Tuk tuk Tour of Budapest

You have posted this in the Austria forum by mistake.

It would be too far to go from Austria to Budapest in a Tuk Tuk.

Tuk Tuk
They come in a variety of styles, ages, electric or gas or pedaled; two seat and four seat. There are several vendors, you must shop for one that meets your needs and your budget.

• Budapest Tuk Tuk https://budapesttuktuk.com/
• Tuk Tuk Taxi Budapest https://tuktuktaxi.hu/?lang=en
• BPT Budapest Private Tour https://www.budapestprivatetour.hu/hu/

Trabant
The Trabant, the epitome of communist lifestyle was produced in East Germany between 1957 and 1991. The body is made from plastic laminate, which is often found on kitchen counters. At least they never rust. The 594cc two-cylinder, two-stroke engine requires that oil be mixed with gasoline (like a chainsaw); this results in a lot of smoke when driven.

Guided tours in and around Budapest, some with the opportunity for you to drive.

• Pink Trabant https://pinktrabant.com/

Memento Park is in the Trabant tour business too. Memento Park is often overlooked because it is difficult to get to. Now the park will send a Trabant to pick you up, do a tour of the city on the way to the park and include a guided tour of the park.

• https://www.mementopark.hu/en/trabant-en/

Tram
I enjoy the tours, they are free if you are over 65 and a few dollars a day for a pass if you are under 65; and one runs past or close enough to see almost every sight in Pest. If that interests you I can make a suggestion on the route.

Oops! Not sure how to change the location of this question, but I appreciate you pointing that out. Fortunately we have opted for a train to take us from Hungary to Austria.

I will do more research based on the recommendations. Thank you!

If you schedule permits, take that train from Budapest to Gyor, then grab a taxi to the Archabby at Pannonhalma. https://turizmus.pannonhalmifoapatsag.hu/

Then back to Gyor for lunch and a walk of the old area, and then traun on to Vienna.

I don’t know where you are staying but I will presume its near Andrassy ut because that would be my choice

If you walk down Andrassy ut and turn left at the end, after you round a little bend in the street you are on, you will see the yellow trams parked at Deak Ferenc ter. Maybe a 4 mintue walk at most.

Get on the tram. It’s the end stop so you cant make a mistake in direction. This is the 47/49 tram and on weekends the 47/48/49 tram.

First, there points. If you are are over 65 this is all free, under
65 you need to buy the appropriate pass based on the length of your
stay. Don’t do tickets. Trams with multiple numbers in the
description, like 47/49 are really two different trams but they share
the same route in the zones being discussed. Directions of all the
public transportation is described by the name of the end stop.

Back to it. Hop on the 47/49 tram facing forward on the left hand side take a seat.

• First you pass the Dohany (Great) Synagogue
• Then the National Museum
• Then the Central (Great) Market Hall
• Then you cross Szabadság híd (Liberty or Freedom Bridge).
• Then the first stop after the bridge is in front of the Gellert Hotel and Bath House (closed for renovations). https://www.historichotelsthenandnow.com/gellertbudapest.html
• Here you will get off and if you want a little Hungarian Wine, Palack Wine Bar is right there with some nice outside seating with a view of the hotel.

Board the 19/41 Tram. The direction for the 19 is Kelenföld vasútállomás and for the 41 is Kamaraerdei Ifjúsági Park and they are the ones heading towards the river (but they do not cross it). Right side forward facing for the view of the river but the other sights are out the windows on the other side. Big windows, so still works.

• First you will pass the Rudas Bath house (the small green dome roof is the 500 year old part.
• Next the Várkert Bazár which is the Castle Garden entrance to the castle above.
• Then the Castle (above)
• Then the funicular
• Then Batthyány tér across the river from is the Parliament Building. Good place to get off for Eastern European Crepes.
• Then you will reach the Margrit Island Bridge. The tram goes under it and stops. Get off and go up to the bridge level. If you are hungry there is Margaret’s Restaurant and Pub. Good Hungarian.

Now for the 4/6 Tram in the direction of Móricz Zsigmond Körtér for the 6 Tram and Újbuda-központ for the 4 tram; or in the direction of the river because you will cross the river. I would sit on the left again.

• The first stop is Margaret Island
• Next stop is a back way past antique shops to the Parliament
• The next stop is Nyugati Train Station
• The next stop is the Oktogon at Andrassy ut. Yup, you made a big circle.
• Next you will se the NY café, followed by the Blaha Lujza tér stop. Get off.

Below the stop is the M2 Station. The M2 in the direction of Déli pályaudvar will take you back to Deak Ferenc ter where you began with the first tram.

Fabulous recommendations! Thank you! We are staying at Matild Palace. We are flying in on Sunday, September 27, arriving at 6pm. Any recommendations for dinner on a Sunday evening?

You are staying at a beautiful hotel.

If you really want to do a Tuk Tuk, then do it. It works. The driver isn’t a guide, but they often tell you what they know and it’s a local to meet and talk to. If you like the tram idea I can rework it from where your hotel is located. The only problem with the hotel is that it’s not as well connected with the public transportation as one might want. But for the style, you live with that.

