lonelyplanet.com/budapest ) Destination information, hotel bookings,
traveller forum and more.
Arriving in Budapest
Ferenc Liszt International Airport Minibuses, buses and trains to central Budapest run
from 4am to midnight (350Ft to 3200Ft); taxis cost from 6500Ft.
Keleti, Nyugati and Déli train stations All three are on metro lines of the same name and
night buses call when the metro is closed.
Stadion and Népliget bus stations Both are on metro lines (M2 and M3 respectively) and
are served by trams 1 and 1A.
Getting Around
Travel passes valid for one day to one month are valid on all trams, buses, trolleybuses, HÉV
(within city limits) and metro lines.
Metro The quickest but least scenic way to get around. Runs 4am to about 11.15pm.
Bus Extensive network of regular buses from around 4.15am to between 9pm and
11.30pm; from 11.30pm to just after 4am a network of 40 night buses (three digits begin-
ning with '9') kicks in.
Tram Faster and more pleasant for sightseeing than buses; a network of 30 lines.