Hungary's on line guide-Useful information about Hungary

Geographical position

Geographical units

How to get there

Travel information

Trafic rules

International border crossing points

Emergency calls

Currency, exchange, banks

Facts

Climate

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GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION

Map of Europe Hungary is located in Central Europe and lies in the Carpathian Basin. Its largest dimensione from north to south: 268 kms, from east to west: 526 kms. Neighbouring countries to the north: the Slovak Republic, to the east: Ukraine and Romania, to the south: Jugoslavia and Croatia to the west: Slovenia and Austria.

GEOGRAPHICAL UNITS

50 % of che country's area is flat plains: the Plain occupying the entire eastern half of che country and the Lesser Plain located along the northwestem border.

The two largest rivers of the country are the Danube (the Hungarian stretch is 417 kms long) and the Tisza (598 kms) which traverse the country from north to south. The region lying between the two rivers is flat while the region west of the Danube, called Transdanubia, is hilly and the warmest lake in Central Europe, Lake Balaton is located there.

A mountainous region spans the country diagonally: the 400 to 700 metre high Transdanubian Mountains west of the Danube, which includes the Keszthely range, the Bakony, the V�rtes, the Gerecse, the Pilis and the Visegr�d range, the Northern Mountain Range with peaks between 500 and 1000 metres lies east of the Danube and includes the B�rzs�ny, the Cserh�t, the M�tra, the B�kk, the Csereh�t and the Zempl�n mountains. The highest peak in the country is K�kes (1,014 m) which is situated in the M�tra Mountains.

Those interested can see the characteristic domestic animals and folk traditions of the "Magyar Puszta" at the popular Hortob�gy National Park (Hortob�gy) or the Kiskuns�g National Park (Bugac, Apajpuszta, Lajosmizse) during organized equestrian shows.

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HOW TO GET THERE

Serving the two terminals at Budapest�s Ferihegy Airport is the Hungarian airline, and several major international carriers. Frequent service operates between Budapest and most European capitals as well as the USA. International and inland railway service is extensive and convenient. Passanger boats on the Danube River are also popular, particularly the hydrofoil service between Vienna and Budapest.

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TRAVEL INFORMATION

Passports

A valid passport, or in the case of European Comunity citizens, an ID card, is required for entry.

Visa requirements

No visa is required, with the exception of Albania and Turkey, for citizens of European countries, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Ecuador, Iceland, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexicol Nicaragual Seychelles, Singapore, the Republic of South Africa, the United States and Uruguay. Tourists from the former Soviet Union (with the exception of Uzbekistan and Kazahstan) need either a letter of invitation, tourist voucher or mission order otherwise they need a visa. In case of Kazahstan and Uzbekistan visa is required in all cases.

Visas are generally valid for a stay of 90 days, single- and double-entry visas are valid for 6 months and multiple-entry visas are valid for a maximum of one year. Tourists may apply for visas at the diplomatic representations of Hungary. Visas may be extended at the competent police stations of the place of residence.

The authorities may ask foreigners arriving at the border to demonstrate compliance with entry criteria; if they determine that conditions for entering or staying in Hungary haven�t been met, entry may be denied - even to those with a valid visa. Foreigners entering without a visa or with a visa permitting only a short-term stay (90 days or less) cannot obtain a residency permit.

Foreign citizens whose visa entitles them to apply for residency in Hungary have got to apply for permission within 15 days. If the visitor plans to stay less than a year, the application must be submitted at his/her local police station; if the planned stay is for more than a year, the application must be submitted at police headquarters for the county (�megye�) where the visitor is living or at Budapest police headquarters (if the visitor is staying in Budapest.) Foreigners applying for permission to reside longer than one year or to extend a previous residency permit have got to attach a health certificate.

Those staying longer than 30 days in Hungary, if they don�t live in a hotel or other commercial accommodation, have got to check in at the local police station. Checking in may be done personally or by the householder hosting the visitor.

Health care regulation

No inoculations are necessary. First-aid care and emergency ambulance services are free of charge to foreign citizens, any other medical services are regulated by thw agreements concluded with the individual countries.

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TRAFFIC RULES

The international highway code is generally in force, though there are several differences to keep in mind while driving in Hungary: persons with any alcohol in their blood may not drive motor vehicles.

Headlights must be used at any times outside residential areas, even in the daytime. Seatbelts must always be fastened on front seats, and on back seats as well. Children under the age of twelve may not sit in the front seat of cars. Inside residential areas it is prohibited to sound the horn, except in emergency situations.

Safety helmets must always be worn when riding a motorcycle or a bicycle with auxiliary motor. The speed limit within residential areas is 50 km/h, for automobiles and motorcycles outside residential areas - 80 km/h, on trunk roads - 100 km/h, on motorways - 120 km/h, for vehicles towing trailers and for other vehicw - 70 and 80 km/h, respectively.

Overtaking in bends, crossrocds, immediately before pedestrian crossings and level crossings is prohibited. In the event of an accident caused by a Hungarian driver, claims must be made at the insurance company of the Hungarian driver. lf a foreigner is responsible for causing an accident, it can be arranged through the Hungarian insurance company or the Hungarian representation of the foreigner's insurance company.

