Chum and Leicester correspondent David has arrived at Budapest Airport and, crutch in hand, has arranged to meet his former Uni friends. But not at the airport!
David has to make his way to Budapest-Déli pályaudvar aka Budapest South Station.
It might have been straightforward (ish) had he de-planed at the now-closed No. 1 terminal ...
... because just outside is a railway station (map below, top left).
In passing, please note bus 200E making its way along the main road and stopping at Ferihegy station.
There would appear to be plenty of trains ...
... and the 200E bus is a dedicated service to the new and open terminals 2 and 2A which are some distance from the railway.
Bus and taxi access to the new terminal buildings is via a high level ramped road ...
... with bus stop clearly signposted within the building.
The aforementioned 200E awaits. But correspondent Andrew (see yesterdays blog) notes some challenges in taking the bus.
So we can catch the 200E (what does the "E" mean? Expressz?) and get off at Ferihegy Station and catch a train into the city.
And there would appear to be plenty of 200Es and plenty of trains.
But daring and slightly disabled David wants to meet pal Roger and his good lady wife at
Budapest-Déli whilst all these trains go ...
... somewhere different. But how different?
There appear to be three possible city centre stations; Nyugati (Budapest West) is at the top of this metro diagram. Keleti (east) is bottom right whilst Déli (south) is lower left. So now we can offer Dubious David a splendidly complex journey to meet his friends:-
Bus 200E Airport to Ferihegy
Train to Nyugati
Metro to Deák Ferenc tér
Metro to Déli
In fact, David was advised to operate Plan B and take the 200E to the end of the route at Kőbánya-Kispest, the southern terminus of Metro Line 3. This would reduce the complexity by 25%
Bus 200E Airport to Kőbánya-Kispest
Metro to Deák Ferenc tér
Metro to Déli
At Kőbánya-Kispest (named after the two districts served but known locally as KoKi) he would find a smart bus station ...
... and a covered link to a three storey shopping "Mall".
The logo actually reads "Koki" terminal, the name of the shopping centre. Here he could enjoy some exciting Hungarian retail experience ...
... at Tesco, C&A, H&M or even (deepest joy?) ...
... Colonel Sanders finest; a sumptuous evening meal of csirke és sültkrumpli. (To assist your adventure into the Hungarian tongue, "krumpli" is potato). And, in case you wondered; C & A closed down in the UK in 2001 but remains strong in Europe as per this list showing number of stores.
The company was founded by brothers Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer in 1841 as a Dutch textile company, taking its company name from their initials. In 1906 Clemen's son, Bernard Joseph, started discounting in Amsterdam (Rekenen in Centen, in plaats van Procenten) and by 1910 there were ten stores in the Netherlands.
But David is in a hurry; so he will turn in the other direction at the footbridge and prepare to board Metro Line 3.
The fantastic voyage continues!
Next Magyar blog : Thursday 1st September
Presumably as an EU citizen over the age of 65, David enjoyed free travel on public transport in Hungary, a privilege that will be lost for Brits post Brexit.
ReplyDeleteYes, anon. But there is no practical reason why Hungary should not maintain this privilege. I don't think is has any basis in EU legislation. I didn't get free travel for my recent visit to Paris!
ReplyDelete....and rightly so.
DeleteI think the point the first anon is making is that Hungary have chosen to make this available to EU citizens (does or did something similar not apply in Malta?). Once Britain leaves, British pensioners will lose that right unless Hungary changes its law to EU + British pensioners.
DeleteThat is is a Hungarian choice explains why it was not available in Paris... although I find myself agreeing with the other/the second Anon regarding why should it...
Over-65s from Switzerland and the EEA countries (Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein) also receive free travel. So it's Hungary's own choice.
DeleteYour friends might have found it easier to use the "Airport Minibus Service" (a sort of shared taxi), but of course it costs more. There used to be a "Railway Minibus Service" to and from the stations, but I don't know if it still exists. I have used both in the past.