Use euros in Budapest/Sofia/Bucharest?

None of those coutries use the Euro. You'll need local currency. Even if someplace accepted Euro, the exchange rate would be terrible.

Thanks! After posting this I decided to check TripAdvisor and boy, was there a lot of stuff on there about currency in Hungary. You definitely don't want to get any in advance in the U.S., and you don't want to deal with banks in Hungary - just reputable change businesses and ATMs. Someone said that during their visit they could find hardly any operable ATMs (though that is how most people recommend getting cash), so I am going to bring a few emergency euros with me just in case.

I cannot speak about the rest of Hungary, but we had no problems finding ATMs while in Budapest this summer. You can expect that to find merchants who will accept euros but this will probably cost you up to 10% extra.

I'd probably take some Euros along, in case you enter, pass through, or leave from a country that uses the Euro, but no, Hungary's currency is the Forint. You may wish to buy some currency in the U.S. before you leave. One thing I found, when I used an ATM at Deak ter in Budapest, is that the screen is all in Magyarul (Hungarian) and does not have the various internaltional flags at bottom that allow you to view options in another language. BUT, once you your ATM card, another screen opens up that has the standard options for languages. I arrived in Budapest from Vienna, without any Forints. Although I saw a sign for a K&H bank inside Keleti Palyaudvar (East rail station) , it seemed to be closed; I ended up walking all the way to Deak ter. I hope you have a great time; Budapest is a wonderful city. I visited Bulgaria in 1987 and enjoyed it very much. Sofia's a bit drab, but Plovdiv is quite interesting. Even back under socialist rule, Bulgaria grew delicious fruit and vegetables--lunch and dinner always seemed to begin with a chopska salad, and ended with a pile of grapes. Best wishes

I agree with Larry I had absolutely zero trouble finding an ATM in Budapest (also can't speak for the rest of Hungary). Currency exchange shops were all over the place, too, but I would avoid them, because you can bet the exchange rate is unfavourable. You are always much better off using local currency instead of assuming that your Euros/dollars will be accepted. Sure, you might not have too hard a time finding a vendor who accepts them, but you will definitely be ripped off. And in a major city, it's not hard to just find a bank with an ATM. P.S.: in most bank branches, the ATMs are separated from the actual bank, but still behind a door, so people can have safer access to them while the bank is closed. Those doors have a card reader, so you can unlock them with your debit card. This was definitely the case with a K&H branch right outside the Oktogon metro station.

you can use euros in bucharest and sofia, but it's not very common. i was there in the spring and didn't use any of my euros in romania, but did use it to pay for a private tour to see rila monastery in sofia. i tried to pay my hostel with euro but they didn't accept. atm is everywhere there so don't worry about local currency, you can get it very easily.

Thanks so much, guys, for your advice and tips on currency, and details about your own trips. I am very much looking forward to this trip in October - just three weeks away! I was on a three-week tour through western Turkey in April and used the ATMs there all the time with little trouble, and I figured it would be the same in the three Eastern European countries coming up but I wonder, a little, how modern they will be two decades after coming out of Communist rule.

Karen, As long you are in the tourist frequented sites in Budapest and see signs saying "welcome" posted in German and English on the premises, you can use the Euro. I had no problems using the Euro at those establishments last summer, although it was only a day trip.

We were in Budapest in June. We had no trouble finding ATMs which dispensed HUFs (Hungarian currency). Budapest is quite modern now. Many wonderful restaurants, a lot of great stuff, not quite London (and thank goodness for that!!). Prices are good, everything is easy, VERY EASY, as our host "Hungarian Aunt and Uncle Maria and Stefan" would say.

I flew into Budapest, got forints from an ATM while waiting for my luggage to appear on the carousel. It was all in large notes, so I then went to the currency exchange in the same area and they were kind enough to change one of the large ones for small bills. I had no trouble finding ATM's in the city either.

Tip for avoiding getting all large notes from the ATM machine: Specify an odd amount, rather than the choices the ATM offers. For example, in Budapest we would do 57,000 florint. In Prague last year it was 3,800 koruna. You get something small to buy that first transit ticket with, where the vendor won't use up a lot of change (100 ck note for a 26 ck ticket in Prague, 1000 fl note for a 280 ticket in Budapest, even better if you are buying for two people.)
Sorry, but I am by nature suspicious and would not trust that a currency exchange would simply break a large bill for me without a commission. We would do this twice, me then my wife on each of our cards, and that way we could get to our daily limit from the account even with the machine limit being less.

The woman at the currency exchange at the airport was very nice. First I asked her where the ATM was. Then when I came back, she changed on of my large bills into small ones for me with a smile.