The first impression of Budapest is that the city is pretty similar to all of the big European cities. There are magnificent buildings lined next to the grand boulevards, while the busy residents do shopping, dining and enjoying the vibrant nightlife. However, once you land and grab an airport shuttle to the city, you will see that Budapest is very unique in many ways. Hence, before hitting to Budapest, make sure to have the following things in mind.

Budapest is a very safe city

Today, hustle stories of scams can be seen for nearly every city on the planet, written by fellow travelers. The same goes for the Budapest stories. Perhaps some of them may be true, but in general, Budapest is a safe city as long as you use your common sense. Budapest feels as a very safe place to walk and sightsee through at any time of the day or night. Barely anyone gets ripped-off here, at least not more than in the other cities in Europe, so this aspect should not concern you at all.

Metro tickets must be validated

This tip is the most commonly found in any of the Budapest guidebooks. Note that the public transportation network has a fairly common ticket inspection in place, so unless you wish to pay a fee on the spot or find yourself in a bigger trouble, buy and validate your ticket prior to boarding. All you need to do is to stick your ticket into one of the orange machines placed at every metro station entrance and wait for one second. Once you hear a validation mark printed on your ticket followed by a beep, you’re good to go.

Save some money on public transportation tickets

It’s cheaper to buy a bus or tram ticket before you board. Wherever you see a self-service ticket machine, at the station or at the stop you’re on, don’t hesitate and use it. It’s cheaper to buy a tickets in advance, rather than hopping into a crowded vehicle and buying it directly from the driver.

In crossings, pedestrians have the priority

Fear not to cross the street, since in Budapest the drivers are well respective of the pedestrians. For all of you anxious travelers, here’s a bit of safety reassurance. Pedestrians always have the right of way on the pedestrian crossings in Hungary and the vehicles will give way to your safe passage. Just keep in mind that, jaywalking is illegal in Hungary, as in any other European city.
 

Keep your euros

The Hungarian currency is the Forint (or HUF as you will mostly see it) and most of the shops would not accept euros. Rarely, you may see prices cited in euros, however keep your eyes open for the exchange rate. Most often these shops would charge you so much more than the actual cost, so make sure to ask to pay in forints only.
 

English-friendly locals

Most of the articles today will tell you that the locals in Budapest don’t speak any English, however the experience says that this city is lovely for all English speakers. Aside from the residents, many streets signs and in shops are marked both in Hungarian and English. The same goes for the restaurants – all of them have menus in English, so you’ll be just fine. To show a little culture spirit though, it is always a good idea to learn few words in the local language.

Be alerted for 5 star hotel deals

When you compare prices, staying in Budapest is cheaper than nearly any other place in Europe. This means that you can find even better deals on hotel prices, especially when it comes to 5 star hotels. There are many superb accommodations in Budapest so make sure to wisely “filter” your search results.

Winter shoes are a must

If you travel to Budapest during the winter, the pavements can be pretty slippery once the snow falls. Hence, to make your stay and sightseeing more bearable, make sure to pack a nice pair of gritted waterproof boots before getting at the airport.

Tipping is good manners

In this sense, the countries in Europe differ. However, Hungary is known for its tipping culture. To put this expectation into numbers, 10% of the total is well appreciated in all cases. For exceptional service, higher percentages are also welcome. Just make sure that if you’re in a café or a restaurant not to leave the tip on the table. This is considered as rude, so just hand the tip directly to the waiter.
 

Call your taxi, don’t hail it from the street

Nearly all of the negative experiences you’ll hear about Budapest are based around taxi transportation. It is simple to avid this really – just call a proper taxi or a yellow cab and you’re good. There are many non-reputable and non-registered drivers on the streets, so if you try to catch one this way, the chances are, you’d be ripped-off. Even when you call a taxi to pick you up, make sure that their meter is running. The same goes for airport hustlers – many drivers will try to “pick you up” once you exit the landing area, promising you a good deal on the price, so have the same principle in mind.
Budapest is lovely whenever you decide to visit. The city bursts with wonderful restaurants, cafes and tourist attractions, keeping the visitors fully occupied. So make sure to plan your trip well and consider all options for airport transfers to Budapest, and you’re set.