Hungary - Eastern Europe - page 288

another on the same ticket, without any limit to the number of stations that the train
stops at during your journey. And a “metro section transfer ticket” (metró-szakaszát-
szállójegy), at 185 Ft (90¢/49p), allows you to transfer from one metro line to another,
but only for a trip totaling five or fewer stops.
For convenience, we recommend that you purchase a day pass or multiday pass
while in Budapest. Passes need only be validated once, saving you the hassle of having
to validate a ticket every time you board the metro. A pass will probably save you some
money, too, as you are likely to be getting on and off public transportation all day
long. Day passes (napijegy) cost 1,350 Ft ($6.75/£3.50) and are valid until midnight
of the day of purchase. Buy them from metro ticket windows; the clerk validates the
pass at the time of purchase. A 3-day pass (turistajegy) costs 2,700 Ft ($14/£6.95) and
a 7-day travel-card (hetijegy) costs 3,100 Ft ($16/£8); these have the same validation
procedure as the day pass.
For longer stays in Budapest, consider a 2-week pass (kéthétibérlet) at 4,050 Ft
($20/£10), or a monthly pass (havibérlet) or 30-day pass (30 napos bérlet), both at
6,250 Ft ($31/£16). These two passes are available only at major metro stations, and
you need to bring a regulation passport photo.
Dark-blue-uniformed inspectors (who even now flip out a hidden red armband
when approaching you—a remnant of the not-too-distant past when they traveled the
metro in plain clothes) frequently come around checking for valid tickets, particularly
at the top or bottom of the escalators to metro platforms. On-the-spot fines of 2,000
Ft ($10/£5.15) are assessed to fare dodgers; pleading ignorance generally doesn't work.
Given how inexpensive public transport is, risking a time-consuming altercation with
metro inspectors is probably not worth it. Metro tickets are good for 1 hour for any
distance along the line you're riding, except for metro section tickets (metrószakasz-
jegy), which are valid only for 30 minutes. You may get off and reboard with the same
ticket within the valid time period.
The Budapest Card, a tourist card that we do not particularly recommend (it does
not pack any value), combines a 3-day turistajegy (transportation pass) with free entry
to certain museums and other discounts.
SCHEDULES & MAPS All public transport operates on rough schedules, posted
at bus and tram shelters and in metro stations. The schedules are a little confusing at
first, but you'll get used to them. The most important thing to note, perhaps, is when
the last ride of the night departs: Many a luckless traveler has waited late at night for
a bus that won't be calling until 6am!
The transportation map produced by the Budapest Transport Authority (BKV
térkép) is available at most metro ticket windows for a small fee. Since transportation
routes are extremely difficult to read on most city maps, we suggest that you buy one
of these handy maps if you plan to spend more than a few days in the city. In addi-
tion, on the map's reverse side is a full listing of routes, including the all-important
night-bus routes.
NIGHT SERVICE Most of the Budapest transportation system closes down
between 11:30pm or midnight and 5am. There are, however, 17 night routes (13 bus
and 4 tram), and they're generally quite safe. A map of night routes is posted at many
central tram and bus stops, and a full listing appears on the BKV transportation map.
The no. 78É night bus follows the route of the Red metro line, while the no. 14É
night bus follows the route of the Blue metro line. Though night buses often share the
same numbers as buses on daytime routes (though with an É suffix, meaning éjszaka,