Europe

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• General
 

• Malev Zrt. (MALEV), the state-owned Hungarian airline  ceased operations at 06:00 on 2 February 2012 due to financial problems.
  Malev has set up two phone numbers for passengers: 06-40-21-21-21 (from within Hungary) and +36-1-802-11-11 (from outside Hungary).
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• Around 400,000 British nationals visit Hungary each year (source: Hungarian Central Statistics Office). Most visits are trouble free. If you need to contact the emergency services in Hungary call 112.  See General - Consular Assistance Statistics.
  
  
• You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.

Safety and Security - Terrorism
There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. See our Terrorism abroad page.

Safety and Security - Crime
Take sensible precautions against the sort of risks (such as petty crime) common in Western Europe.

You can be charged exorbitant prices in certain bars, clubs and restaurants in Budapest.  This happens in a number of establishments near the large hotels in the business district (V district) of central Pest but problems occur elsewhere in the city as well. Common scams include adding a 20,000 HUF (£60) surcharge per drink to the final bill or charging up to 100,000 HUF (£300) for a meal. Individuals who have been unable to settle their bills have frequently been accompanied by the establishment’s security guards to a cash machine and made to withdraw funds under threats of violence. Some taxi drivers are accomplices in these frauds. They often recommend certain bars, clubs and restaurants to passengers - they receive a commission to do so, and the money is then recovered by these establishments charging extortionate prices. Never ask a taxi driver to recommend a bar or club. If a driver offers to take you to one, or you are approached on the street with an invitation to enter a club, treat that advice with extreme caution. As a general rule it is better to phone for a taxi from one of the reputable local companies (your hotel can advise). Be careful in establishments where menus do not properly display prices. Bag snatching and pick-pocketing are common in Budapest in particular. Be particularly careful on busy public transport, in train stations, markets and other places frequented by tourists.

If you travel by overnight train, if possible, travel accompanied and secure your compartment from the inside. Theft of and from, vehicles is common. Do not carry large amounts of cash. Do not use street money changers.

Take extra care when receiving bank notes as some banknotes that are no longer valid are still in circulation. We have received a very small number of reports of some taxi drivers deliberately passing these notes to tourists - as well as notes from neighbouring countries that are not valid here. Be aware especially when paying with a 10000 or a 20000 bank note.

Information on valid Hungarian bank notes

See our Victims of crime abroad page.

Safety and Security -  Local travel

Safety and Security -  Local Travel - Road Travel
In 2010 there were 739 road deaths in Hungary (source: DfT). This equates to 7.4 road deaths per 100,000 of population compared to the UK average of 3.1 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2010.

It is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol. The use of headlights is compulsory on roads outside towns even in daytime. Vehicles using the Hungarian motorways M1, M3, M5 and M7 need to be in possession of a motorway vignette, obtainable at petrol stations and post offices. Motorway toll can also be paid online http://www.ppo.hu.

In winter, equip your car for severe conditions.

See our Driving abroad page. 

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Air Travel
The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in Hungary. For more details about this see Airline security.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Public transport in Budapest
Foreign visitors to Budapest are often caught out by the ticket system in Budapest, and fined by ticket inspectors. Follow the passenger information notices, which are usually printed in English. Validate your ticket before starting your journey (i.e. before you get to the platform if travelling by Metro; and immediately after boarding buses, trams or trolley buses). Keep your ticket until the end of your journey and show it to inspectors on request. You have to validate another ticket every time you change lines.

A special ticket is required for use on the night service network.

For more information on ticket conditions and prices, visit the website of the Budapest Transport Authority.

Safety and Security - Political Situation
Hungary Country Profile

Occasionally there are political demonstrations against the Government in Budapest and elsewhere in the country. These tend to take place on or close to important national holidays with a political relevance - such as 15 March (anniversary of 1848 Revolution) and 23 October (anniversary of 1956 Anti-Soviet Uprising). There have been some cases where generally peaceful political demonstrations ended in violence. As a precaution, you should avoid all political demonstrations.

Carry your passport at all times. You must be able to show some form of identity if requested, by the police for instance. A photocopy is not acceptable. Hungarian laws on the possession and use of drugs are strict.

See our Your trip page.

Entry Requirements - Passport Validity
You must hold a valid passport to enter Hungary. For stays of up to three months your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you do not need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this. However, it is always sensible to have a short period of extra validity on your passport in case of any unforeseen delays to your departure. You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. Any time left on your old passport when you apply will be added to your new passport, up to a maximum of nine months. For passport applications in the UK, you should apply to the Identity and Passport Service. For stays of longer than three months, contact the Embassy of the country to which you are travelling.

Entry Requirements - Visas
British citizens do not require visas to enter Hungary but you must have a valid British passport. If you intend to stay more than 90 days, you must register with the nearest regional Immigration Office. For further information, contact the Consular Section of the Hungarian Embassy, London.

British Overseas Territories Citizens (who do not have the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom), British Overseas Citizens, British Subjects (who do not have the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom) and British Protected Persons must have a visa to enter Hungary.

British Overseas Territories Citizens or British Subjects who have residency permits for the United Kingdom qualify as British Citizens and, therefore citizens of the European Union, and do not require visas to enter Hungary.

Entry Requirements - Passports
British citizens must have a valid passport to enter Hungary, but there is no requirement for the passport to be valid beyond the date of entry. If your passport is lost or stolen in Hungary, you will need to replace it before you leave the country (the Hungarian Border Guard will not usually accept a police report in place of a stolen passport, as is the practice in other European countries). Safeguard your passport during your stay.

Entry Requirements - Haulage vehicles
Drivers of large haulage vehicles transiting Hungary should ensure they have full vehicle documentation.  International loads must be supported by a TIR carnet providing a full inventory of the goods being carried. A financial bond must be left with the Hungarian customs when transiting Hungary with a cargo. The financial bond, minus an administration fee is returned on leaving the country. The financial bond, minus an administration fee is returned on leaving the country. If you are planning to transit Hungary with consignments of humanitarian aid as relief following a disaster or medical aid you should contact the Hungarian Embassy in London in advance to obtain documentation waiving this requirement.

Entry Requirements - Fines
Entry into Hungary can be barred if you have failed to pay a previous fine in Hungary. Contact the Hungarian Embassy in London for guidance on paying any outstanding fines before you next enter Hungary.

You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Hungarian nationals. It will not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. See our EHIC page.

Before you travel seek medical advice about inoculations and other measures to prevent tick-related medical problems (such as tick-borne encephalitis), especially if you will be visiting forested, grassy or lake-side areas.

In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 3,000 adults aged 15 or over in Hungary were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at less than 0.1% of the adult population compared to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

Seek medical advice before travelling to Hungary and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention visit the websites of the NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

See our Travel health page.

General - Insurance 
You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. See our Travel Insurance page.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this see our when things go wrong page.

General - Registration
Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.

General - Customs Regulations
Community regulations ensure the free movement of good between EU member states. This means that no customs procedures are required for exporting goods from Hungary to another EU member state and/or for importing goods from a member state to Hungary. The export and import of goods purchased for non-commercial purposes (for personal use or as gifts) while travelling is not restricted, however, the transport of certain goods (such as: pets, hunting weapons, alcohol and tobacco products, medicines containing drugs, etc.) within the European Union is restricted or subject to special permissions.

Check the customs regulations before entering or leaving Hungary on the following websites:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingeu.htm

Hungarian Customs and Finance Guard http://vam.gov.hu/welcomeEn.do.

General - Money
Legislation on the controls of cash entering or leaving the EU applies in all Member States. Any person entering or leaving the EU will have to declare the cash that they are carrying if this amounts to 10,000 Euros or more; this includes cheques, travellers' cheques, money orders, etc. This will not apply to anyone travelling via the EU to a non-EU country, as long as the original journey started outside of the EU and will not apply to those travelling within the EU.

General - Consular Assistance Statistics
Around 400,000 British nationals visit Hungary each year (source: Hungarian Central Statistics Office). Most visits are trouble free. 22 British nationals required consular assistance in Hungary in the period 01 April 2010 – 31 March 2011 for the following types of incident; five deaths; seven hospitalisations; and five arrests, for a variety of offences.