Hungary

The region of present-day Hungary was inhabited by various peoples, including Celts, Romans, Huns, Goths, Avars, and Slavs. The Magyars, a Finno-Ugric nomadic tribe led by Árpád, migrated into the Carpathian Basin. This is considered the foundation of the Hungarian nation.

Hungary became a powerful European kingdom, as part of the Latin Christian world. It fought against Mongol invasions and later against the Ottoman Empire. Its defeat at the hands of the Ottomans in 1526 led to a dynastic crisis until the 1848 revolution.

From the end of World War I, Hungary lost territory and population, creating deep national trauma. It was allied with Nazi Germany during most of World War II, brutally occupied by the Soviets in 1945 and taken over by communists shortly thereafter. It became a scene of an uprising against Soviet rule in 1956 led by Imre Nagy, but it was crushed. It transitioned to a democracy in 1989. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004. Between 2010 and 2026, Hungary was ruled by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who weakened the country's ties to NATO and the EU and its democracy.

Since the inauguration of the new government in 2026, the governing party is called Tisza (TEE-sah; portmanteau for Party of Respect and Freedom in Hungarian, but also alludes to the name of the Tisza River). It commands a supermajority in the new parliament and wows to reverse the direction of the previous government (this includes the possible forced removal of some public officials appointed by them). But as so little time has passed since the election, it is yet to tell what exactly is going to happen with the country.

Hence, what can be told is mostly about the previous 16-year era, throughout which the governing party was Fidesz (pronounced FEE-dess)—it remains as the second-largest bloc. Coming to power as moderate right-wing in 2010, it started to radicalise in around 2015 and is now a textbook example of a right-wing populist party.

Having maintained a supermajority almost continuously, they have shaped the country's political landscape like no other force since the end of Communism: they enacted an entirely rewritten constitution in 2012 and have filled nominally neutral institutions (especially state media) with party-loyal functionaries. Hungary is the most corrupt country in the EU, according to the Corruption Perception Index, with EU-funded projects regularly landing at private businesses close to leaders (even family members).

There is also speculation about the previous government's possible Russian ties, as they have made large-scale contracts with Russian agencies in the past, most notably that on the expansion of the country's only nuclear power plant. Their stance on the Russo-Ukrainian War is unclear, but after an increase in harsh rhetoric, the party now routinely uses the Ukrainian government as a scapegoat (e.g., by labelling opposing figures as "Ukrainian spies") and often blocks or threatens to block Ukraine-related EU decisions.

Having said that, elections are generally considered to be free and fair, and Fidesz has had a support of circa 45–55% in all parliamentary elections from 2010 to 2022, which can be considered a genuine public support (although critics often attribute this to the overwhelming weight of state and quasi-state media)—that support finally fell to 37% in 2026, in contrast to the 55% of Tisza. Hungary is classified as a "flawed democracy" by The Economist, with roughly the same score as the Philippines and better than some other EU member states (e.g., Romania or Croatia). Nevertheless, the country's status was declared to be an "electoral autocracy" by resolution of the European Parliament in September 2022.

There is no prosecution for public criticism of the government (many locals regularly do so), and this has not changed since the handover. As a foreigner, you should have no worries at all provided you observe the usual rules you would in any other country: don't come up with political topics out of the blue, and don't voice a strong opinion unless you know your audience is eager to hear it.

There have been reports of general anti-foreigner sentiment and racism against people who look ethnically non-European, especially as Fidesz heavily relies on illegal migration as a campaign topic. However, Hungary seems to lie within the average of the former Eastern Bloc in that regard.

Temperatures in Hungary vary from -20°C to 39°C through the year. Distribution and frequency of rainfall are unpredictable due to the continental climate of the country. Heavy storms are frequent after hot summer days, and so do more days long still rainfalls in the autumn. The western part of the country usually receives more rain than the eastern part, and severe droughts may occur in summertime. Weather conditions in the Great Plain can be especially harsh, with hot summers, cold winters, and scant rainfall.

1 January - New Year's Day

15 March - National Day (commemorating the 1848 Hungarian revolution and independence war against the Austrian Empire)

Flexible - Good Friday

Flexible - Easter

1 May - International Worker's Day

Flexible - Pentecost

20 August - State Foundation Day (also known as St. Stephen's Day)

23 October - National Day (also known as Republic Day)

1 November - All Saints Day

25-26 December - Christmas

Visit Hungary

Hungary's international airports are Liszt Ferenc Airport (BUD IATA) in Budapest, Airport Debrecen (DEB IATA) in Debrecen and Hévíz–Balaton Airport (SOB IATA) in Sármellék. The Hungarian national carrier, Malév (Hungarian Airlines) was closed down in early 2012. There are also several low cost carriers operating to Budapest: for example Ryanair, Wizzair, Easyjet and Eurowings.

Budapest is an important railway hub for the whole Hungary and large part of eastern Europe, with frequent trains from Austria, Germany, Czechia and Slovakia. There are at least one train daily from Croatia, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine, as well as through cars from Poland and seasonal through sleepers from Bulgaria. As of 2026, there are no direct trains from Serbia, but the journey can be made through a series of indirect connections.

For detailed info, see Budapest#By train.

You can search for international train connections at official schedule site of MÁV, national train company, or at German Railways website covering almost all of Europe.

