General information

The region is in between the former West and East, there is easy access from both sides, and also from other continents. You can reach Visegrád the easiest way by arriving to Budapest, here you will have more possibilities to get to the hosting city. For travel to Budapest there are several good options. The international airport of Budapest (terminals 2A, 2B) connects the city directly to some overseas and to all important European destinations. The three main railway stations (Déli, Keleti, Nyugati) are either terminations or stops of many intercity trains from west and east, south and north. There are several international coach services to Budapest. Motorists can also reach Budapest easily on the European motorway network. One can even travel to Budapest by boat.

Organised transportation from the airport to Visegrád is planned to be organized for extra charge. Further details will be published soon. This trip takes about 70-80 minutes.

Travel to Budapest by air

There are daily direct flights from most European and from some North American cities. Liszt Ferenc Airport is situated on the SE margin of Budapest, 20 km from the city centre and is a popular destination for many low fare air carriers. The Airport Minibus service is relatively cheap and reliable. Public transport buses (#200E, air conditioned) circulate between the terminals and the Kőbánya-Kispest terminal of the Metro line 3 (“blue line”) at 8-15-minute intervals in daytime. Főtaxi has exclusive rights for operation of a taxi service from (and to) the airport for fixed prices according to distance zones (hence the name) based on a contract with Budapest Airport Ltd.

Budapest airport has two terminals (practically one large, as 2B is directly connected to 2A),

Terminal 2A: for international flights arriving from the Schengen zone

Terminal 2B: for flights arriving from the non-Schengen zone, departure terminal for budget airlines

Travel to Visegrád by train

Visegrád has no railway station, the easiest way to reach it is by arriving in Nagymaros. In this case you still have to cross the Danube by ferry. For information on international connections in English see the railway journey planner of the MÁV-Start Zrt. (Hungarian Railway Passenger Transport Co.). However due to its difficulty it is not recommended to arrive by train.

Travel to Visegrád by coach

However Visegrád has no direct international coach lines, the Volánbusz Zrt. (Eurolines Hungary) has scheduled passenger coach services to and from several European countries to and from Budapest. From Budapest you can use an inter urban bus, timetable is available here.

For further details to reach Budapest, please see the coach journey planner of the Volánbusz Zrt. International buses depart from and arrive to the Népliget Coach Station (Metro line 3 “blue line”). The discount coach company OrangeWays operates buses to a limited numbers of European destinations, especially to the neighbouring countries of Hungary.

Travel to Visegrád by car

Visegrád is located along the road 11 (~45 km from Budapest*). It can be easily reached from Budapest or you can arrive through Slovakia, in this case you can cross the Danube at Esztergom (~25 km from Visegrád).

*Budapest is in the centre of the radial road network of Hungary. It is along the European highways E60, E71, E73, E75, E77. There is a motorway connection from Budapest with the most neighbouring countries of Hungary. Motorways are toll roads; a (virtual) vignette system is in operation. For details (maps, vignette prices, methods of payment etc.) about the Hungarian motorway system see the official home page.

Customs information for Hungary

Hungary joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. Since that date Hungary has adopted the customs regulation of the European Union. Detailed information about travel documents and customs can be found in this booklet published by the Hungarian Customs and Finance Guard, providing useful information for tourists travelling within the European Union or travelling from a non-community country (third country) to any Member State of the European Union. For further information about the custom procedures, please consult the homepage of the Hungarian customs authority.

Visa information for Hungary

Hungary is part of the Schengen Area of 25 European countries. For non-Schengen EU, USA and Canadian citizens a valid passport is sufficient to enter Hungary. Citizens of other countries should check whether visa is needed for them when entering Hungary (for more information please visit the home page of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Hungary). On request, the Organizing Committee will issue invitation letters for visa applications. Please apply in due time for a visa if necessary. Please indicate during the registration if you need a personal invitation to attend the conference. It is important to note that a visa is only a preliminary permission for entry, which does not authorise its bearer automatically to enter the country.

Electricity

The electricity is 230 V, 50 Hz. Japanese, UK, USA and other visitors: please note that in Hungary Continental European German-style CEE7/4 sockets (“Schuko sockets“) are used, which also accepts CEE7/16 “Europlugs“.

Foreign exchange, banking facilities

The official national Hungarian currency is the Hungarian Forint (HUF). All the major credit cards are accepted in Hungary in places displaying the emblem at the entrance. Though Hungary is a member of the European Union, only a few shops and restaurants accept Euros (EUR) for payment. Currency exchange booths are available in Budapest at the airport terminals, railway stations, travel agencies, banks and various places in the city. The exchange rates applied may vary. Click here to see the actual official exchange rates. Traveller’s cheques and convertible currency may be exchanged at these facilities. Major credit cards are usually accepted in most hotels, restaurants and certain shops in the city. Obtaining cash against ATM or credit cards is very easy from the ATM cash machines that can be found at almost each bank office, hotel or on the street.

Liability and insurance

The organisers cannot accept liability for any personal accidents, loss of belongings or damage to private property of participants and accompanying persons that may occur during the Congress. Participants are advised to make their own arrangements to obtain health, travel and property insurance before their departure to the workshop.

Telephone

The international code for Hungary is 36, the area code for Budapest is 1. To call a number within Hungary, first dial 06. Budapest telephone numbers have seven digits, all other areas have six digits (in addition to the area codes). To make an international call from Hungary, first dial 00, then the country code followed by the area code and the subscriber’s telephone number. Public telephones accept either coins (20, 50, and 100 HUF) or phone cards (available from tobacconists, newsagents, post offices, and petrol stations). To call a (Hungarian) mobile phone, from a public telephone first dial 06, followed by the subscriber’s seven-digit number starting with 20-, 30- or 70-.

Important phone numbers

(English is usually spoken at the emergency numbers listed below. In case English is not spoken, dial 112)

Ambulance: 104
Fire brigade: 105
Police: 107
Central help number: 112
General enquiries: 197
Inland enquiries: 198
International enquiries: 199
Hungarian Automobile Club help number: 188

Time

Hungary is in the Central European Time Zone. In the summer months clocks are set at GMT + 2 hours.

Weather

The weather in Hungary in July is usually sunny and warm. Temperatures are usually in the range between 28 and 33°C during the day. Check the weather forecast for Visegrád at weather.yahoo.com, or at weather.com. For other regions of Hungary check meteoprog.hu.