Sorry to hear of your bad experiences in Budapest. When I was there thirty years ago, during the old regime, it was very safe and also very cheap for western tourists - I recall that my hotel was of a standard way above what I could afford elsewhere on my European travels. And I've always assumed that the delightful young maid who burst in while I was wallowing in a huge bath tub must have been attracted to my rugged good looks.

Speaking of naive, I'm amazed at the number of supposedly well traveled posters here who seem to assume these "beggars" were indeed city employees. It's a well known scam for common people to watch tourists not validate tickets and then try to collect money from them. I have little reason to believe that the people who ended up with the money were indeed city employees working for the city. What makes the rest of you so sure they were? Did they show identification? Did they give a receipt for the fine? There is no mention of either.

I'd take the original post as being an example of how many scammers there are in Budapest. And I'd say people who pretend they are not in abundance are more naive than the original poster! Scamming is a simple fact of life there.

Because my ticket was checked by a plain clothes officer and people who seemed accustomed to riding the line all pulled their tickets out as well. So why assume they're not legit and why put yourself in the situation where it matters when it's so easy not to?

NeoPatrick. I know the OP didn't do what she was supposed to do. But I really was concerned when I was stopped for rather longer than I thought necessary while he examined my perfectly legitimate ticket.
And of course, it never crossed my mind that they were not legit because that is a very busy metro stop like the one I used was and everyone before me just handed over their tickets.

I haven't been to Ireland but I've taken plenty of trains, I've never been on one where you don't validate your ticket. Are things that different in Ireland? Hard to believe.

Something is off about the OP and I agree with she's just trying to yank our chains.
Not very entertaining. It was easy to see where the story was going, she put out bad energy and got it back.
I tired easily of the "5 star hotel" bit.

I only read all this because I went to Budapest a few years back and I am considering returning.
It seems odd to me that so many people found the place unwelcoming - it was just the opposite for me .....
True, the language IS a nightmare, but most of the folks I approached in times of confusion at least tried to help.
Compared with the UK where I live (St Albans, but very often in London) the public transport was unbelievably good and also very cheap. Sadly for the lady who started this, the ticket "valdators" were, I felt, quite obvious and I survived several checks.
I think, the original poster was unlucky !

"I haven't been to Ireland but I've taken plenty of trains, I've never been on one where you don't validate your ticket. Are things that different in Ireland? Hard to believe. "

You must validate your ticket before or as you board buses and trains in Dublin, but not trams (the tickets are pre-validated and you have 90 minutes to use them from the time you buy them).

Have no sympathy for the original poster at all. Her rude and arrogant behaviour ensured that she got what she deserved.

"Speaking of naive, I'm amazed at the number of supposedly well traveled posters here who seem to assume these "beggars" were indeed city employees. It's a well known scam for common people to watch tourists not validate tickets and then try to collect money from them."

A little bit difficult to know whether someone validated his ticket at the begin of the ride if the control is at the exit, isn't it?

The first thing this thread reminded me of, after reading the OP's post but none of the responses, was that long ago thread: Faith Going to Italy/The Amalfi Coast with her Butler (Mario? Maurice?) in tow. That turned out to be a hilarious thread.

But this is a different day and a different age. We've lost our innocence and this thread is more negative and at times nasty than humorous.

Nevertheless, all is not lost:

farrermog <i>"Sorry to hear of your bad experiences in Budapest. When I was there thirty years ago, during the old regime, it was very safe and also very cheap for western tourists - I recall that my hotel was of a standard way above what I could afford elsewhere on my European travels. And I've always assumed that the delightful young maid who burst in while I was wallowing in a huge bath tub must have been attracted to my rugged good looks."</i>

LOL

Thanks farrermog! :)


Is Lindsay Lohan out of jail already?

What kind of hick town you came then? Budapest is one of the Europe's greatest city (no, I'm not Hungarian, not even close!). If you are afraid of people then maybe you should consider spending your vacation in a basement! I'm tired of tourists like that.

