How to make phone calls in Budapest

you dial +1 231-555-3131. Hold down the zero and it becomes a +. To dial a local number, like to make a dinner reservation, dial +36, then the number. Kadarka wine bar for instance is +36 1 266 5094 while City Taxi is +36- 1 -211-1111 

Thanks, James.

The phone part is kind of confusing to me. Now another question is if my friends back home in U.S. want to call me on my state issued AT&T number, do they also dial +1 ###-###-#### to reach me, or do they simply dial ###-#### like I never left U.S.? If someone doesn't know I'm out of country, and dial my number just as ###-####, will it reach me in Budapest, assuming I have my phone turned on over there?

For ease of use I have all my US contacts saved in the +1 format. Works fine when I call them when I’m home. I think either +1 of the full 10 digit number will get through to you when you’re overseas.

Telephonically speaking, your phone remains in a bubble of US territory. It retains its US number wherever you are and people who want to ring you dial the same as always, they do not need to know where you are.

Phone numbers the world over are made of 3 parts:
(country code) (area code) (number)

• To call a number in the same area, just dial the number.
• To call a number in the different area, dial: (long distance access code) (area code) (number)
  • The (long distance access code) is 1 in the USA, hence 1-231-555-3131 when dialling form within the USA
  • The (long distance access code) in most of Europe is 0. Hence you see numbers beginning with 0: 0231 555 31 31.
• To call a number in the different country, dial: (international distance access code) (country code) (area code) (number)
  • The (international distance access code) is 011 from the USA. Hence from the USA you dial 011 (country code) (area code) (number) for foreign calls.
  • The (international distance access code) in most of Europe is 00. Hence you dial 00 1 231 555 3131 (1 is the country code for the USA)
  • From mobile phones you can also dial +: +1 231 555 3131

This is confusing because the US uses 1 as its (long distance access code) for internal calls, but 1 is also the country code for the USA for people calling into the USA. Same number for two different reasons.

Having 0 for long distance calls and 00 (or + from a mobile) for international is the world standard.
The US uses 1 and 011 respectively, just to confuse foreigners (same as it uses °Fahrenheit and feet, gallons and pounds weight, just to confuse tourists). ☺

I will be in Budapest in 4 weeks, and will be definitely going to Kadarka wine bar.

or do they simply dial ###-#### like I never left U.S.?

They simply dial your area code plus number, so 210-555-1212 will make you cell phone ring in Budapest

Thanks everyone!