Getting in

• Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport: The default gateway for Budapest and the only sensible airport if the city is the trip’s focus. It has direct airport bus, rail-adjacent and taxi connections into central Pest; allow roughly 35–60 minutes door to door depending on the transfer.
• Vienna International Airport: A useful alternative when fares or long-haul schedules are much better, especially for a Budapest–Vienna itinerary. It requires a separate onward rail or coach transfer, so it is rarely worth using solely to save a small amount on airfare.
• Budapest Keleti, Nyugati and Déli railway stations: International trains from Vienna, Bratislava, Prague and other Central European cities are often more practical than flying. Check which Budapest station your train uses: they are in different parts of the city but all connect well to the metro or trams.

Getting around

Do not rent a car for a Budapest-first trip. The metro, trams and buses are excellent in the core, and walking is often faster than changing lines; use Buda’s hills and outer districts as the exceptions, where transfers and uphill approaches add time. Taxis are useful late at night or with luggage, but use a reputable app or officially marked taxi rather than accepting unsolicited rides.

Money

Hungary uses the forint (HUF), not the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including transit machines and restaurants, but carry a little cash for small purchases; pay in HUF rather than accepting poor dynamic-currency conversion. Check restaurant bills for szervizdíj; if absent, about 10% is a normal good-service tip.

Getting in

• Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport: The default gateway for Budapest and the only sensible airport if the city is the trip’s focus. It has direct airport bus, rail-adjacent and taxi connections into central Pest; allow roughly 35–60 minutes door to door depending on the transfer.
• Vienna International Airport: A useful alternative when fares or long-haul schedules are much better, especially for a Budapest–Vienna itinerary. It requires a separate onward rail or coach transfer, so it is rarely worth using solely to save a small amount on airfare.
• Budapest Keleti, Nyugati and Déli railway stations: International trains from Vienna, Bratislava, Prague and other Central European cities are often more practical than flying. Check which Budapest station your train uses: they are in different parts of the city but all connect well to the metro or trams.

Getting around

Do not rent a car for a Budapest-first trip. The metro, trams and buses are excellent in the core, and walking is often faster than changing lines; use Buda’s hills and outer districts as the exceptions, where transfers and uphill approaches add time. Taxis are useful late at night or with luggage, but use a reputable app or officially marked taxi rather than accepting unsolicited rides.

Money

Hungary uses the forint (HUF), not the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including transit machines and restaurants, but carry a little cash for small purchases; pay in HUF rather than accepting poor dynamic-currency conversion. Check restaurant bills for szervizdíj; if absent, about 10% is a normal good-service tip.