To enter the country, ensure that your International Motor Insurance Card is valid for Hungary (H) along with the Vehicle Registration and a Power of Attorney from the owner if the car is not yours. The border guards are very strict about allowing cars through without these documents (see excepts below).

The Hungarian border control is very strict and thorough. They will not hesitate to conduct a full vehicle search if necessary. Entry from Schengen countries (Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia) is out of such border control since the abolition of physical borders. All those remain show light control and due to a bilateral agreement Serbian citizens are also no more undergo a strict border control. However you have to take into consideration that from Schengen area you might undergo a so-called inside-customs control wherever moving/driving in the country. Non-Schengen passengers must take into account facing a strict control upon customs prescriptions from Ukraine and Serbia. Coming from Serbia you are allowed to bring 2 packets of cigarettes into Hungary. If you bring more they will take it and fine for €102. Weapons for hunting are allowed to bring in from any EU member state if you have a European Licence. However with possessing that you may not buy or sell your or a new weapon here. The same is the situation with illicit drugs as well. Infringement of these rules may definitely lead to your immediate arrest!

Entry from non-Schengen countries can take quite a long time, in particular in the summer months on the weekends when EU-Nationals are returning north along the E75 corridor from Belgrade, Serbia. The wait lines to get through the border have been as long as 7 km with a wait time of up to 6 hours. Alternative border points in Hungary or Croatia can be used to by-pass. If you are driving in from an EU country e.g. Austria, you are required to pull over to check with authorities at the border, otherwise, the borders are open and usually the immigration control kiosk are empty.

When driving into Hungary, ensure that the border crossing on the route you choose allows the passage of foreigners. Also some smaller crossings close in the afternoon for the night. It is also required to buy a vignette for driving on highways: €20 for 10 days, €30 for a month as of 2024.

Several international bus lines go in or through Hungary. You can find timetables and book tickets on the homepage of Volánbusz, which is the national bus company and also the local Eurolines representation.

Alternatively, Orangeways bus company offer services on routes between Budapest and Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Timetables and online booking are available on their website.

On the southern border with Serbia you shouldn't be surprised when there in the bus a collection is being held for a donation to the border-guards, to let the bus pass faster.

It is possible to enter Hungary by international shipping lines on Danube (Duna) or Tisza rivers.

There is a scheduled hydrofoil service on the Danube to and from Vienna and Bratislava between May and September operated by Mahart.

You can use the bus no. 91 of the urban traffic company of Bratislava (DPB) going to Čunovo in order to cross between Rajka (Hungary) and Bratislava (Slovakia). In Bratislava, the bus has Nový most as its terminus, and near the Hungarian border you get on/off at the stop Čunovské jazerá (you need to signal to the driver if you plan to get off at this stop). From Čunovské jazerá it's a four-kilometer-long straight walk through a flat terrain to the town of Rajka, two kilometers on each side of the border. You may detour to visit a monument at the Austrian-Hungarian-Slovakian three country border.

Hungary has no regular domestic flights. As Budapest lies in the centre of the country and pretty much any point can be reached within three hours by train or bus, there isn't much need for scheduled domestic flights.

However there are many opportunities for people with a valid pilot's license to rent a plane and explore by air.

There are multiple trip planning websites for Hungarian public transport. To buy tickets, plan between stations, and for international routes use jegy.mav.hu.

Emma is the most complete domestic route planner that unifies data from multiple operators. It includes lasti-mile routing, live locations of vehicles, delays and distruptions.

You can also use menetrendek.hu, Google Maps, KDE Itinerary or the MenetBrand android apps to plan your trip - these all have generally up to date data as well.

Some important words in Hungarian that may be helpful are:

“honnan” - from

“hová” - to

“Autóbusz állomás” - bus station

“naponta” - daily

“munkanapokon” - on workdays

The Hungarian National Railway is MÁV and GYSEV (some lines in the west of the country).

The train network is star-shaped (hub-and-spoke), fanning out from the centre at Budapest. This is caused by history because half of the once complete train system went to the neighbor countries after World War I. If neither the starting or ending point is Budapest, expect to travel for a long time often with change in Budapest.

Intercity (IC) trains are the fastest, and they're up-to-date, usually well maintained and clean. They link the major cities with Budapest. Expect to pay about 550 Ft extra fee independently from the distance for the mandatory seat reservation (not in international ICs, ECs). In some cases the extra charge can be lower. Compared to the majority of Western European ticket prices, Hungary's IC trains are among the cheapest, with an excellent record of speed and comfort. At the weekends many students use these IC trains to commute between Budapest and other cities, so an early advance booking is recommended on Friday afternoons for the trains leaving Budapest and on Sunday evenings for trains towards Budapest. Working with a notebook is generally safe, unless it's heavy overcrowded. Fast trains (Gyors) are usually older train cars coupled with IC services, but you don't need a seat reservation to use them.

Other train lines (Személy, Sebes, InterRégió, Zónázó) usually are not that fast and use older carriages (even in the 1st class). However, quality standards are improving. During the summer, trains linking Balaton to Budapest are often overcrowded with the IC usually being sold out. Pricing depends only on the distance and on the car class. Cash desks assume 2nd class by default for non-IC trains (at least in Budapest for English speakers), so if you didn't catch your IC, consider asking 1st class, paying small extra for much more comfort. Smoking is prohibited on all trains, as well as on the station platforms.

