Budapest money

billyolly

I am of to Budapest for the first time and would like advice on what currency to use.Should I take just forints ,euros or a mixture.Any advice would be welcome please.

Hobsons_Choice

We went to Budapest in September of this year and just took Forints.
It's by far the most accepted currency there.

greenface

Forints are the best way . We went to Budapest this week last year it was fabulous . Stayed in the royal hotel corinthia . A great hotel and location . depending what you want it has it all . history and sightseeing . ruin bars and plenty of places to eat . heres a good starter . all you can eat AND DRINK FOR ABOUT £13 http://www.trofeagrill.net/en inc Champagne . a few doors down is a ruin bar called kerplunk where a good pint of superomrama or tuborg is about £1.20 except on Mondays when its half bleeding price. Both on Kyraly or Bod st . we stayed just by the octagon Christmas markets start next week . get to the Danube and head to the beautiful buildings both side of the river . Szechenyi Baths is another day . baths spa and parkland all stunning . with ice skating in the park too . where are you staying ?

billyolly

Hotel Parlament in Lipotarus District

NiftyDigits

You do not take any currency at all. You avail yourself of the correct plastic, be it the Metro Bank debit card(available within one hour of visiting a branch) or the Revolut Prepaid card.

Then you simply go to the ATM on arrival and withdraw cash in Forints, which will be at the best exchange rate possible. Only an idiot would buy Forints beforehand.

antenna

An idiot may press the wrong button on the atm and have the transaction calculated in pounds,not letting your provider do the calculation.......then you Wont get the best rate...........

NiftyDigits

antenna wrote: »

An idiot may press the wrong button on the atm and have the transaction calculated in pounds,not letting your provider do the calculation.......then you Wont get the best rate...........

The idiot would have already purchased their Forints beforehand. The idiot's doppleganger presses the conversion button at the ATM.

Turgonuk

I've stayed at the Corinthia before, as recently as just a few months ago and I highly recommend to too. It's best to take juat a few forints with you, say £50 worth. Anyone can sell you these, Tesco for example. The ATM's at Budapest airport often don't work and give horrible rates when they do.
Once in Budapest, avoid the Euronet ATMs (nasty charges) but rather go to a bank ATM. For example, turning right out of the Corinthia you'll come to a bank there past the KFC and opposite the Spar.

greenface

NiftyDigits wrote: »

You do not take any currency at all. You avail yourself of the correct plastic, be it the Metro Bank debit card(available within one hour of visiting a branch) or the Revolut Prepaid card.

Then you simply go to the ATM on arrival and withdraw cash in Forints, which will be at the best exchange rate possible. Only an idiot would buy Forints beforehand.

Please do not call people idiots. Everyone is trying to help and give good advice here. Thanks for the imput . can you tell me the difference in buying say £200 worth of forints in this country and in Hungary at the standard rates . Always seems a little hit and miss finding the best rates abroard against a safer and easier way here.

Dhrucku

Get the Forints in the UK. It's just easier and you can get a good rate.

I work in the city and get the best rates around at Thomas Exchange.

Their current rate is sitting at 428.0.

Budapest is a great trip. Check out:

-Fisherman's Bastion - Changing of the guard happens here
-Parliament building
-Castle Hill (where you can see the seperation of Buda and Pest)
-Shoes on the Danube Promenade
-Chain Bridge that connects Buda and Pest
-The ornament that is the centre of Buda and Pest
-Heroes Square is a good place to go but you'll need to travel (or walk as there is a massive road that leads to it)
-Botanical Gardens
-Prioritise and go to the New York Cafe it's a great place to sit and relax

to name a few.

NiftyDigits

greenface wrote: »

Please do not call people idiots. Everyone is trying to help and give good advice here. Thanks for the imput . can you tell me the difference in buying say £200 worth of forints in this country and in Hungary at the standard rates . Always seems a little hit and miss finding the best rates abroard against a safer and easier way here.

Whom did I call an idiot??

There are definitely potential idiots.

Current rate from an ATM(even a Euronet ATM as indicated above) is 442.372545 Forints to the Pound.

Unfortunately for the person in the post above mine, they took the conversion rate from the EuroNet ATM instead of withdrawing in Forints and have now arrived here giving relatively poor financial advice.
Apart from the pure nonsense of suggesting that it is easier for you to get your currency in the UK, they are also encouraging you to obtain it at a poorer rate than you could in Hungary with the correct plastic.
Giving people poor financial advice is not at all helpful...even if they are trying to be helpful.



Of course one would choose the option for English language.

Source here

They use the word gullible. As you can read for yourself, a few people on this thread alone were not savvy enough to simply choose the Forint option on the ATM. Instead they complain about 'nasty exchange rates' or poor exchange rates. Not if you just choose the Forint option. The normal bank ATMs don't offer to convert, so easier for those who are easily confused.

For £200, there is around £6 in it from the best rate you'll get in the UK. Around a 3% loss. Up to you.