Health Precautions for Budapest
Health hazards are few and far between in Hungary. No special
health precautions are needed to travel and compulsory vaccinations are not required. It's wise
though to make a list before leaving (to keep on your person) giving details of your blood type,
allergies and any chronic conditions for which you are receiving treatment.
Hungary has reciprocal agreements in place to provide free emergency health care
to citizens from countries inside the European Economic Area (EEA). Non-emergencies won't be covered though, so travel insurance remains a must
(see below). Similarly, US and Canadian citizens should check that they have adequate medical
coverage before travelling.
Water quality is generally good in Budapest. Supplies marked 'Nem
ivóviz' are not suitable for drinking.
Travel Insurance for Budapest
It's amazing how many travellers forget or much worse
still, willfully neglect to take out insurance before they travel. There's really no excuse,
particularly as the cost of insuring yourself against accident, theft, loss or delay is
comparatively small. Travel agents almost always try to shift their own policies, but while most
provide adequate cover and are underwritten by well-known and respected insurance companies, claim
limits vary so check the extent of cover for each specific part of the policy (for example, some
policies won't cover pre-existing medical conditions).
Internet Access in Budapest (including Wireless
HotSpots)
Although the following American ISPs continue to provide local access numbers for
customers wanting to use their laptops overseas, the wide-availability of wireless
Internet connections in Budapest has, by and large, made their usage redundant. However,
for the sake of completeness details are given below:
AOL - Tel: (06)1 429 8300 and (06)1 429 8235 (up to 56.6bps, with $6.00
per hour surcharge)
AT & T Business Internet Service - Tel: (0)1 482 9300
Within our Budapest Hotels listings
pages, you'll find that many downtown hotels now offer high-speed Wi-Fi Internet access.
Indeed, whereas a few years ago such a service would have incurred a high usage tariff, a
good number of properties are now offering unlimited access free of charge.
And, while local Internet/cyber cafés go out of business with
alarming regularity, the availability of free and commercial hotspots in Budapest's most
central districts is very good. For more details, a comprehensive listing of wireless hotpots in
the city (along with towns elsewhere in Hungary) can be found at: www.hotspotter.hu
- with a search also available on T-Com's
website.
Internet Sites on Budapest
Although there's an ever growing number of websites on Budapest and Hungary,
it remains a fairly frustrating experience having to wade through vast amounts of data, without any
guarantee that you'll find the stuff you really want.
More often than not, you'll come across URLs listing 'Attila's Favourite
Places in Budapest' or 'Brad's Backpacking Guide to Hungary'. All well and good, but such sites won't help you find out the cost of a return ticket from Atlanta to Budapest, or
information that will help you during your stay!
So with this mind, we've created a dedicated page for the best/most useful
sites on Budapest and Hungary. Click to check
out our links page.
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