Since March 2024, people aged 65 and older and people under 14 generally travel free of charge. People under 26 receive a 50% discount. The 90% discount for students only applies for those living in and studying in Hungarian institution.

Buy tickets and passes for all trains, long-distance buses and HÉV, and some international tickets on jegy.mav.hu or the MÁV app.

Regular tickets are valid from/to specific stations, but are valid once for any train within 24 hours.

Passes are valid for valid for almost all long-distance and some local services: trains (2nd class), long-distance buses, some local buses, trains, HÉV.

These operators accept the passes:

the MÁV-Group: MÁV trains and VOLÁN buses

GYSEV trains

BKK (public transport within Budapest: you can also buy a Hungary or County pass from the BudapestGO app)

local bus operators in Csongrád, Érd, Esztergom

and some small bus companies: G-Busline Kft. (Budapest–Lenti), Trans-Tour 90 Kft. (Budapest–Beregsurány), Trans-Vonal Kft. (Nyíregyháza–Balsa), and Weekendbus Közlekedési Zrt. (Budapest–Csömör).

If you have a pass and would like to use local services in a city outside of Budapest, check the local operators' site as your Pass might be valid for all transit, just buses or neither. If you travel on an IC train, you still have to reserve a seat alongside your pass.

A County Pass is valid for 30 days within one county, costs 9450 Ft.

A Hungary Pass is valid for the entire country. If you are planning to visit multiple regions or take lots of train trips, it might make sense to buy this at 18900 Ft.

There is also a nationwide 24-hour pass. It's called Hungary24 and costs 4999 Ft.

It is possible to use your Interrail/Eurail pass in Hungary. Check whether buying tickets for each journey is cheaper.

Most train stations will let you use a debit or credit card. Some stops might be served only by vending machines. A gépi menetjegykiadás is a staffed cashier desk; jegykiadó automata is a vending machine.

You can buy tickets with euro. It is possible to purchase an international ticket and supplement at every Hungarian railway station which has an international cash desk. Cash desks do not accept euro bank notes of values above €50, and you will get the change in forints.

If you boarded at a station without a ticket office or vending machine, you can buy a regular ticket from the conductor.

If you boarded at a station where purchasing a ticket was possible, you have to buy a ticket from the conductor and pay a 2600 Ft surcharge.

If you boarded at a station within the Mandatory ticket pre-purchase zone around Budapest, you have to buy a ticket and pay a 25000 Ft fine. This fine isn't fully enforced yet, there is a grace period until 31 Aug 2025.

Some lines might operate without a conductor: in this case buy a ticket before boarding.

Bike transport

The easiest way to check if you can transport bikes is to check the Bicycle checkmark on emma.mav.hu or jegy.mav.hu when planning a trip. You will have to buy a separate bike ticket (500 Ft) and on very popular lines you might have to reserve a bicycle space as well.

International bike transport on the train also possible on selected trains cost €4-10 (vary), first price to Vienna, the highest to Hamburg (via Berlin).

List of e-ticket acceptance points like a vending machine. Buy the ticket on the Net and find at the station the pre-purchased ticket issuing machine to validate and print your ticket.

There are luggage rooms or lockers (Hu: csomagmegörző) in train stations. Lockers cost (since 2010): small 400 Ft, or bigger 600 Ft per 24hours. More than one day cost 600 Ft per each started day. An incomplete list of stations with Luggage rooms or/and lockers: Budapest-Déli, Kelenföld (Budapest), Budapest-Keleti, Budapest-Nyugati, Debrecen, Győr, Miskolc-Tiszai, Nyíregyháza, Siófok, Sopron, Szolnok, Szombathely.

Hungary’s national bus network is operated by the MÁV-Group (previously run by the Volán Association). Connections are frequent, and prices are identical to those on non-Intercity trains. Bus lines often are more complete than train lines, but the speed is quite similar. Long-distance buses are clean and safe, but often subject to delays. Buy your ticket at the station ticket desk before boarding; if you do not take your bus at a main station, purchase a ticket from the driver. In Budapest and major cities, make sure that you validate tickets even when buying from the bus driver. The small orange boxes are used for validating tickets and are seen at several points throughout the bus. It is a good idea to reserve your tickets for national holidays, Friday and Sunday evenings beforehand. Online booking is available in English. You can plan your trip with any of the trip planning services mentioned at the beginning of the chapter.

People aged 65 and older and people under 14 generally travel free of charge. Persons between 14 and 25 get 50% discounts.

There are several scheduled riverboat and hydrofoil lines operated by MAHART PassNave Ltd. from the capital city Budapest to towns in the Danubebend, like Szentendre, Visegrád and Esztergom, and also a good hydrofoil boat connection operated by the same company between Vienna and Budapest from May to September.

In the capital city there are several sightseeing and night cruises operated by MAHART PassNave Ltd. and other shipping companies, like Legenda Ltd.

There are some ferries on Danube and Tisza but their working hours are undependable. You can trust the ferry on Lake Balaton, though, for a modest price.

Aggressive and unpredictable driving and speeds significantly higher than in northern Europe are a constant source of traffic incidents. Traffic lights are not always obeyed.

