Page 299 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  297

Hungarian Time
wheelchair-accessible
at certain stations. Hungary adheres to Central
Most hotels can accom- Euro pean Time in keeping with
modate disabled vis- most of mainland Europe – it is
tors, often in specially 2 hours ahead of Green wich
adapted rooms. As a Mean Time (GMT) in summer
rule of thumb, the bet- and 1 hour ahead in winter.
ter the hotel, the more
likely disabled visitors
are to find rooms suita- Hungarian Addresses
and Street Names
ble for them.
For advice and help, Most famous Hungarians have
contact the National squares (tér), streets (utca) and
Staircase especially adapted for disabled use Federation of Disabled avenues (út) named after them
Persons’ Associations. in every large city and town,
note that tobacco goods Their excel lent website which it is easy to confuse.
can only be purchased at lists accessible hotels, Many first-time visitors to
shops signposted “Nemzeti restaurants, museums and Buda pest also confuse Váci utca
Dohánybolt”, with their opaque other public buildings, as (the pede strian street in the city
windows. Entrance is restricted well as transport links. centre) with Váci út (the wide
to people aged over 18. avenue north of the city centre).
Hungarians are usually very Public Toilets Hungarian addresses are
friendly towards visitors. They written with the postcode first,
queue patiently, except when Unfortunately, when it comes followed by the street name
getting on and off any form of to the provision of decent pub lic and building number. In
public transport. The only toilets, Hungary remains in the Budapest the district code is
stumbling block is the language dark ages. Public conveniences usually added to the city name,
barrier – many older Hungarians are rare, and those that one using Roman numerals. Floors are
speak no Western languages. does come across can be very numbered in accordance with
Casual clothing is acceptable unappealing. Most are free; the UK usage.
everywhere, even in the modern, cubicle-style toilets
restaurants of Budapest’s most now common in parks and DIRECTORY
expensive hotels. At business public squares are sometimes
meetings, too, suits and ties coin-operated. Cafés and res- Tourist Information
are much less common than taurants usually allow toilet Tourinform
elsewhere in Europe. But at access only to customers; at 1052 Deák tér (Sütő utca 2),
the theatre or classical music service stations and fast-food Budapest. Tel (1) 438 80 80.
concerts you are expected to outlets, there may be a charge ∑ tourinform.hu
dress up, black tie if possible. if you do not order anything ∑ gotohungary.com
If invited to the home of a from the menu. Most railway
Hungarian, ensure you bring stations have toilets, but they Travel Safety Advice
something: flowers or a bottle can be unhygienic. Australia
of good whisky are favourites. Apart from the generally Department of Foreign
In hospitals, it is common understood picture symbols, Affairs and Trade
practice to tip doctors, nurses the toilets are signed in ∑ smartraveller.gov.au
and domestic staff to make Hungarian: Hölgyek (ladies)
things happen just that little and Urak (gentlemen) or Nők UK
bit faster. (women) and Férfiak (men). Foreign and Commonwealth
Office ∑ www.gov.uk/foreign-
travel-advice
Disabled Travellers Electrical and Gas US
Appliances
Hungary has made giant strides US Department of State
towards improving life for its The Hungarian electricity ∑ travel.state.gov
dis abled citizens and visitors, supply is 230 V; the plugs are
a major plus point of the the standard continental Europe Information for
country’s entry into the EU in type, with two round pins. Disabled Visitors
2004. That said, it can be tough Sockets are generally earthed, National Federation of
for all but the very fittest to get and the plugs are most com- Disabled Persons’
on and off some forms of public monly of the flat type. Adaptors Associations (MEOSZ)
transport: trains and trams are are widely available. San Marco utca 76, Budapest.
especially trouble some. On Gas cookers have a bimetallic Tel (1) 388 23 87 or (1) 250 90 13
the Budapest Metro, the M4 safety device – after lighting, the (international).
line is fully accessible by lifts, knob should be held down until ∑ meosz.hu
while the older lines are only the burner warms up.

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