All visitors are advised to exchange currency only at accredited places. It is both risky and illegal to attempt to do so in the street. The majority of banks have 24-hour ATM’s some of which can also exchange foreign currency. Individual banks and travel agencies are free to set their own rates (based on those advertised by the Hungarian National Bank) but they must be clearly displayed. It is advisable to keep records of currency exchange transactions until leaving the country. Rates offered at bureaux de change in the city centre and near the main railway stations are generally better than those available in the banks, at the airport and in hotels. The Hungarian currency is the forint. There are coins to the value of  5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 forints, and notes for 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 forints.

All the most popular credit, debit and charge cards

• AMEX,
• Diners Club,
• Cirrus,
• EnRoute,
• Euro/Mastercard,
• JCB and
• VISA

can be used in banks and in ATM’s to withdraw forints, and in hotels, restaurants and shops for purchases. Signs are displayed at the entrance showing which cards are acceptable.

Post offices:

Post offices are open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

The two Head Post Offices near Budapest’s main railway stations are open longer as follows:

VI. Teréz krt. 51 (near the Western (Nyugati) Railway Station): Monday to Saturday 7 a.m. until 9 p.m.

VIII. Baross tér 11. (Eastern (Keleti) Railway Station): Mo-Sa: 7 am - 9 pm, Su: 8-8pm.

II. Lövőház u 2-4 Mammut 2 III.em (Mo.Fr 8-20 h, sa.-su. 9-14 h)

All post offices offer encashment facilities for VISA, VISA Electron, Eurocard/Mastercard, and Maestro cards, as well as for Eurocheques and American Express traveller’s cheques and postal orders.

Credit cards

All the most popular credit, debit and charge cards (AMEX, Diners Club, Cirrus, EnRoute, Euro/Mastercard, JCB and VISA) can be used in banks and in ATM’s to withdraw forints, and in hotels, restaurants and shops for purchases. Signs are displayed at the entrance showing which cards are acceptable.