Most roads in Hungary are two-lane, apart from modern motorways. Roads and motorways leading to Budapest are mostly in good shape; however, cracks, potholes and bumpy roads are common on minor roads and in major cities, though they are constantly being repaired. It is usually not difficult to travel by using a map and following road signs.

Expressways are not free, but there are no other toll roads or tunnels. A vignette system is used, similar to that in neighboring Austria and Slovakia, but as of 2013 the vignette is stored electronically and checked for using gantries that read licence plate numbers. You can purchase them in intervals of 10 days (called "Weekly vignette"), 1 month, or 1 year. The vignette is very important and it is a good idea to buy it even if you don't plan to use the highway. Control is automatic with video cameras and you will get a high ticket (20,000 Ft) automatically without any warning.

If you travel by normal roads the speed limit is 90 km/h between cities and 50 km/h inside, which slows you to the average around 60 km/h. Roads often have high traffic (especially main roads like #8 to the west, #6 to the south and #4 to the east). On highways the speed limit is 130 km/h, travel is the same as in Germany, and on the inside lane it is very common to have someone speed by you.

Expect the Police to use speed traps of all kinds: fixed ones on all motorways which are signed, and mobile ones from bridges, cars standing on the shoulder or behind bushes and trees. Beware that some policemen hide around speed limit signs, especially when the sign visibly useless or if it's extremely slow for the given road type. Police corruption is widespread especially around Budapest (generally 10,000 Ft solves usual problems if you don't get arrested for it).

When you cross the country from the west to the east (or vice versa), take into account that there are only a few bridges crossing the Danube outside Budapest. There are some ferries available though.

Outside urban areas, it is a legal requirement to drive with headlights on, even during the day—a requirement that is becoming more common across the EU.

Hungary has a policy of zero tolerance for driving under the influence of alcohol. If you are caught driving even after only having a couple of units of alcohol you are most likely to be arrested.

There is a fast growing highway network in Hungary (1,480 km in total). Each highway starts in Budapest.

M0 - Motorway ring around Budapest. The north-east and south sections are ready.

M1 - connection to Győr, Austria and Slovakia (west)

M2 - connection to Vác, planned to reach the border to Slovakia by 2015 (north)

M3/M30/M35 - connection to Miskolc, Debrecen and Nyíregyháza (east)

M5 - connection to Serbia, via Kecskemét and Szeged (south-east)

M6/M60 - Connection to Dunaújváros and Pécs(south)

M7/M70 - connection to Lake Balaton, Croatia and Slovenia (south-west)

M4 - connection to Romania via Szolnok (east)

M44 - connection between the M5 at Kecskemét and the Romanian border via Békéscsaba (east)

M8/M9 - will cross the country (east-west)

A single vignette is required to use all highways, except for M0 and short sections around major cities, which are free. Vignettes can be purchased online with bankcard on the official web (and several private online companies, e.g. Hungary-vignette ), at filling stations and at ÁAK (State Motorway Management Co.) offices. A 10-day vignette for a passenger car costs 2975 Ft during summertime, the 4-day ticket for car has been cancelled. Vignettes are controlled automatically through a camera system.

The Hungarian oszkar.com social car pool network/website will allow you to find cheap transport around the country and from (and to) many European cities (especially Vienna, but many German cities are also well "serviced").

In case you're not familiar with the idea: people who travel by car and willing to take passengers post their itinerary. You can hitch a ride by booking it on the website and then contacting the driver, whose contact information the website furnishes you with. People wishing to travel by car pool can also post and hope to be found by a prospective driver. Passengers are expected to contribute to the cost of the trip, but "fares" are typically much lower than bus/coach or rail fares (e.g. as of 2013, a trip from Vienna to Budapest may cost 2,500–6,500 Ft). A significant downside is that the site is in Hungarian (although you might be able to navigate it with a service Google Translate) and that booking (but not searching) requires registration, which is free. Drivers as well as passengers can rate each other after trips, much like at auction sites.

Drivers are typically young adults (young enough to be familiar with the Internet and old enough to own their own cars); this also means they're slightly more likely to speak a foreign language than the average Hungarian, but you still shouldn't depend on it.

Some commercial "shuttle operators" use oszkar.com to offer rides too; their postings are visually distinguishable from "amateur" ones.

Oszkar.com is a buyer's market: there are generally many more passenger seats available than passengers.

Inspect the change that taxi drivers give you. Cabbies commonly rip off tourists by giving them change in outdated Romanian currency, which looks similar to Hungarian currency, but is worthless and cannot be redeemed.

Ride-hailing is available in Hungary and the following are the most anticipated providers:

Bolt. Works in Budapest, Debrecen and Pécs. (updated Jul 2020)

The Hungarian currency is the forint, denoted by the symbol "Ft" (ISO code: HUF). Notes come in denominations of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 forint; coins are available in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 two-coloured, similar to €2) and 200 (two-coloured, similar to €1) forint.

Euros are now accepted at most hotels and some of the restaurants and shops. Make sure you check the exchange rate, sometimes even well known places (like McDonald's) will exchange at unrealistic rates. Forints are to disappear in the coming years in favour of the euro, but no date has been fixed.

You can use major credit cards (EuroCard, Visa) in major shops and larger restaurants, but never expect that without checking first. Small places cannot afford to handle cards. ATMs are available even in small cities, the coverage is good. In Budapest, almost all businesses and services relevant to tourists support card payments.