Vehicles with damaged bodywork may only leave the country with proper certificate from the authorities. Motor boats may not be used on Lake Balaton.

Look out for bicycles or lorries without their lights on at night.

Fuel

Motor fuel may only be brought into or taken out of the country or transported in the petrol tanks of motor vehicles. Normal leaded petrol has the octane number 98 and unleaded 91, 95, 98. A well-developed network of filling stations operates along primary routes and unleaded fuel is available at all of them.

Road networks

Hungary is spanned by eight primary tansportation routes. Of these, seven branch from Budapest and one extends from Sz�kesfeh�rv�r. All roads are toll-free (except for motorways).

Breakdown-assistance

The mobile repair vehicles of the Hungarian Automobile Club ("Yellow Angels") can be called on the routes of the country. Assistance can be called on emergeney phones along the M7 motorway, on other routes on the 088 number.

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INTERNATIONAL BORDER CROSSING POINTS on Public Roads Open 24 Hours:

To Austria Bucsu - Schachendorf Hegyeshalom - Nickelsdorf K�ph�za - Deutschkreutz K�szeg - Rattersdorf R�baf�zes - Heiligenkreutz Sopron - Klingenbach	To Slovenia Baj�nsenye - Hodos R�dics - Dolga Vas
	To the Ukraine Beregsur�ny - Luzsanka Tiszabecs - Vilok Z�hony - Csop
To Slovakia Balassagyarmat - Slovensk� Darmoty B�nr�ve - Kr�l Gy�r-V�mosszabadi - Medvedovo Kom�rom - Komarno Parassapuszta - Sahy Rajka - Rusovce Salg�tarj�n - Siatorska Bukovinka S�toralja�jhely - Slovensk� Nov� Mesto Tornyosn�meti - Milhost	To Romania �rt�nd - Bors Csengersima - Petea Gyula - Varsand Nagylak - Nadlac Battonya - Turnu M�hker�k - Salonta Ny�r�br�ny - Valea lui Mihai
To Yugoslavia Hercegsz�nt� - Backi Breg R�szke - Horgos Tompa - Kelebija	To Croatia Barcs - Terezino Polje Berzence - Gola Dr�vaszabolcs - Donji-Miholjac Letenye - Gorican Udvar - Dubosevica

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EMERGENCY CALLS, Patrol Service

International emergency call centre: 112
Ambulance: 104
Fire Department: 105
Police: 107
The above phone numbers can be called free of charge.

Hungarian Automobile Club�s Emergency Phone: 188

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CURRENCY, EXCHANGE, BANKS

Currency
The official means of payment in Hungary is the Forint (Ft, HUF).
Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 HUF.
Bank notes: 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 HUF.

Exchange
In Hungary there are 28 banks (800 branches), 84 Savings banks (260 branches) and 599 businesses (2230 offices) involved in exchange.
There is no mandatory minimum amount for currency exchange.

Banks
In Hungary banks are usually open between 8 .00 - 16.00 on weekdays. Some banks are open on Saturday, but all are closed on Sunday. ATM machines and currency exchange machines are available throughout the country.

The credit cards used most often - AMEX, Diners Club, EnRoute, Euro/Mastercard, JCB, VISA - can be used to withdraw cash from banks and ATM machines and to pay bills in hotels, restaurants and shops. Emblems at the entrance mark the shops where credit cards are accepted. Most banks have their own automated networks.

You can use your bank or credit card to get cash at post offices throughout Hungary. More than 3200 post offices nation-wide provide this service.

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FACTS ABOUT THE REPUBBLIC OF HUNGARY

Area: 93,030 km2
Population: 10,3 million persons
Capital: Budapest, 525 km2 (population: 2,1 million)
Population density: 110 persons/km2 - 61% of the population lives in towns

Language: Hungarian; German is also widely understood,followed by English

Time zone: GMT + 1 hour
Daylight saving ame: from the end of March to the end of October GMT + 2 hours

Form of government: Republic Administrative divisione: 19 counties, 20 towns with county statua

Religion: Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 25%, with remainder Eastern Orthodox and Jewish.

Electricity: 220 volts

Telephone:
The country code for Hungary is 36; the local code for Budapest is 1.
Domestic. trunk calls: telephone number preceded by 06
Towns not accessible directly may be reached through the operator at 191 International dialing code: 00

Holidays:
1 January (New Year's Day), 15 March (National Holiday), Easter Monday, 1 May (Labour's Day), Whitsun, 20 August (Constitution Day), 23 October (Day of the Republic), 25-26 December (Christmas)

Public transport:
Tickets are valid on all public transportation vehicles for one trip only. Tickets can be validated in ticket punchers located inside the vehicles with the exception of the metro where passengers must validate their tickets at the entrance (for each line a new one except for transfer tickets).

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CLIMATE

The climate is continental.
Coldest month: January (4.1 �C) Wanmst month: luly (24.7 �C)
The number of sunny hours per year is 1,979.

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