Tips on Budapest Warnings or Dangers – Stay Safe!

Budapest Warnings and Dangers

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is well-known among tourists for its beautiful architecture, breath-taking views, and delicious cuisine. While Budapest can easily be a paradise for a tourist, it is important to keep the dangers of this city in mind to stay safe.

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How to Avoid Scams in Budapest

Any American citizens planning to go to Budapest should become familiar with the most common tourist scams and the areas where theft is common.

Most of the restaurants and clubs in Budapest offer excellent service and value and are legitimate businesses. However, the U.S. Embassy has received many complaints from American tourists about a few clubs and restaurants due to unethical business practices. Some of these unethical business practices include exorbitant bills, physical intimidation to force tourists to pay excessive bills, assault for non-payment, and drugging. Therefore, you should turn to the Internet and ask trusted friends or family for restaurant and club recommendations.

Do not allow a taxi driver of local woman to take you to an establishment that they “highly recommend.” Some clubs and restaurants will pay a commission to taxi drivers and women who lure tourists to the club or restaurant. If a club or restaurant does not provide a list of prices, you should not eat there. Be certain to verify the cost of a dish before you make a purchase.

Tips for Traveling on the Metro

The best and cheapest way to get around Budapest is on the Metro. Be certain that you always buy a ticket for the Metro because there are many ticket supervisors near the exit of the Metro. If you are found without a ticket, you will need to pay a penalty of 10 Euros.

Be sure to always remember to use the orange validation machine to validate your Metro ticket. For each leg of a journey, you need to validate your new ticket. If you have a multiple-day or single-day pass, validation is not needed. There are ticket inspectors at the orange validation machines.

Also, you should keep in mind that the escalators that lead up and down to the Metro system in Budapest are incredibly fast. These escalators are so fast that “no one even tries to pass you on them.” Some people fall on these escalators and many tourists are shocked at the speed of these escalators. There is even a picture circulating around of a man with a helmet on one of the escalators of the Metro system in Budapest.

These escalators appear to be set at a jog speed or about seven miles per hour. Therefore, it is vital that you are careful when using these escalators to avoid falling and getting injured. You should also hold onto your luggage to prevent it from falling down the escalator.

More from SmarterTravel:

• Budapest Travel Guide
• Safety Tips in Budapest – Travel Safety Tips
• Tips on Avoiding Budapest Tourist Traps

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Editor’s Note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about the warnings and dangers of Budapest.