ATM at Budapest airport

There is an ATM (owned by Euronet) in baggage claim as you exit the terminal into the arrivals hall and another near the taxi booth, I think.
These ATMs, while convenient, charge a hefty fee. Your driver will most likely accept Euros or even US dollars as well as Forint. I don't like to tip in a different currency, but I see it recommended on this site and others as a common practice.

What is your hotel charging you for transportation? It may be more convenient for you to take a taxi to your hotel, rather than having a driver pick you up. The driver will have to park and wait; taxis are always available and you can pay and tip with card.

The private drivers can't do curbside pickup. So they park, find you, walk you up stairs, put you on the curb, go get their car and pick you up.

By the time you get to the hotel, that guy you met on the plane that is staying in the same hotel will already be in his room unpacking. And taxis take credit cards, for the tip too. But the driver is okay. No harm and if it works for you . ... enjoy. It will be fine.

The charge at the airport ATM, might be $5 and it never hurts to have a little cash. So pull out maybe 19.000 forints. The odd number is so you get some small bills. The tip doesn't need to be more than 1.000 to 1.500 fortints; because the fare to downtown by taxi is only 10.000 to 12.000 forints. But I bet you are paying more.

Small US bills or even Euro is a pain gor the driver, but its the thought that counts.

I go a lot, and if my stock of forints is depleted, I still order 20.000 from my bank before I leave. Always gets used, always there when the taxis credit card machine is on the fritz, always there in a bar where the credit card machine can't take tips or for a cash only service professional.

I apologize. I exaggerated. Best case, the guy in taxi beats you by 5 to 10 minutes. Probably closer to 5.

I did something with an airport pick up a few years ago that some might want to think about. I met a friend at the airport. She arrived around noon, so I hired a driver (http://www.silverwings.hu/ ) to pick us up at the airport and go to Szentendre its only about 15 min longer than downtown. He dropped us in Szentendre and took the luggage to a baggage locker business (Lions Locker https://www.lockerbudapest.com/ ), we spent the afternoon in Szentendre and took the boat back to town and the metro to retrieve the bags. Great day.

My hotel is including the airport pickup at no extra charge so whatever the taxi charges, this is cheaper.

I don't have time to order Florints since I leave early next week. Unless I can get some Florents the same day in NYC. But that will cost me more than the ATM.

Frank II

Not Florents. It's Forints, but you will see HUF just as often or Ft

I'm guessing autocorrect?

I'm guessing autocorrect?

No, a very cheap tablet, an old bluetooth keyboard that seems to have a mind of its own, preparing for departure in two days and not having planned much of my trip, and other issues that have come up in the last day.

And....autocorrect.

and not having planned much of my trip

Really not much to plan for Budapest. You just sort of do it.

Get a list of the Top Ten or Twenty sights in town and take a long look at the tram lines and its really all you need.

This sort of illustrates it: https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ai7Zk-szxfTJi4xvJOxPcwzyKiJsfg?e=rn8OPO

You only need Tram lines, 2, 4/6, 19/41, 47/49 and the M1 metro and most every thing in Pest is within about 10 minutes of Deak Ferenc ter. Unless you want to use public transportation to reach the train station (the M2 and the M3 depending on the station).

Thanks Mr. E.......Budapest is not the problem. Its figuring out how I'm going to spend the following six weeks.

Time to improvise.

I know the RS people love the romance of the rails, but its amazing how may connections therr are on Wizz and Ryan for under $100 if you travel light. I am doing Budapest to Skopje for about $45.

I went to Google Flights and put in BUD to Europe non-stop and started checking dates and made a list to choose from. Probably do Romania again or Bulgaria on the next trip too.

After you arrive just exit from baggage claim and go to the Fotaxi stand. They'll get you a cab to your hotel, tip included. and you use your credit card. It's likely less expensive than having the hotel send a private driver. Once you check into your hotel ask them where the nearest bank ATM is located. Two weeks ago we did exactly what I described no problems. Ride was 10,620 Forints (about $31). Enjoy your trip!

Thanks KBK, but if you had read the thread
you'd know the hotel is paying for my ride from the airport to the hotel. I don,'t need tobpsy for a taxi.

When our hotel was going to send a car it was going to cost us more than the taxi; therefore, we declined the service and used a taxi. Perhaps you're paying for the car and don't realize it? Regardless, I was trying to help you!

Thanks KBK.....no I am not paying extra for the car. The hotel is running a special. If you book direct and for more than three nights, they will throw in a taxi from the airport to the hotel but not round trip.

The offer was on their website.

The cost of the taxi is less than the commission they would have to pay to a third party booking service.

Here is the direct wording from the hotel's website:

FREE AIRPORT TRANSFER

Book directly with us a higher category room at least for 3 nights and we pay for your transfer from the airport to our hotel.

ANd its a good hotel.

What hotel is this?

Hotel Moments

FrankII, i put the transfer advertisement words in quotes and googled it; and Hotel Moments popped up. How i could say nice hotel. Great location.

Hotel Moments is a wonderful hotel in a great location. That's where we stayed for 3 nights earlier this month. Great choice!

Monsieur E.....you also recommended it to me in a PM.

LOL ................................................................

Mister É, good tip to get 19,000 HUF. I ordered from my bank (thus avoiding Euronet at the airport) and am very happy to have received a nice mix that included small bills.

Otherwise you get a 20.000 note which is hard to pass unless you are buying a lot of drinks for a local.

If you don't want to use the high-fee ATM at the Budapest airport, you can also get some forints the old-fashioned way, by exchanging cash dollars or euros for them at the exchange booth. There is a fee for that too, of course, but that's what I did this spring.

I have a photo of me, on my very first trip to Europe, at a currency exchange booth. One of these trips, I should recreate that photo for fun!