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Safety in Budapest..some tips



Budapest is like any other big city therefore it is wise to remember a few basic tips to ensure that you have a pleasant and trouble free experience.

We list a few tips for you and suggest you have a read……
if you live in a big city it may all sound familiar………

  1. Be aware of your belongings at all times. Do not leave cameras,mobiles,wallets,purses,handbags in public view..especially in cafes, restaurants,metros,trams,buses,markets,parks, railway stations,and other busy public areas,

    Be cautious ..it is very easy to be overwhelmed by the views and the sites especially as you are on holiday……..Budapest is not a violant city at all but there are, like in any city, many people who would love to relieve you of your camara,mobile phone,wallet,keys,handbag, !! Do not make it an easy living for them. .
    They have heard all the stories about how high the property prices are in Europe and they think everyone is rich!!!!

  2. Do not carry the address of the apartment in the same place as your keys..ie in the same bag or wallet etc ..

  3. Be careful when buying things, that you know what the price is before you buy it.
    It is quite a good idea to carry a small calculator to convert HUF to Euros or Sterling.Of course people knowthat you are a tourist and they may wish to take advantage of that by trying to overcharge you … the same applies for Taxis …ASK the price before you go or check that there is a meter running

  4. If you feel it necessary, make a note of what you order in the restaurant so that you know what the bill is supposed to be ….. of course with a bill in Hungarian you sometimes find an extra dish or dessert added and they see whether you have spotted it …. tourist areas tend to have overpriced food…local restauarants offer better value and there often isnt any language barrier…

  5. It is advisable to only take with you what you need…leave everything else in the apartment, where it is secure

  6. In tourist areas (eg Vaci Utca) you may find (particularly at night) girls wanting to chat to you and wanting you to take them toa bar .As a guy you may think youve scored well!!!… do not be fooled…. they want your money and little else!!!…you will go to a bar and the bar bill will be 10 times a normal price and you wont get away easily until you pay… the nice girls will….of course …disappear as fast as they arrived….

  7. Be very careful what you tell people that you meet…. we advise you not to give out your address or give too many details about yourself… you dont want to tell someone your address and then find they have taken your keys and know exactly where you are staying …. its rare but can happen

  8. We advise you not to get involved in any street gambling games…. they are found in many European cities and apart from being illegal the odds of winning are stacked heavily against you…you will not win … many of thepeople in the crowd are working together to con you

  9. Likewise we advice you NOT to change any money in the street …you will get a poor rate of exchange (despite what you are told) and it is ILLEGAL

  10. If you are approached by any policemen or anyone official ask to see their official card..If they are genuin this will NOT be a problem…you occasionally find people impersonating police and transport officials in order to demand money from tourists. Dont be shy..ask for ID

  11. You will soon begin to relaise that it is quite easy to hop on and off trams,buses without paying ….no one appears to ask you for a ticket …. our advice is DON´T … there are plain clothed ticket inspectors that periodically check to see that you have a ticket and local people dont like to see tourists come and try and use their services for free …be fair…buy a ticket..!!!.

  12. If you go to nightclubs,saunas etc take the same precuations as you would back home…. we advise you to be careful who you give information to and be careful who you invite back with you…. occasionally the person who you thought liked you so much is merely wanting to rob you once you get them home to your apartment… same the world over … you will then have to call the police and explain

  13. At the end of the day if you use the normal common sense that you use back home and stay alert towards the people around you then you will like thousands before you have a great time…. walk round in a dream and ….. well … you know what we mean..

  14. If you take money from a cash point machine do what most people do these days…cover the numbers when you put in your code and make sure there is no one standing over you…..again same practice as in most cities these days….

  15. If some one asks you to change any money notes …our advice is politely decline…. sometimes they do it in order to get you confused and they then take more from you than they give you in return or start an argument aimed to embarrass you….. best to say no from the start …. end of story..

  16. We advice you to bring a copy of your passport photo page with you or a copy of any ID card that you use because if in the unlikely senario that you lose your passport it will be easier to get a re-issue if you have a copy of the original.

  17. If you go to the flea market out of town …again be aware of one or two things…. firstly there are a number of items there, that are copies, not originals..so if you see an art nouveau light that the seller tells you is a hundred years old …and it seems a bargain… dont be fooled..it will be a copy …anything original (and they are there amongst the junk and copies) will be expensive and you will have to bargain hard to get them to part with it…. if you are interested in getting genuine antiques it might pay you to go on a tour to the market with someone who knows what to look for and how to bargain for you…. but these days genuine antiques are not cheap

We aim merely to pass on some basic points to ensure you have a great trip and hope that this advice is seen mostly as common sense …earning a living is not easy these days but there are those who will try to get that extra euro in what ever way they can …do not let them!!!

The following telephone numbers might be of use…they are also available in the apartment.

  1. 104 Ambulance
  2. 105 Fire department
  3. 107 Police
  4. Reporting Crime 1/438-8080 (newly established 24-hour hotline in English)

Latest safety and scams – this might be of use
http://hungary.usembassy.gov/tourist_advisory.html

Budapest - Paprika

Budapest apartment - Paprika