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Practical information

Currency

💰 Our currency is the Hungarian Forint. For the approximate actual HUF exchange rate please click here. In Hungary you can pay by cash or card. Cheques are not in use. Most credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Amex) are accepted.

Time zone

⏰ Budapest is located in the Central European Time (CET) zone, which is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time / Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+1 / GMT+1).

Venues

🏢 The main conference venue is the centrally located Sophianum building in downtown Budapest. Click on the building’s name to access its location on the map!

  • Sophianum : It is 6 mins/450m on foot from Kálvin Square metro/tram stop. (Address: 1088 Budapest, Mikszáth tér 1. )
  • Pest County Hall / Vármegyeháza: It is 15 mins/1.3 km on foot from Sophianum, our main venue, 9 mins/750 m from Kálvin Square metro/tram stop, 5 mins from Astoria metro/tram/bus stop. (Address: 1052 Budapest, Városház utca 7.)
  • Párbeszéd Háza: It is 7-8 mins/650m on foot from Kálvin Square metro/tram stop, 2 mins from Sophianum, and 5 mins/400m from Harminckettesek tere tram stop. (Address: 1085 Budapest, Horánszky utca 20.)

Accommodation

🏠 There are so many suitable hotels and apartments to let, from youth hostels to elegant (and expensive) hotels that you can really find something for all types of travellers and travel budgets.  We recommend you use Booking.com or Airbnb.com., and look for places in Districts 5, 8 and 9, preferably around/within the triangle of Blaha Lujza Square, Elisabeth Bridge, Petőfi Bridge.

🛌 The closest place of which we have heard good things about is a mid-range hotel, right around the corner from the university: Ibis Budapest Centrum, (1092 Budapest, Ráday utca 6.). In order to help you find a place to stay we have created a list with recommended accommodations on Booking.com. These places were available at the time of our search, and we will do our best to update it from time to time. Even if it may not be useful for a concrete booking, yet it might give you an idea about prices and places in Budapest.

Airport transfer

✈️ Liszt Ferenc Airport is about a 20 km/ca. 30 minute drive from the city centre and Sophianum Budapest.

🚕 Tripadvisor recommends this cab company.

🚍 The 100E Airport Express service is a direct airport-to-city bus connection (2200 HUF/ride, normal bus tickets or travel cards are not valid!) – which has a stop at Kálvin Square, just 5 minutes away from the conference venue). It is reliable and fast (it takes about 40 mins to get into the city). Check the timetable here: https://bkk.hu/en/travel-information/public-transport/airport-shuttle/ You can buy the shuttle ticket (and pay by card) from a vending machine at the bus stop, or through the BudapestGO App, by downloading the app/creating an account. In case you are using OTP Simple App (downloadable from GooglePlay or AppStore) there is no need to download BudapestGo: you can buy your public transport/BKK tickets and airport shuttle ticket through Simple or Simple Plus (it accepts Master/Maestro cards, Visa, American Express). Both BudapestGo and Simple work in English, too.

Public transport

🚌🚎🚇 Public transport in the city, especially downtown, is cheap, fast and efficient, a single ticket costs less than 1€. However, ticket controls are frequent. The best is to always have your tickets at hand: either buy them in a 10-piece package or get your digital ticket and plan your public transport trips (including airport transfer) in Budapest with the BudapestGO app, downloadable for free through GooglePlay and AppleStore from here: https://bkk.hu/en/tickets-and-passes/budapestgo/ (A package of 10 single tickets via a vending machine: 3000Ft, a single ticket: 350Ft, a 30-minute ticket valid for transfers: 530Ft) During the morning and the afternoon rush hours (7:30-8:30am, 4.30-6:30pm) it is best to take the underground or the tram.

🛴🚲 We have a public bike and scooter service called MOL Bubi (with puncture-proof tyres!) which is a fast and eco-friendly travel alternative of public transport – and is much fun, too! It is available from 177 lock-and-dock locations in the city, 24/7. The new MOL Bubi bikes are lighter and are equipped with a bell and a practical mobile phone holder. Download the free MOL Bubi app through GooglePlay and AppleStore from here: https://molbubi.hu/en/

🪪 Public transport is free with the Budapest Card – the official city pass. Besides offering discounted entrance to museums, the Budapest Card offers a lot more, e.g. travel without limitation during the validity period, on the tram, trolleybus, metro, bus, boat lines, the night services, plus free or discounted services. Choose the suitable validity period: 24, 48, 72, 72+, 96, 120 hours, https://www.budapestinfo.hu/webshop.

Eateries & Sights

☕🍸🍰🥗 See our selection of Cafés, Restaurants, Bakeries and Bars showns with notes, photos and reviews on Google Maps on ESRA2023 Budapest at Wanderlog!

  • You can download the Wanderlog App to have this list & map in your pocket.
  • For further cultural programmes scroll down and/or check out the Sights and Explore sections of our ESRA 2023 selection on Wanderlog.

Cultural programmes

🎭🩰🎻🎨 Below is a collection of ideas for guided sightseeing walks, building tours etc we wholeheartedly recommend – more on ESRA2023 Budapest at Wanderlog: