Page 236 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Budapest
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234 SUR VIV AL GUIDE
Travelling by Car
Eight main roads lead out of
Budapest, four of them motor
ways, which are marked “M”.
The M1 stretches from Budapest
to the Hegyeshalom border
crossing, where it joins the
Austrian motorway net work.
The M3 links Budapest with
Miskolc and Nyíregyháza to the
north east, the M5 leads south to
Ticket offices at Nyugati Railway Station in Budapest Kecskemét (see p170) and Szeged,
M6 takes you to Pécs, and the
Travelling by Rail Railway Stations
M7 links to the Balaton resorts.
Budapest has direct rail links There are three main railway The M0 is being built as a ring
with 25 other capital cities. Every stations in Budapest – Keleti motorway around Budapest,
day, more than 50 international (East), Nyugati (West) and Déli with only the west section still
trains, many of them express (South) (see opposite). to be completed. Drivers must
services, arrive and depart from The Hungarian for station is purchase an electronic motorway
the city’s three railway stations. pályaudvar, often shortened in sticker for all motor ways and
The modern Hungarian trains writing to pu. Most inter national some other toll roads; these can
used on the mainline services trains run from Keleti station. be bought at petrol stations near
are generally considered to be Some trains to Vienna and one or on the motorway or online.
an efficient means of transport, of the express trains to Croatia Traffic regulations include
although some international (“Maestral”) leave from Déli station, driving with the headlights on,
services suffer occasional delays. as do trains to the Lake Balaton day and night. All car occupants,
Trains from Budapest to resorts, which go almost hourly in the front and back seats, are
Vienna, the main communi in high season. Déli pu is on the requir ed by law to wear seat
cation hub for western Europe, red M2 metro. Keleti pu can be belts. Motor cycle drivers and
depart approximately every reached using the red M2, as well passen gers must wear helmets
hour or two from Keleti station. as the green M4 metro lines. For at all times.
The fastest trains run at top Nyugati pu take the blue M3 The speed limits are 50 km/h
speeds of 140–160 km/h (85– metro line, or trams 4 or 6. (30 mph) in builtup areas, 90
100 mph). The travelling time is km/h (60 mph) outside builtup
an efficient 2 hours 50 minutes. areas, 110 km/h (68 mph) on
Detailed information on all Travelling by Boat main roads and 130 km/h
domestic and international Between April and October (80 mph) on motorways.
rail services running to and hydrofoils cruise the Danube In Hungary it is strictly
from Budapest can be obtained from Vienna to Budapest, via forbidden to drive following
from either Keleti station or Bratislava. It is also possible to any alcohol consumption. The
on the MÁV-START (Hungarian take a hydrofoil or pleasure boat slightest trace of alcohol in
Railways) website. along to the Danube bend, to the bloodstream is enough for
It is worth knowing that there towns such as Esztergom and a person to have their driving
are several concession ary fares Visegrád (see pp168–9). See the licence confiscated on the spot,
available. Foreign visitors to timetable at the departure point along with a criminal case and/
Hungary can buy a season at Vigadó tér for details, or or a heavy fine.
ticket that is valid for between contact cruise companies such Visitors coming to Budapest
seven and ten days and offers as AMA Waterways, Legenda by car are obliged to have the
unlimited travel throughout or Mahart Passnave. green insurance card, while
the country. There are also a
number of Europewide passes
that allow you to travel cheaply
on trains in Hungary.
Local trains (személyvonat) are
slow and make frequent stops.
The best option if time is tight
is to take modern Intercity
trains, which go to Pécs, Miskolc,
Debrecen, Szeged and all the
larger cities in Hungary in
around 1–3 hours. Seat
reservations are required on
these trains. Reserve in advance
and expect to pay a small fee. The imposing exterior of the Nyugati Railway Station
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