shangrila

Okszi, I don't what part of Budapest you are in, but your part of the city does not sound like any parts of the city I have lived in or visited.

First off there are NO parking places to be had unless you are very lucky.

Second.. cars will not let you in while driving.

Third, they will honk you off the road in a heart beat.

Fourth, they will run you over if you step off the curb. Sometimes you have to watch out for the cars that are driving on the sidewalk.
Oh yes, that is also where they park since parkking is very expensive and there are no places on the street, only large lots whicha again are expensive.

For place to see, Szent Endre is nice a nice short side trip from BUD, take the local green metro "Hev" about 1 hour or so. Not much to do, but nice scenes. Take the boat back if it fits your schedule or vice-versa.

Eger is easily do-able as a day trip from BUD trains leave almost hourly to there and also back. If you go, make sure to go the Szep Aszonyok Volgy. Valley of the Beautiful Women and see the wine cellars after a nice lunch.

I know this info is correct, I just returned there in July after spending a month in BUD.

We have driven in Rome, people there are polite and angels compared to the drivers in BUD.

Also some of the trams and buses are air conditioned, it was hot, but not unbearable. The train we took to Eger and to Vienna where both airconditioned.
Zsu

okszi

Dear Shangrila!

First of all thank you for the funniest comment I have ever heard in my life. “We have driven in Rome, people there are polite and angels compared to the drivers in BUD “
When I told this to a few friends (who are frequent business drivers to Italy), they were rolling on the floor, after hearing this. I think it’s ONLY and I have to stress ONLY your unbelievable, miraculous luck in Italy and probably a very, very bad luck in Hungary, what made you making these comments.
Than I have to add one VERY, VERY, VERY important thing. I have been in the USA 6 (six times). But I would NEVER EVER comment on Americans driving habits and manners based on these few(sometimes more than a month-long) visits!!! NEVER. Why? Because you are just a stranger who will come and go, while I am a Hungarian living in Budapest, where I am an old time resident and a private guide as well. Thus I have to drive in the city all the time.

No parking? Ha-ha-ha. Excuse me please! But it’s an absolute misleading comment. I leave in the suburbs and yes, due to major renovations and bridge closures and a massive cleaning after yesterday’s August 20th celebrations (the biggest national Holiday in Hungary with dozens of events, involving 1.5 million spectators, like the Red Bull Air race over the Danube, fantastic fireworks, the Holy Right procession etc, etc) I had to struggle through traffic to Hero’s Square for 55 minutes. There were zillions of cars everywhere. It’s an absolute peak of the tourist season here. It took me 15 minutes to find a parking space in front of the Szechenyi Spa. It’s an absolute negative record. Normally it is only 2-7 minutes. Why was it SOOOOOOO long this time? Because there were dozens of tour buses blocking all the space around the square and hundreds of tourist’s cars. Also the Felvonulas square, where we have major parking for the Hero square visitors was closed to private cars. Otherwise it’s just a few minutes to park there. Downtown? There is ALWAYS free parking under the Elizabeth bridge. Nowadays downtown the parking fee is 300 (2 USD quit) Forint an hour which is 30 percent more than downtown Vienna! For Hungarian average wages it is a lot of money! Yesterday, 20 minutes before the race with ONE MILLION spectators (the race happens in between the Chain and Margaret Bridges) it took me FIVE minutes to find a very nice spot 2 minutes from the Elizabeth Bridge in a side street to Kossuth Lajos utca. If you have been here for a month, then you got to know all above mentioned places. When I take clients to the Synagogue, it’s only a matter of minutes to find a place in the Dohany street or one of the side streets. Same applies to hotel New York, where we go for a coffee break quite frequently. Tons of parking around. I could continue this with more examples. The ONE and ONLY critical space is next to St. Steven's Basilica.

Now about driving manners.
Because of the morning and even worth afternoon traffic I was late and had to drive a bit faster I had to use the bus lane twice, make little tricks (sorry but it was an extreme situation, that can happen to anyone) etc. ALL the time they let me in at the VERY FIRST TRY. I am using capital letters not in a manner of raised voice, but as a mean of an extra stress and trying to show you the REAL situation in Budapest parking and driving. Honking is almost very rare. THIS is not Egypt or Turkey. Please! You can ask dozens of my former clients from this forum and they will say the same!

AC, well it’s a personal matter, but my yesterday’s clients were trapped in a bus, due to an event around Hero’s Square, and in 92F(33C) they have regretted it deeply. As for trains\buses versa rent a car, I have explained everything before.
Thank you for your time and happy travels.

Ian

I have to agree with oskzi. We drove in Budapest, to Eger, back thru to Gyor, on to Sopron, to Vienna & back to Budapest. Not any worse than Orlando. Street signs can be fun finding on the buildings but no big deal.

I have driven in Napoli, Italy & it was hell.

Ian