While completing any monetary transactions, it is best to pay in forint when you can. Some restaurants and hotels charge a steep rate for exchanging euros and often due to the fluctuation in forint, cost and services stated may vary drastically.

Shopping in Hungary is extremely cheap for people from the euro zone and the US. An exception to this rule is that luxury goods are often at higher prices than would be encountered in Western Europe or the US.

Exchange rates for euros and US dollars are roughly the same within central (at least in Budapest and Eger). Rates will likely be much worse in airports and large train stations, so only change what you need to reach the city centre. A good habit is to compare the buy and sell rates: if they are drastically different, you're best going somewhere else. Official exchange offices always give a receipt and normally have a large glass between client and a cashier making all steps transparent for clients.

Euros are very widely accepted, in hotels, in some splurge restaurants or bars, in some shop (like all SPAR super/hypermarkets, usually at the cashdesk area is a board with the actual rate), or international cash desk of course the rates five even ten percent worse than in the banks and be prepared for the change they will get back in forint. Try using small notes (max. 50), at international cash desk can even pay also with coins and the rate is ok. Traded currencies at the two biggest Hungarian bank K&H Bank: AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, JPY, NOK, PLN, SEK, USD; OTP Bank: same as K&H plus RUB and accepted Euro or Amex travellers cheques (commission). Smaller banks like Raiffeisen Bank (for CZK), Oberbank (for CHF) or Sberbank (for RUB) giving better rates, but not change so many currencies (need to check as it is variable). For your remaining forints, buying euros, US dollars and Swiss francs is always available, but others only when in stock. More unusual currencies, such as Israeli shekels, Hong Kong dollars, or Ukrainian hryvnia, can only be exchanged at money changers.

If you arrive in Hungary at weekends, holidays or evening banks are closed only ATMs or money changer shops or some hotels (mostly the biggers). ATMs and banks can be found in hypermarkets.

If you arrive at Budapest Ferihegy Airport late at night or on state holidays changing money is possible as there are five interchange money changer offices. Opening times vary: from morning to around midnight, and one is open 24 hours a day. There is an ATM in the arrival hall at Budapest Ferihegy, and the rates for using ATMs with a card are often better than the bureau de change. Also Interchange has booths at Déli (one), Keleti (three), Nyugati (one) Railway stations. These are open daily from 07:00 or earlier to 20:50-23:30. Locations and opening time here. In the city centre of Budapest at #2 Vörösmarty square (:Vörösmarty tér) branch is open 24 hours a day.

There are many ATMs in Budapest which will accept European and North American debit or credit cards. Be aware that "Euronet" ATMs will typically charge 2000–2500 HUF in addition to any charges your own bank may apply, whereas ATMs operated by banks (e.g. OTP Bank, Raiffeisenbank) don't add extra charges.

Visitors report that unofficial money changers operating near an official money changing booth offer unfavourable rates and recommend using the official exchange offices. Such exchangers are illegal and there is the possibility that you will receive something other than Hungarian currency or nothing at all.

Tips (borravaló) are given in Hungary for some services: in restaurants, in bars, to taxi drivers, to hairdressers, and often to people that fix things around the house, like plumbers and electricians.

Although not legally required, social norms encourage that tips are given. 10% is usually enough. Check your receipt before you pay, because some bars and restaurants charge a 10% service fee (szervizdíj), in this case tipping is not expected.

Apart from classic tourist souvenirs such as postcards and trinkets, here are some things unique to Hungary or just hard to find elsewhere.

Duck and goose liver

Salamis - products of Hertz, Picks are the best, try Winter salami (Hu: Téliszalámi)

Sweets Chocolates with fruit Brandy, Szamos Marzipan dessert, Praline with Truffle, szaloncukor, literally: "parlour candy", is a popular sweet at Christmas.

Cold-smoked sausages - Mangalica and grey beef specials

Herbal Teas

Truffle Products - Honeys, Jams

Spices: Paprika and Hungarian Saffron

Gundel set of cheese: aged in Gundel wines or with walnut pieces or seasonings. Most easily found in 350 g sets of three kinds in duty-free of Ferihegy Airport in Budapest (at least in Terminal 2), but is likely available in Gundel 1894 Food & Wine Cellar (see Pest#Eat). Keep in mind that shelf life for this cheese is only 2 months.

Champagnes

Wines: the vineries of Badacsony, Tokaj, Villány have the best products, but when purchasing wine beyond the right kind and vintage is also important the wine rack. The wrought iron with wine leaves is very showy, but if you are traveling by plane difficult to transport, so maybe a wood is more practical and you can buy a wide range of it. Other good names are: Somlói Juhfark, Egri Bikavér (see Liquor), Kadarka, red wine from Villány area etc.

Pálinka: very famous and strong brandy made from fruits.

Unicum: a herbal digestif liqueur.

Black pottery - part of the Transdanubian folk art

Porcelain - look for high quality handmade Herend and Zsolnay products, usually sell them in set, simple candle holders are much cheaper and also popular

Herend majolica at more affordable prices than the classic Herend.

Hungarian Cuisine book (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian)

'matyó' patterned wooden spoons, ceramic of Sárospatak spoon holder

Embroideries such as patterned of Kalocsa or Matyó.

