Other Practical Information for Hungary

Luggage and Equipment to Bring

In summer, pack light clothing plus a warm layer for evenings, which can be chilly, and in winter, very warm clothing. In between seasons, mid-season clothes will do. Don’t forget rain gear, whatever the time of year.

Communications

Phone

International dialing code: (00 +) 36.

Internet

Internet is widely available in the country, and many accommodations, bars, restaurants, etc., offer connections. Free Wi-Fi is also common in many places.

Post

Hungarian post offices are open weekdays from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Some larger branches, especially those near Budapest train stations, are also open on Saturdays and even Sundays with reduced hours.

Time Difference

Local time: Heure : 5589.

Hungary is on UTC+1, like France and its neighbors (except Romania and Ukraine, which are on UTC+2). There is no time difference with them.

Electricity

230 V (50 Hz) with "French" plugs (officially type F), which will require an adapter for North American plugs.

Opening Hours

Opening hours vary by type of business. Grocery stores are open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, shopping malls from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (including Sundays), and city shops from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, as well as until 1:00 PM on Saturdays (and sometimes Sundays in tourist areas).

Laundromats

Local Tourist Offices

Weights and Measures

The country uses the metric system, like France.

French Language Use

For foreign languages, English is the most common (especially among younger people), with 16% of Hungarians able to speak it, followed by German (11%), Russian or Romanian (1.5% each), and French (1.2% speakers). In short, it’s best to have some English or German basics, since Hungarian is not an easy language for Latin speakers.