Religion in Hungary
About two-thirds of the country’s population are Catholics, 25% profess Protestantism (mainly Lutherans and Calvinists), and there are Jews.
Transport in Hungary
Transport links in Hungary are remarkably developed. Almost any city can be reached with the help of public transport. In addition to intercity trains, Hungary has a network of commuter trains. Every city in the country has trolleybus and bus routes.
Hungarian trains are quite comfortable and relatively inexpensive. Second class tickets cost $1.5 for 50km, $3.5 for 100km, $6.5 for 200km, and $11.75 for 500km. First class costs 50% more.
Renting a car is possible if you officially reside in the country (say, in a hotel) and you are 21 years old. The deposit will cost approximately $300. In addition, it must be borne in mind that a flashing green traffic light, according to Hungarian rules, is equated to our yellow one. In Budapest, it is recommended to use public transport, as traffic is prohibited in the center of Budapest and parking fines are very high.
The taxi situation in Hungary is very similar to the Russian one. There are no uniform tariffs in the country, and there are plenty of those who want to earn extra money by private cabs. Therefore, the taxi driver will try to “cut down the full” from any foreigner, and therefore it is recommended to negotiate a price in advance. It is also worth bearing in mind that ordering a taxi by phone will cost less than catching a car in the city.
A solid company is the former state-owned enterprise Fo-Taxi (tel. 1222-222) and Radio-Taxi (tel. 3-777-777), where the order can be voiced in English.
Transport in Budapest
Metro
The Budapest Metro consists of three lines that intersect in the city center at Deák Square. The yellow line (M1) runs mostly under Andrássy Street and runs from Vörösmarty Square to Mexico Street. The Red Line (M2) runs from the east of the city to the west between Ørs Vezaire Square and the South Station. The blue line (M3) runs from Köbany-Kišpest to Újpest.
The interval of train movement depends on the time of day – at rush hour it is about 2-3 minutes, and at certain hours it can reach fifteen minutes. The operating hours of underground transport are from 4:30 to 23:00.
Tram in the capital Hungary has more than thirty different tram routes. The frequency of movement of tram cars is 5-10 minutes.
Bus, Trolleybus
Bus and trolleybus routes complement the tram network and include more than 200 routes. Those routes whose numbers are marked in red are express trains and do not stop everywhere. The frequency of movement of the main routes, as well as trams, is 5-10 minutes.
In the early and late hours of the day, the movement of all types of transport is carried out strictly according to the schedule.
Plant and Animal World in Hungary
Currently, typical of the transdanubian regions and mountains is deciduous woodland – with oak, birch, linden and chestnut, which quickly disappear as you approach the Great Plain, where steppe conditions dominate. The phrase “currently” is not used by chance – earlier this territory was covered with forest, like the rest of Hungary. However, local forests were cut down by the first conquerors from Asia. The destruction of forests continued during the protracted wars with the Turks. Later, the systematic draining of the swamps unexpectedly lowered the upper water table, and the trees and all other vegetation of the Great Plain died. The light, sandy soils, devoid of vegetation, were eroded, and extensive sand dunes formed in the south.
The most common species of wild animals found in the mountain ranges of Hungary are wild boars – they are also found in all hilly rural areas. There are hares, foxes, deer and some remnants of beavers and otters that once lived in large numbers. The most common bird species in the country are storks, cranes and swallows. Part of Lake Balaton is a bird sanctuary, especially for marsh species.
Minerals in Hungary
Hungary is relatively poor in minerals. The Szeged Basin and Zala Valley produce oil and gas, but the country is suspected to have undiscovered natural gas reserves. Brown coal is mined in the north, and hard coal is mined near the city of Pec. There are bauxite deposits, small reserves of iron ore, and a copper deposit has been explored.
Banks in Hungary
Currency exchange is recommended to be done only at official exchange offices, and a certificate of currency exchange must be kept before leaving the country. Currency exchange outside official points is at your own responsibility, which, as a rule, is associated with risk. More detailed information about the work of the Hungarian National Bank can be obtained on the official website of the bank in English.
On Saturdays all banks are closed. In the center of Pest (V district) and in the area of the Buda Castle (I district), many currency exchange offices are open on weekends as well. Around the clock you can exchange currency in hotels, and in the middle of the week – and in travel agencies. During off-hours, currency exchange machines and ATMs are at your service.
Money in Hungary
The official currency of Hungary is the forint (1 fort = 100 fillers).
Currently in circulation are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 forints and banknotes of 200, 500,1000, 2000, 5000 and 10000 forints.
Rate: 100 Hungarian Forint (HUF) = 0.27 USD
Political State in Hungary
According to politicsezine, Hungary is a parliamentary republic with a presidential form of government.
Population in Hungary
The population of Hungary is about 10.4 million people. Of these, the vast majority falls on the share of the titular nation – the Hungarians (Magyars), 88%. The remaining national groups are rather insignificant – the share of gypsies is 3%, Germans – 2.5%, Slovaks, Serbs and others – and even less.
Language:
The official language is Hungarian. English and German are also widely used in the country. In some resort areas, the staff understands Russian.
Cuisine in Hungary
Hungarian cuisine uses vegetables, meat and fish with equal success. For an appetizer, you can try ham under horseradish, sausages or goose liver fried in lard. Probably the most famous dish outside of Hungary is goulash, which is made with flour and paprika (sweet red pepper).
No less popular is perkelt – a stew in which chopped onions play a greater role than in goulash. A characteristic feature of Hungarian cuisine is the abundant use of lard, sour cream and red paprika. By the way, real good paprika is not too spicy, rather a little sweet. Such paprika plays the most active role in a dish called paprikash. Paprikash refers to all dishes with sour cream sauce seasoned with paprika. There are meat, chicken and fish paprikashi.
