Budapest
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Discussion

MonzaEvo

Original Poster:

300 posts

215 months

Wednesday 30th June 2010
quotequote all
Right... after searching the internet for information, I come crawling back to the knowledge database that is PistonHeads... It's been kind to me on trips to Japan, and Croatia... So here we go

I'm pondering a visit to Budapest in August and hope to attend the Sziget Festival. My questions mainly concern the logistics of staying in the city and travelling to/from the festival. There's bits and bobs on the main festival website, but nothing beats real life experiences

The festival is held on Óbudai Island... with the main entrance near Filatorigát train station. Is transportation easy and frequent in Budapest? Could this turn in to a nightmare travelling to the festival early afternoon and returning to the city each evening at midnight (approx)? And is there any specific areas recommended to stay in Budapest for such travelling?

And any recommended hotels..... ?

It's a lot to ask, but as said, real life experience of cities can be far more useful than a lot of documented travel info on festival websites (Learnt from attending Benicassim, Spain)

Cheers
Jonathan

Lastinclass

511 posts

197 months

Wednesday 30th June 2010
quotequote all
I stayed in the Intercontinental in Budapest. It was pretty central and there was decent trams etc to get around the city. There were a few hotels in that area (Marriott etc) You could probably walk back along the river but I never went further up the river than Margarets island which is not quite as far as where you want to go.
Budapest was brilliant - just go and work it out when you are there.

Rouleur

7,271 posts

206 months

Wednesday 30th June 2010
quotequote all
I stayed at art otel a few years ago and can highly recommend it. The city is fairly small and easy to get about so there's not a huge amount you need to know really thumbup

andy400

10,977 posts

248 months

Thursday 1st July 2010
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Can't speak with any authority about the particular island you want to go get to, but both times I've been to Budapest I, too, found it very easy to get around and get where we wanted to be.

Go to the 'Terror House' museum if you have time (museum of the secret police and their work and methods back in communist days), it's bloody good.

Stevenj214

4,941 posts

245 months

Thursday 1st July 2010
quotequote all
andy400 said:
Can't speak with any authority about the particular island you want to go get to, but both times I've been to Budapest I, too, found it very easy to get around and get where we wanted to be.

Go to the 'Terror House' museum if you have time (museum of the secret police and their work and methods back in communist days), it's bloody good.
Yep, train/subway/tram systems all seemed to work perfectly well.

Have a day in the Széchenyi baths too if you have time!

jshell

11,557 posts

222 months

Thursday 1st July 2010
quotequote all
The island is easy to get to, just along from the island that the tourist boats swing around. A taxi should cost very little, but agree price before going!

Beware Budapest strip bars, just don't (unless anyone on here knows good decent ones) as they are designed to rip you off with nothing in return! Go in, see show but the girls pile out and segregate a group. They ask for a drink, you ask price, they say 'normal price' and you end up buying them a 200 Euro bottle of beer. Happened to my house-mate!

thegman

1,928 posts

221 months

Thursday 1st July 2010
quotequote all
Went to the festival a few years ago. Pretty easy to get there (via train) but if you are staying late at night you might want to get a taxi back - if so arrange in advance! Festival is good fun. Loads of info online about how to get there etc.

Budapest is a great city in the summer. Lots of nice bars , friendly people. The various baths are good fun - Szechenyi being my fav. Its nice to walk around but the tram and subway is also very good. Its not that cheap anymore, but its still ok compared to Prague etc.

Have a good time

Visit:

terror museum
gellert hill (views are brilliant)
Szechenyi baths
wine cellar near castle in pest

Edited by thegman on Thursday 1st July 13:55