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Cars 4 Rental Information on Hungary

General

Area: 93,030 sq km (35,919 sq miles).

Population: 10,142,000 (official estimate 2002).

Population Density: 109 per sq km.

Capital: Budapest. Population: 1,811,522 (2000).

GEOGRAPHY: Hungary is situated in Central Europe, sharing borders to the north with the Slovak Republic, to the northeast with Ukraine, to the east with Romania, to the south with Croatia and Serbia and to the west with Austria and Slovenia. There are several ranges of hills, chiefly in the north and west. The Great Plain (Nagyalfld) stretches east from the Danube to the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains in the CIS, to the mountains of Transylvania in Romania, and south to the Fruska Gora range in Croatia. Lake Balaton is the largest unbroken stretch of inland water in Central Europe.

Government: Republic. Head of State: President Ferenc Mdl since 2000. Head of Government: Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany since September 2004.

Language: Hungarian (Magyar) is the official language. German and English are widely spoken. Some French is also spoken, mainly in western Hungary.

Religion: 62 per cent Roman Catholic, 20 per cent Calvinist, 5 per cent Lutheran. Eastern Orthodox and Jewish minorities. There is no official national religion.

Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are used.

Communications:

Telephone

IDD available. Country code: 36. Outgoing international code: 00. Public telephones are operated by Ft100, Ft50, Ft20 and Ft10 coins or by telephone cards.

Mobile telephone

GSM dual band 900/1800, coverage throughout the country. Network operators include Pannon GSM Telecoms (website: www.pannongsm.com), T-Mobile (website: www.t-mobile.hu) and Vodafone (website: www.vodafone.hu).

Fax/Telegram

Services are available at main post offices all over the country and at the Telecommunications Information and Service Office, Petfi Sndor u., Budapest.

Internet

ISPs include Matv (website: www.matav.hu). There are Internet cafes in larger towns.

Post

Airmail takes three days to one week to reach other European destinations. In addition to the main post office, the offices at West and East railway stations in Budapest are open daily 0700-2100. Stamps are available from tobacconists as well as post offices. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0700-1400.

Press

National dailies include Magyar Hrlap, Npszabadsg and Npszava. English-language newspapers include the Budapest Business Journal, Budapest Week, Courier Diplomatique, The Budapest Sun, The Hungarian Economy, The Hungarian Observer and The Hungarian Quarterly.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: Hungarian Forint (Ft) = 100 fillr. Notes are in denominations of Ft20,000, Ft10,000, 5000, 2000, 1000, 500 and 200. Coins are in denominations of Ft100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. A large number of commemorative coins in circulation are legal tender.

Currency exchange: Currency can be exchanged at hotels, banks, bureaux de change, airports, railway stations, travel agencies and some restaurants throughout the country. Automatic exchange machines are available in Budapest and other main tourist centres. Credit and debit cards can be used to withdraw money from ATMs. Visitors should retain all exchange receipts, as it is illegal to change money on the black market.

Credit & debit cards: It is possible to withdraw cash by credit card at more than 3200 post offices. American Express, Cirrus, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: Widely accepted in stores and banks. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Currency restrictions: The import of local currency is limited to Ft200,000, provided the amount is declared on arrival. The export of local currency is limited to Ft200,000 and must be declared. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, provided amounts greater than Ft50,000 are declared. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on import and should be made no longer than three months after import. There is no compulsory money exchange. Hungarian currency can be re-exchanged for up to 50 per cent of the officially exchanged sum (but not more than US$450) at any authorised office or branch of the National Savings Bank.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Forint against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May ’04 Aug ’04
£1.00= 374.19 386.60 379.06 370.19
$1.00= 223.88 212.38 212.23 200.93

Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1600. Some banks are open on Saturdays.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No No
Cholera No No
Typhoid and Polio No N/A
Malaria No N/A

Food & drink: Mains water is normally chlorinated, and whilst relatively safe may cause mild abdominal upsets. Bottled water is available and is advised for the first few weeks of the stay. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat.

Other risks: Hepatitis A occurs. Tick-borne encephalitis occurs in forested areas. Vaccination is advisable.
Rabies, although on the decrease, is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.

Health care: There is a reciprocal health agreement with the UK. On presentation of a UK passport, treatment is free at hospitals, ‘poly-clinics’ and doctor’s surgeries. For emergencies, call 104. Charges will be made for dental and ophthalmic treatment and for prescribed medicines. Chemists are generally open from 0800-1800. There are chemists with a 24-hour emergency service open in every district.

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Climate

There are four seasons, with a very warm summer from June to August. Spring and autumn are mild, while winters are very cold. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year with snowfalls in winter.

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Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes No Yes
Australian Yes No Yes
Canadian Yes No Yes
USA Yes No Yes
OtherEU 1/2 No Yes
Japanese Yes No Yes

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least six months required by all, except:
(a) 1. nationals of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic and Spain holding a national identity card.
(b) 2. nationals of Croatia, Slovenia and Switzerland holding valid ID cards but only when staying for up to 90 days for touristic purposes only, with return ticket and proof of sufficient amount of funds to sustain trip.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) nationals of countries referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days, (nationals of the UK and Ireland for stays of up to six months, and nationals of Cyprus, Latvia, Malta and Slovenia for stays of up to 30 days);
(b) nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep), Liechtenstein, Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela (tourist visits only) for stays of up to 90 days;
(c) nationals of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Nicaragua, Romania, San Marino and Singapore for stays of up to 30 days;
(d) persons continuing their journey to a third country within 24 hours, provided not leaving the airport and holding valid onward tickets and documentation. However, nationals who are not eligible for visa exemptions and are non-residents of the UK may need to acquire an Airport Transit visa in all circumstances; contact nearest Embassy/Consulate for further details.

Note: The length of stay which nationals of the exempted countries are allowed is subject to frequent change; contact the embassy for more information.

Types of visa and cost: All visas, regardless of type and duration of stay allocated, cost £25.

Note: (a) Nationals of Ukraine and Serbia & Montenegro, and family members of UK nationals, can obtain visas free of charge. (b) Children under the age of 14, included in their parent's passport, do not have to pay for a visa; if they have their own passport, children under the age of seven can obtain visas for £13. (c) If the visa has to be issued on a separate sheet (because there is no free page in the passport), an additional fee is payable.

Validity: Single-entry (Tourist and Business): Valid for 90-day stay within six months of the date of issue. Double-entry: Valid for 90-day stay taken twice within six months from date of issue. Multiple-entry: Valid for multiple 90-day stays in Hungary within one year from the date of issue. Validity subject to frequent change according to nationality. Transit: Valid for five days within six months from date of issue. Double-transit: Maximum of five days twice within six months from date of issue.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy; see Contact Addresses section). Visas are not issued at road border points or at Budapest Airport.

Application requirements: (a) Passport valid for at least six months (with at least one blank page). (b) Completed application form. (c) One passport-size photo. (d) Fee (non reimbursable), payable in cash (personal applications) or postal order only. (e) Return ticket or ticket reservation and travel insurance. (f) For postal applications, a pre-paid special delivery return envelope. (g) Confirmation of accommodation in Hungary, or letter of invitation from friends or relatives living in Hungary (does not have to be endorsed by the local Hungarian migration authority, but copy of the ID cards of the inviting party must be attached). Business (or just for business purposes, eg a trip to attend a conference): (a)-(g) and, (h) Written invitation from host organisation or company. Transit: (a)-(g) and, (h) Valid visa for country of destination.

Working days required: Two, or seven for postal applications.

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