Читать книгу Walking in Hungary. 32 routes through upland areas онлайн

12 страница из 60

Navigating Budapest

The centre of Budapest is a safe and pleasant place to walk around, although the usual warnings about pickpockets and bag thieves apply. Beware of con men posing as plainclothes policemen asking to see your passport. In the event of a problem the 24-hour Tourinform office on Vörösmarty tér will offer assistance and contact the police.

There is an extensive public transport system of buses, trams, trolley buses, Metro and a suburban railway (HÉV). Railway and bus stations with services to walking areas have a Metro connection. Buy a travel pass to get around most of Budapest or, if taking a more relaxed approach to sightseeing, a ten-ticket booklet (tízes jegytömb). Otherwise individual tickets for hopping on the occasional tram are very cheap. The universal public transport ticket is available at Metro stations, newspaper kiosks or machine dispensers. A word of warning: a system of self-validation is in operation and it is important to validate the ticket at one of the machines at the top of escalators in the Metro or attached to handrails in buses and trams. There are now posters in English explaining the different types of ticket available and how the system works. Inspectors carry out regular checks and will not accept excuses that you cannot speak Hungarian or were unable to find a place to buy a ticket. If travelling on the HÉV suburban railway, be aware that the little tickets bought in the Metro or in booths are only valid as far as the city boundary which, if heading for Szentendre in order to walk in the Pilis, ends at Békásmegyer. Ticket inspectors on the HÉV seem to be more flexible and will probably only ask for the surplus charge for the rest of the journey, but it is better to buy the full ticket at the station to avoid potential problems.