Blueprinted textiles mostly linen or cotton materials

Diamonds in handmade white gold, platinum inlaid jewellery, try your luck at Szentendre the Europe’s largest diamond & jewellery centre

Handicrafts and decorative arts works decorated with traditional, Hungarian folk motifs (letter-paper envelope sets, greeting cards, handkerchiefs, napkins, tablecloths, pillows, towels)

The Rubik's cube originated in Hungary and was invented in 1974 by Erno Rubik and is one example of its longstanding gaming tradition.

Hungarians are quite proud of their cuisine (Magyar konyha), and most of the time not without reason. Food is usually spicy, but not hot by general standards, and it's tasty rather than healthy: many dishes are prepared with lard or deep-fried. The national spice is paprika, made from ground sweet bell peppers.

Goulash (pörkölt). The national dish is goulash but Hungarians call the thick paprika-laden stew known as goulash elsewhere by the term pörkölt and reserve the term gulyás for a lighter paprika-flavoured soup. (updated Dec 2023)

Meat is popular, especially pork (sertés), beef (marha) and venison (őz). Less common are lamb and mutton. Chicken (csirke) and turkey (pulyka) are common, and you will also find game birds excellent in smarter restaurants and country areas: pheasant (fácán), partridge (fogoly) and duck (kacsa). Goose is also quite popular in Hungary. While tourists gorge on goose liver (libamáj), still cheap by Western standards, probably the most common dish is sült libacomb, roast goose leg. The best fish in Hungary are river fish: carp (ponty), zander (fogas/süllő) and catfish (harcsa), though many restaurants will serve fish from far away. Another typical Hungarian fish meal is roasted hake (sült hekk). Less well known in the rest of the world are csirke paprikás, chicken stew in paprika sauce, and halászlé, paprika fish soup often made from carp.

Stuffed (töltött) vegetables of all kinds are also popular, and Hungarian pancakes (palacsinta), both savoury and sweet, are a treat. Common snacks include kolbász, a Hungarianised version of the Polish kielbasa sausage, and lángos, deep-fried dough with a variety of toppings (mostly sour cream, cheese, or garlic).

A typical Hungarian meal will involve soup, often like a consommé (erőleves), meat with potatoes (burgonya) and a side salad, and a dessert such as pancakes (palacsinta). A meal is almost always, even at breakfast, accompanied by Hungarian pickles called savanyúság, literally "sourness". These are often dubbed saláta on menus, so order a vitamin saláta if you want fresh vegetables. Starch is most often served as potatoes, rice or dumplings (galuska or nokedli). The primary Hungarian contribution in this field is an unusual type of small couscous-like pasta called tarhonya.

It is worth visiting a "cukrászda" if you are in Hungary. These are very popular with delicious cakes and coffee. Try the traditional krémes (with vanilla cream), eszterházy (lots of nuts) or somlói galuska.

Another favourite is lángos, which is deep-fried bread served served with various fillings. The most common is plain, with salt, garlic (fokhagyma) and soured cream (tejföl). If you do come across a lángos stand, there are usually a large number of options from pizza lángos, or eggs with mayonnaise or Nutella and bananas.

Vegetarians and vegans will have about as much ease eating out as in any other western country.

Budapest is not a problem, as there is a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, but in an ordinary Hungarian restaurant the non-meat mains on the menu are pretty much limited to rántott sajt (fried cheese) and gombafejek rántva (fried mushrooms), but some places will avoid meat for your order if asked.

Italian food is popular, so as long as you don't mind a pasta heavy diet as a vegetarian you will find a wider choice.

For self-catering, the selection of fruits and vegetables from supermarkets or local shops and market is quite good, especially in summer.

There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan restaurants, and a lot of health food stores that offer all sorts of vegetarian/vegan products, including cosmetics.

Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood of Eger) (1000 Ft for a good one) is a strong red Hungarian wine which supposedly saved a clever Hungarian girl from her fate with a Turkish sultan. During the time of the Turkish occupation, it is said a young girl was summoned to become a member of the local sultan's harem. Not wanting this fate for his daughter, her father gave her a bottle of Egri Bikavér to take to the sultan. He told her to tell the ruler it was bull's blood, and would make him invincible. The sultan, being Muslim, was unaccustomed to alcohol, and proceeded to pass out, leaving the daughter unharmed. There is another story connected to why Bull's Blood is called so, and it also comes from the Turkish era. According to that one, the defenders of the different castles used to drink this red wine. When they saw the color on the mouths of the Hungarians, they thought that it must have been from a bull, thus the name.

Tokaj is known for its sweet dessert wines (Tokaji aszú), (2000–6000 Ft) which acquire their distinctive taste from grapes infected by the "noble rot" Botrytis cinerea. The favorite tipple of aristocracy, past fans of Tokaji include Louis XIV (who called Tokaj as "The king of the wines, the wine of the kings"), Beethoven, Napoleon III and Peter the Great — which is still reflected in the steep pricing of the best varieties. Almost uniquely among white wines, Tokaj keeps well for a long time.

Hungarian wine, including champagne ("pezsgő"), is quite likely to be sweet ("Édes" or "félédes"). If dry wine is your preference, look for the word "Száraz" on the label. When buying bottled wine, don't bother with types cheaper than 600–700 Ft, as they are usually very low quality (maybe not even produced from grapes). In wine cellars high quality may be available at surprisingly low prices.

