Month: December 2008

Change in ticket prices for public transportation in Budapest

Posted on by Budapest Guide
Tram in Budapest

Every year we make wishes for what to change in the coming year, and every year the prices for the public transportation in Budapest goes up. So also for 2009. We have updated our page about public transportation in Budapest where you can get up to date information on the new prices.

One great thing is that the new metro ticket will be valid for 60 minutes, and it allows you to change metros within that timeframe.

Another new thing is the quarteryear ticket (100-day ticket) which will be priced 27.000 for adults. The monthly card will cost 9.000 forints, the three day card 3.700, the daily card 1.500 and the single ticket 290 forints.

Budapest transportation

Strike updates Budapest – December 23

Posted on by Budapest Guide

What is up in the capital of Hungary? For foreigners coming to celebrate christmas in Hungary the airport is the most important, and at the airport planes arrive and depart on time. No flights are cancelled, and though travellers report that there are some lack of information at the airport, mostly everything is working perfect. It is still recommended to be at the airport at least two hours before departure, and do not forget that all flights leave from Budapest Ferihegy 2. Ferihegy 1 is closed temporarely due to the strike.

MAV (train strike)
In the last week several hundred thousand people have been suffering because of the train strike, and we wrote last week that the trains would be going as normal between 24-26 December. But, this changed, and it longed seemed as if the trains would stand on those days as well, but now it has been decided that trains will leave as listed in the train schedules. Today (23 December) there will still be some delays, but from tomorrow all trains should leave on time!

Szabadság Híd opened for tram traffic

Posted on by Budapest Guide

Today the Szabadság Híd opened for tram traffic again. That means that the buses that has been going instead of the trams normally crossing the Szabadság Híd will now stop going. Unfortunately the bridge will only be used by trams, so cars will have to wait until spring 2009 before they can use the Szabadság Híd (Liberty Bridge). By then they will also install the lights that will make the bridge shine like never before.

In addition it is planned to install beautiful lights on the Elisabeth Bridge, which according to Index.hu should be finished by September next year. This will be accomplished with support from Japan.

The Bridges of Budapest

Below at the picture you can see the univserity located next to the Liberty Bridge.
Univserity in Budapest

Strike updates Budapest – December 19

Posted on by Budapest Guide

strike budapestThe Budapest Airport Zrt. has received critics from several places for using greeks to run the security checkin at the Ferihegy 2, but for us travelling it is normally more important to get home, than the nationality of the one checking if I have any explosives in my shoes or in my jacket! At least, due to the help from Greece all traffic at the airport is arriving and departing on time, and traffic is just as normal. The only difference is that all traffic still arrives and departs from Ferihegy 2.

Train strike
The MAV workers still strike, and though some trains go, that is impossible to know beforehand, so it is very risky to hope for your train to leave. The strike does not seem to end either, so several people who would like to go home for the 4th Sunday of advent might be stuck at the train station. As we wrote yesterday, it is though great that the MAV workers will not strike on the 24-25-26 December, to help out with some christmas traffic, at least!

Yet another strike cancelled
People working for the state also planned a strike in January, but the state managed to make a deal with them, so the planned strike was blown of before it started!

Malev has big problems!

Posted on by Budapest Guide

MalevIn these days when everyone speaks about the strike, the Hungarian flight company Malev is experiencing hard times as well. The company has great loans, and if those who have given the loans decides to not trust in Malev and their compatibility of paying back, problems are around the corner. Malev changed owner 1 1/2 year ago, and due to the problems it might change owner again. Due to these problems it might be that Malev will have to cancel more flights (they have already cancelled several flights due to the problems), and in worst case, all flights!

According to the newsportal index.hu it might be that Aeroflot will be the new owners of Malev!

No BKV strike! (strike update December 18.)

Posted on by Budapest Guide

Tram / Gellert HotelIn these days when there are strikes everywhere it is great to hear that there will be no BKV strike. BKV is the company running the public transportation in Budapest, and they were planning to strike today. But, late yesterday evening they came into an agreement with their employees, so the strike was cancelled.

Airport
At the airport everyhing is in order, and though workers are still striking, they now manage to let all traffic arrive and depart as planned from Ferihegy. All traffic still arrives and departs from Ferihegy 2.

Train
The strike is still active, and it is impossible to know anything about what trains are going and what trains that are suffering because of the strike. MAV workers have told that they will not strike on 24-26 December, which will help the christmas traffic a lot, but they will probably continue the strike from the 27 December if they have not managed to solve the problems before that.

Check back to our front page for more updates and information.

Strike updates Wednesday 17. December

Posted on by Budapest Guide

The trains are still standing in the nation, which means people from throughout the nations have problems reaching the other cities in the nation. Though the security people at the airport is still striking, the airport has received help from abroad, and therefore they are able to keep the tempo up, and all plains should arrive and depart on time.

Yesterday we wrote that it will probably be a strike tomorrow within the public transportation company in Budapest. The good news is that though they will probably strike, it will only influence the buses, which means that trams and the metro will run as normal!

That was it for today! 🙂

Check back to our front page later for updates.

Strike updates Tuesday 16. December

Posted on by Budapest Guide

Bus nr. 109Yesterday we reported that the trains were standing still and that the strike at the airport still influenced the air traffic. Today Budapest Airport Zrt. wrote at their webpage that all traffic went as planned this morning, and that there are only short lines by the security checks. They hope that they will be able to keep it this way throughout the entire day.

On the trainstations most trains are standing, also international trains, and buses are packed up throughout the nations. The news reports of people who are not able to go to work, missing out their exams and the consequences is quite big for the Hungarians.

NEW STRIKE COMING UP
Yesterday the news also arrived that BKV (the company running the public transport in Budapest) will organize a strike this Thursday (18 December) from 04.30 until 13:00.

Those were the striking news for today!

Check back to our frontpage later for more updates.

Strike updates from Budapest

Posted on by Budapest Guide

Today we do not only provide information on the airport strike in Budapest, but we can also tell you that the trains in Hungary is currently standing still. This means that if you are planing to travel by train in Hungary today, you should probably reconsider that, and rather travel by bus.

At Ferihegy airport all traffic is still running from Ferihegy 2, but they have now begun to use both Terminal 2A and 2B. Airtraffic to Budapest goes as normal, but the planes departing from Budapest is usually between 30-60 minutes late, and there are long lines before security check-in.

The airport recommends all passengers to arrive 3 hours before departure.

For latest updates, always check out our frontpage