Interesting to see that this is still here.

When in 955AD the Hungarians invaded for the last time, the Germans fought them in a huge battle at the Lechfeld west of Augsburg. The Hungarian hordes, the menace from the east, all were archers, riding on their horses, fast moving, but only having light armor. ;-). Now this time, the Germans had better shields and armor and the arrows couldn't do much demage, but the Hurgarians come into the range of their swords and were cut into pieces. No mercy was given, noone remained alive.

The Hungarians had no army anymore, they settled and became farmers. As a result they became grumpy and swore that as a revenge for all time, foreigners will have to pay a fee if they want to use their tramway.

And so the story ends.. or maybe not?

"A little bit difficult to know whether someone validated his ticket at the begin of the ride if the control is at the exit, isn't it?"

Huh? I don't get your point. It's no more difficult for a scammer to detect that than it is for a policeman to detect that. It's a very well known scam in Budapest -- pretending to be an authority and demanding money when you see a tourist fail to validate a ticket.

In any case the OP clearly stated this happened at the end of the ride when getting off.

I don't really want to overly defend the attitude of the OP, but the only thing worse than someone who has a bad attitude about a particular city based on his own experience is someone who insists that everything is pure, sweet, and simple in that city and that corruption or scam couldn't possibly exist in a pretty foreign city because he never experienced any there.

"I don't really want to overly defend the attitude of the OP, but the only thing worse than someone who has a bad attitude about a particular city based on his own experience is someone who insists that everything is pure, sweet, and simple in that city and that corruption or scam couldn't possibly exist in a pretty foreign city because he never experienced any there."

I don't think that scams couldn't possible exist in Budapest.

But ticket controls are very common in the Budapest Metro with people standing at the exit and checking the tickets. The OP and her partner had no valid ticket and the people let them go only after they paid money.

My interpretation is that the system worked exactly as it's intended to work: The ticket control caught two people without a valid ticket and they were forced to pay a fine on the spot (see http://www.budapest-tourist-guide.co...-budapest.html ). The fine is 6000 Forint, around 20 Euro.

Everything can be explained by two people just doing their job. Why come up with speculations of corruption and scam?

easytraveler~ That posters name was 'FaithonHoliday' and yes she was very very funny. Threads a bit like this person's, only with a sense of humor.

Just a note to those of you who were glad that we got home safely - thank you. I appreciate your concern.

To those of you who think I am a little princess with my 5 star hotel rantings - inside our room in the hotel was about the only safe place in Budapest.

I genuinely hope foreigners and jews, etc., get out of Hungary for their own safety as soon as possible. The xenophobia that exists there is very unsettling. Ugly Americans and Ugly Europeans will be better off getting as far away as possible. It won't surprise me if there is going to be some sort of nazi government running the country soon. It's on the right track at the moment for that to happen - Jobbik, Jobbik. Hungary should never have been allowed to join the EU.

We are planning our next trip - to somewhere in France where I have been before and I can't wait for it - if you like, I can tell you all about it (do you know what sarcasm is? - that is for the camp who don't like my princessness).

We don't have trams or trains in the little hick town that I come from. I use my car every day as my mode of transportation.

True colours.

"To those of you who think I am a little princess with my 5 star hotel rantings - inside our room in the hotel was about the only safe place in Budapest.

I genuinely hope foreigners and jews, etc., get out of Hungary for their own safety as soon as possible."

Wow. Well, this Jewish foreigner is very much looking forward to her Budapest days post river cruise next June.

I'm sure the good citizens of Budapest will be relieved to hear you won't be returning. Better warn the folks in France though.

I can't really see a scam in checking tickets unless the scam is get money from people with invalid tickets, who are in fact scammers themselves. No harm in that.

"inside our room in the hotel was about the only safe place in Budapest."

Does your doctor know you travel?

You're right about that suze. Beware France!