To get in, you can buy your bracelet before getting there. If you buy it online, the ticket must be changed with a physical item, a bracelet most probably, close by the entrance of the festival. 

One thing that is a common mistake is to think that you have an open bar inside. That’s not how it works. First there is an entrance fee and then you pay for each glass in every stand.

Try to avoid changing your money, your euros into Hungarian money in the center of the city. Try to do that in some bank. Some atm might charge you a lot and they will get a high commission with lots of tiny letters, so that’s a kind of a scam.

And the same goes for independent ATMs. Try to avoid the Euronet or Travelex ones when you can. They usually put extra charges and it’s not the best trade. So look for the original bank ATMs.

When you pay with card, always choose HUF, the local money, that way the bank does the conversion. That’s way better than choosing euros, for example, or dollars. That’s how you get the best rate of exchange.

When in the middle of the crowd..

In the party district you have to be a little more alert. It’s the zone of partying, which concentrates the most drunken people not taking care of their cell phones and a lot of crowds: the best scenario for pickpockets. They do steal but never with a knife. It’s always a surprise. Keep your backpack on the front and your cell phone under a zipped pocket.

…And When Moving Around.

The night transportation is safe, but also play smart. Don’t push your luck too hard and meander in dangerous neighborhoods. And, yeah, don’t get in alleys, in dark alleys, just look for the light where there’s people and don’t stroll too much out of your route. One of the best ideas to join a Budapest guided pub crawl where there are experts guides in nightlife. For sure more secure and more fun.

Instant Fogas is a mix of two legendary ruin bars and a mega club with multiple dance floors. The beats are just something out of this world. They can change from the Tahitian melodies to hardcore Hungarian pop, reggaeton, even rock, whatever is on your mind, they have it, you just have to find the room.

A super recommendable tip for the winter parties. Inside you can sweat like a beast, but outside you can get frozen in minutes. There will be a change of temperatures from ins and outs, so bring and overshirt, hoodie or a light jacket even for a short smoke. Have no doubts bringing a scarf, hat, gloves when it’s winter. It can be really, really cold outside.

Coats, Garderobes and Moving In and Out All Night

Don’t let your coat get on the way. Put it in the guardrobe or some places have a kert, a garden with heat in it. If you go in and out for a thousand times, bring something that is easy to take in your hand. Sometimes there’s a guardrobe, but on some crowded nights, the people just end up dancing with them, so don’t bother worrying about this, that’s not a problem.

The best time to get there is between 10 and midnight. On the weekend, that’s where the crowd gets in. 

So try joining a pub crawl to avoid this waiting in the street part. And don’t forget that the alcohol selling time in places is up to 10. So after that, it’s just bars and discos. So if you want to have something at home, buy it earlier.

Cocktails are up to 3,500, and if it’s an Instagrammable place, expect even more. Shots inside the party can be around 1,400 Huf. That’s the average price.

The most expensive can maybe be the price of alcohol in festivals, those long drinks can be up to 3,500 HUF and they will charge you extra for the reusable cup.

Or a super recommendable place is Doboz. It’s directly just clubbing more than a bar. You can go there as a bar plan, but you will end up dancing hardcore techno or reggaeton. Go check out the patio and find your crowd in one of its amazing rooms. This place naturally pushes the night into a more intense direction.

Now let’s talk about those famous Ruin bars. Definitely something out of a dreamy (but down to earth) fairytale book. They are something that attracts attention from everyone in Europe and in the world. They are abandoned buildings that have been recycled and rehabited with art and quirky. The result? a labyrinth of rooms that lead to patios that lead to underground venues that lead to a new bar that lead to a rooftop… You get the point. It’s just a social experience you have to get on your bucket list. Nowhere else in the world you can see this. Remember that this places are not the cheap bars in Budapest you may look for but are great.

Something you need to know is that the jug is not a pint in Hungary. You can have a lot of 0.5 liters drinks, but you can also have 0.4 liter. It is not as in the UK, so that’s the difference. Something to have in mind is that the approximate price for a beer is something between 500 and 1,000 Hufs. So use that as a radar to detect overpriced things. In some places you use to find a 900HUF for half a beer, but you don’t find that anymore. It’s something more of a historical fact, but it used to be like that before the COVID attack.

If you go out after work, like always ask for happy hour time. Sometimes they move it and sometimes they just put it on a whiteboard or something, but it’s not that official, so you should always ask and you might get on time for one. Avoid these tourist trap promoters, aggressive promoters on the door. Also avoid bars that look too nice. Just get inside, look at the menu, and if it smells fishy, just leave. Nothing personal there. Today, most of the places charge you automatically 10 or 15% tip included in the bill, so check that out before giving an extra cash tip.