In Hungarian, pálinka denotes strong brandy-like liquor distilled from fruit. Pálinka is a very social drink: just as the English drink tea, the Hungarians, especially in rural areas, will offer pálinka to guests upon arrival. The best-known varieties are barackpálinka, made from apricots, körtepálinka from pears, and szilvapálinka made from plums. Factory-made pálinka is widely available, but keep an eye out for homemade házipálinka. Pálinkas usually contain around or above 50% of alcohol, often more for the homemade ones. Pálinka bottles marked mézes will be heavily sweetened with honey. (3000 Ft for something good)

Unicum is a strong digestif made from a secret mix of over 40 herbs. It comes in striking black bottles emblazoned with a red and white cross, and has a very strong and unusual taste. Unicum Next has a lighter, citrusy flavor, and is rather more palatable. Definitely worth trying, the spherical bottle (affectionately called "the Holy Hand Grenade") itself may also be used for decoration, and keeps very well for a long time. It is available in every bar in Hungary but it is rare to see someone drinking it.

Hungarian beer is quite average compared to other Central European countries like Germany and the Czech Republic as it has long been a wine culture. The most common beers are Dreher, Szalon, Borsodi, Soproni and Arany Ászok, available in the styles világos (lager) and barna (brown). All of Hungarian breweries are owned and managed by international brands such as: Dreher Sörgyár (Budapest); Heineken Hungaria (Sopron and Martfű); Heineken; Borsodi Sörgyár (Bőcs); Pécsi Sörfőzde (Pécs); Ottakinger.

They cost 200–300 Ft at a store and 400–600 Ft at a bar. Some expensive club can charge up to 900 in Budapest.

Imported beers like Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen and Budweiser-Budvar (the original Czech variety) are widely available in bars and markets for not much more than the ubiquitous Hungarian brands.

When offering a toast with beer, be warned that most Hungarians will politely refuse. This is due to an old tradition due to remembering soldiers executed by the Habsburgs of Austria in the 1848 revolution, whereby it was decreed no Hungarian would toast with beer for 150 years. It's been so long, however, that most Hungarians no longer know the origins of this tradition or that they've been free to make toasts over beer for the past ten years.

Cafe culture is widespread in Hungary, although it may never recover the romance of its turn-of-the-century intellectual heyday. Unless asked, it's a good idea to specify what kind of coffee you prefer. The word kávé means the strong, espresso-like coffee, although American-style coffee, known as hosszú kávé in Hungarian, usually translated as "long coffee", is also available at most places.

Tea houses are becoming popular in cities, especially among the young. There is a growing number of tea houses, mainly in Budapest and some bigger cities where people can buy several types of loose tea. The best teas are herbal and fruit varieties. In restaurants and cafes, lemon juice is frequently served in a small bottle. However, in traditional restaurants or cafes good teas are hard to find as coffee are preferred.

Very good rated hostels cost about €9–22 per night. The lower prices you usually get during week-days and in low season. (updated July 2022)

Village Tourism is popular and very well developed in Hungary, and can be a remarkable experience. Start your research with 1Hungary [1], National Federation of Rural and Agrotourism [2] and Centre of Rural Tourism [3].

Near Budapest it is also possible to find rural houses to rent, for instance the Wild Grape Guesthouse [4], what makes a good combination to explore the capital and a National Park while staying at the same accommodation.

There are campgrounds available. See the city guides, including the Budapest guide.

The majority of Hungarians drive dangerously and had 739 deaths on the roads in 2010. This is largely due to careless driving habits. Many drivers do not observe the speed limits and you should be extra careful on two-way roads where local drivers pass each other frequently and allow for less space than you may be used to.

Car seats are required for infants. Children under age 12 may not sit in the front seat. Seat belts are mandatory for everyone in the car. You may not turn right on a red light. The police issues tickets for traffic violations and issue on the spot fines. In practice the laws are widely ignored.

Also, Hungarian laws have zero tolerance to drink and drive, and the penalty is a severe fine. It means no alcoholic beverage is allowed to be consumed if driving, no blood alcohol of any level is acceptable. Failure to pay fines may result in your passport getting confiscated, or even a jail term until or unless you pay the fine.

More importantly, the police stops vehicles regularly for document checks. You shouldn't worry when you are stopped because by law, everyone needs to have their identification papers checked.

Hungary has some of the harshest penalties for those involved in a car accident. Involvement in a car accident results in a fine, and maybe a prison sentence from 1 year to 5 years (depending on the aggravating circumstances).

Uniquely in Europe, Hungary uses the Eastern name order, i.e. the family name precedes the given name. For example, someone named Kovács István has the family name Kovács ("Smith") and the given name István ("Stephen"). However, most Hungarians change their name order when talking or writing in a foreign language, like István Kovács. Foreign names are also kept in the original order (like John Travolta; but for an originally Eastern name, the Eastern order is retained, like for Abe Shinzo). In official documents (and sometimes elsewhere), your name might get changed to the Eastern order. Prepare for misunderstandings, but when in doubt, just ask.

Hungarians generally avoid to address people by name whom they do not know well. The general norm is Uram (Sir) for males or Hölgyem/Asszonyom (Madam) for females. The title is probably used more often, if known (e.g. Igazgató Úr, "Mr. Director"; or Doktor Úr, "Doctor"). If having to use the surname, it is like Kovács úr ("Mr. Smith").