Restaurants. Well, your flight arrives at 6pm and by the time you get in a taxi it will be no earlier than 6:40 if everything goes perfectly. If your flight is arriving from the US or UK or Turkey, certainly later because of Schengen. Then figure 40 minutes in the taxi so we say you are at the front desk at 7:20. So 8pm for a dinner reservation? Not too late for here.

I will give you a list of some places close to the hotel. When eating close to that hotel you will benefit from being very selective. There are some lovely restaurants, but they are all tourist price restaurants. I don’t mind that so much if I get something special in return for the investment. These do that.

• DunaCorso https://maps.app.goo.gl/UnDRaxaN9qTSF6dF9 if the forecast is good. The first one I give you contradicts my opening monolog in that it’s not close to your hotel, but easy to reach. Walk towards the river and get on the 2 tram. Go 1 stop and you are there. The “special in return” is a view to die for from the outside dining. https://dynamic-media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-o/09/3e/f5/89/dunacorso-etterem.jpg?w=500&h=-1&s=1 This is Budapest at its best. Food is on the better side of “good”. https://maps.app.goo.gl/AyuB2CGt2Z2FZQbWA
• Spago Budapest by Wolfgang Puck https://maps.app.goo.gl/V1fX54aNV1W7AHk36 if you anticipate being tired and just want to keep it simple because its in your hotel. Never been myself, but its Wolfgang so it has to be good.
• Beef and Bone https://maps.app.goo.gl/b7tP2K4mRx6w7WZt9 is sort of a singular no frills dang good family run steak house. Pick your steak or chunk-o-meat from the cooler and they cook it to order. Small and intimate and sort of casual in a good way.
• Beerstro14 Steak House Restaurant https://maps.app.goo.gl/dFuDFiDJbAHSbAH57 steaks are a tiny bit better at Beef and Bone, but this one is in a lovely old period building and a better wine list. It’s a go-to for special nights, like arrival night. Tourist prices but not horrible.
• HeII’s Kitchen https://maps.app.goo.gl/LYzPUtm5Ji59nq6D6 Someone will send you if I don’t. The food is apparently really good, but the prices are tourist prices and you don’t get much special in return as there is equally good better priced Hungarian food all over town. Never been myself.
• Parisi Passage https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZBaYNPnigt57L5Y27 I’ve only been for coffee. But it’s got to be one of the three most beautiful interior spaces in Budapest. If you start your trip here the bar will be set high. I will have the loan for the coffee paid off in a few more years.
• Indian Palate https://maps.app.goo.gl/HzJyN6Jfcnuf1w3j9 okay, you aren’t coming to Budapest for Indian food. I get that. Welcome to Budapest, a city of nearly 2 million making it somewhere between Houston and Philadelphia in population so, sure, its got some great food from all over the world. Do stop and try some that you cant easily find in much of the US. Ukrainian, Georgian and Balkan for instance. By the way, a pretty darn good Indian place.

And one further suggestion. If anyone suggests anything on Vaci utca, ehhhhhh, don’t. Too much better in town to waste more time than one walk up Vaci utca during the day.

Watch your PM I’ll send you a few more.

I love the idea of the Tram, but we would also like someone to provide a narrative of what we are seeing as well as the history. I am gathering from your prior message that the Tuk Tuk won't necessarily give us a historical overview along with pointing out the sights. That being said, do you have a walking tour to recommend?

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/tuktuk-tour-in-budapest

I love the services of a good guide too.

I am gathering from your prior message that the Tuk Tuk won't necessarily give us a historical overview along with pointing out the sights.

The Tuk Tuk can be fun, but I don’t know of a Tuk Tuk tour where the driver is a licensed guide; but check with them, I could be wrong. I have heard reports that the customers had a great time talking to the driver and the driver shared about his life and I would imagine could point and say “Great Synagogue” but beyond naming the sights, not sure how much information you will get. Its going to be luck of the draw with the driver. But that might be enough for what you want. Read the review in the link in the post above.

That being said, do you have a walking tour to recommend?

Most of the tourists to Prague rarely wander outside of the “Old Town” and the area around the castle. Something less than ¾ of a square mile. You can do a walking tour in 3 hours.

The tourist zone of Budapest is closer to 6 square miles. Which part would you like the walking tour of? I think you will get a lot of good out of what every you decide. My first choices would be the Castle Hill and the Jewish Quarter. Figure 3 hours each if done well. There are city tours. My first time in Budapest 20-something years ago, I did one. But they are fast paced and either are done from a moving car or by public transportation. But they do give you a lay of the land so that’s not bad.

I suggest that you discuss the options with a few local guides. When I travel, I might end up writing to a half dozen guides before I chose one. The discussions with them prior to hiring is the employment interview.

I have used this guide a few times over the years. She was very good and dependable: https://budapestpersonalguide.com/
Also check out this guide: https://lovefromhungary.com/ . I have never used her, but she came well recommended in town. I dropped her name here a few times, she got hired, and the reviews were very good.