Given names are only used between acquintances, or with those who have offered this to you. Don't use them otherwise; it might be considered rude.

Similarly to some other languages (e.g. German), Hungarian has a polite "you" (Ön [capitalised] + third person singular) among with the informal one (te). When talking to a stranger (except for a child) you should first use the polite one, and only switch if it is offered to you, similarly to using given names. That being said, younger people now often immediately start with the informal pronoun when talking to someone in their age.

Hungarians are generally straightforward communicators. They are quite comfortable with expressing their innermost thoughts and feelings openly, and you can expect them to tell you exactly what they think. Although their directness may come across as blunt, assertive, or even rude to some, it's important to understand that they are not trying to offend or hurt anyone's feelings. They simply believe in being truthful and straightforward in their interactions with others.

Hungarians believe in strong familial values and often live with extended family members who provide both financial and emotional support. Therefore, it is important to show respect for the elderly. Don't use first names (keresztnév) unless you've been told to, and compose yourself in a mature fashion around someone older than you. On public transportation, it is obligatory to offer your seat to older people.

Talking loudly is generally considered rude. You will notice how most Hungarians tend to keep their voices down in public places.

When entering a home, shoes should generally be taken off.

The 1956 Revolution continues to be a sensitive subject with many of the Hungarians, and anti-Russian sentiment used to be high due to the violent suppression of the uprising by the Soviet army. This, however, seems to have faded away, and surprisingly, conservative and right-wing people tend to have a more positive attitude towards Russia. Approval rates of financial support for Ukraine during the Russian invasion are comparatively low, with the old government even accused of being pro-Russian – just don't mention the topic if possible, as it is quite controversial.

You are well advised not to discuss the Treaty of Trianon (1920) at all — many Hungarians can take it surprisingly sensitively, even today.

Open display of the Communist red star and hammer and sickle symbol, the Nazi swastika and SS symbols, and the Hungarian fascist Arrow Cross, is prohibited by law. Make sure your clothing does not have these symbols on it, even if it's just a joke. You can be fined for it.

Members of the Roma community may find "Gypsy", or the traditional Hungarian label cigány (pronounced tzigan) to be offensive; some, however, may even refer to themselves as such. There are also some niche cases; e.g. when used in connection with music, cigány is used (even officially; e.g. Muzsikus cigányok parkja, "Park of Gypsy Musicians"). As a foreigner, always use roma at first.

As a rural tradition, Hungarians affectionately refer to themselves as "dancing with tears in our eyes" ("sírva vígad a magyar"), as in a bittersweet resignation to the perceived bad luck in their long history. Avoid mocking Hungarian history and Hungarian patriotism.

As discussed under #Politics, the country used to be run by a right-wing populist party for 16 years, provoking strong emotions from supporters and dissidents. A rule of thumb is that the countryside (this includes non-capital cities) and older voters tend to support the old governing party, while Budapest and younger people tend to oppose it; however, in 2026 surprisingly many small villages were won by the then-opposition, so this should not be taken too literally. As usual while in a foreign country, don't "come out" until you know the others are open to your opinion.

It is important to understand that the popularity of Fidesz (which has by now steeply declined anyway) does not mean that Hungarians would be racist, xenophobic, or Russophile in general. In spite of corruption and democratic backsliding, the old government used to enjoy genuine support from a significant part of the population, as they led the country out of the economic crisis of the late 2000s and have done much for the agricultural sector. Residents of small villages often feel that the party is the only one who listens to them, as the old left-oriented opposition has neglected building out networks reaching there. Others vote out of fear induced by state-sponsored media (especially in 2022, when propaganda accused opposition parties for warmongering with Russia). Finally, a complicated election system has turned the party's roughly 50% support into two-thirds of seats in the legislature—in fact, this is why the new government also has a supermajority now.

The point is that as a foreigner, you probably don't understand the entirety of the situation; try not to speak as if you did. Saying that Fidesz supporters are in general "brainwashed" or "xenophobic" oversimplifies things, and branding the entire nation as such will probably be taken as outright offensive even by most other Hungarians.

Given Hungary's history of enduring turbulent events, many Hungarians also exhibit sensitivity towards various historical occurrences. You should avoid discussing or bringing up the following topics as they can quickly unsettle people:

Hungarian Revolution of 1956 — the Soviets arrested and killed thousands of Hungarians for revolting against the Hungarian People's Republic, leading to the exodus of nearly a quarter of a million Hungarians.

Anything regarding the Hungarian People's Republic — thousands of Hungarians were arrested, imprisoned, tortured, exiled, and mistreated by the pro-Soviet communist government. However, some elderly people may have more positive thoughts about the later, comparatively relaxed period; this phenomenon is also referred to as "Kádár nostalgia", referring to the leader installed directly after the revolution. After a peaceful transition, the moderate left-wing successor of the former Communist party used to be one of the major parties until 2010.

Hungary's relationship with Russia — although relations have improved since the early 1990s, there is some antipathy and distrust towards Russia in some circles.

It's an old tradition that Hungarians do not clink beer glasses or beer bottles. This is due to the legend that Austrians celebrated the execution of the 13 Hungarian Martyrs in 1849 by clinking their beer glasses, so Hungarians vowed not to clink with beer for 150 years. Obviously this time period has expired, but old habits die hard although less so by younger generations.