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Camping in Hungary: mountains, lakes and culture

When you think of Hungary, you most likely think of Budapest. The capital city of Hungary and Lake Balaton are the biggest tourist attractions of the country. Did you know that the city actually consists of three parts that have been combined? Buda, Pest and Óbuda. Today, this cultural city is one whole and consists of 23 districts. If you only have a short time to visit the city, be sure to visit the most well-known places of interest in district 1. These include the Matthias Church, Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion. If you want to go to Budapest’s city centre, then you should be on the ‘Pest’ side. This is where you will find crowd pullers such as the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and St. Stephen’s Basilica.

Taking a dip in ‘Balaton’

Lake Balaton: this freshwater lake should not be overlooked if you go camping in Hungary. It continues to be a huge crowd puller. Not really that surprising, once you know that the lake is beautiful and an ideal spot to take a dip on a hot day. Because the lake is at least 80 kilometres long, there will always be a good spot to settle down. The 200-kilometre cycling path that goes around the lake is definitely worth the trouble. The thermal areas are very popular in the spring and autumn.

On the steppes and through the mountains

The Hungarian countryside is special. There are mountains, low areas, the Pusztas (the steppe areas) and karst areas. Karst is limestone that has been eroded by rainwater. Hungary has various nature reserves that are open to visitors. There is the Hortobágy National Park, for example, characterised by its large steppe area. Or the Aggtelek National Park up in the north. It has dripstone caves that consist of karst. The caves are so unique they are listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Important information for your trip to Hungary

Petrol with octane number 95 (Szuper/Olomentes 95) is readily available; petrol with octane number 98 (Szuper Plusz 98) is more difficult to find. Make sure that you do not fill up with E85 instead by accident because that fuel will damage an ordinary engine.
Diesel is readily available and LPG reasonably so. When filling up with LPG, the Italian connection (dish) is used.
As a rule, petrol stations are open from 6:00 to 20:00; however, petrol stations in large cities and along motorways are often open 24 hours. Some petrol stations have full service, where tipping is customary. It is prohibited to take along fuel in a reserve tank.

The majority of the charging stations are to be found in the west of Hungary and in the capital city Budapest. Plan your visit wisely.

Low beam lights (or daytime running lamps) are mandatory during the day outside of the built-up area and on all motorways. At equivalent crossings, traffic from the right has right of way. Traffic on the roundabout has right of way. Trams always have right of way.
Drivers may only call handsfree. Children shorter than 1.50 metres must be in a child’s seat. Children at least 1.35 metres tall may wear a seatbelt in the back seat. Winter tyres are not mandatory. Under winter conditions, snow chains in the car are mandatory. The maximum speed with snow chains is 50 km/hour.

A load or bicycle carrier that sticks out more than 40 centimetres must be marked with a reflective red-and-white striped sign. If traffic jams form, keep to the right or left as far as possible so that a free lane is created in the middle for emergency vehicles. Parking by a yellow line is prohibited. When crossing a street, pedestrians may not use a mobile phone or wear headphones. Pedestrians must wear a safety vest outside of the built-up area in the dark and when visibility is poor.

A warning triangle and a first-aid box are mandatory in the car. Taking a fire extinguisher along is recommended and is mandatory for motorhomes with a maximum permissible weight of more than 3.5 tonnes. Also recommended: a spare tyre, replacement light bulbs and a towing cable. It is recommended that there be safety vests present for all passengers.

A motorhome or car-caravan combination may be a maximum of 4 metres high, 2.55 metres wide and 18.75 metres long (the caravan itself may be a maximum of 12 metres long).
Caravans that are towed by a passenger car may not be higher than 3 metres.

A bicycle helmet is not mandatory. The maximum speed for cyclists outside of the built-up area is 40 km/hour. With a helmet on, the maximum is 50 km/hour. Calling or texting while cycling is prohibited. Cyclists must wear a safety vest outside of the built-up area in the dark and when visibility is poor. Only children older than 14 years of age may cycle on a carriageway.

All motorways Hungary are toll roads. This means you need an ‘e-vignette’ (e-matrica). Purchase a vignette before you drive on the motorway. This can be done at border crossings, petrol stations and at the road maintenance authority’s service stations. In any case, your vehicle must be registered within 60 minutes of driving on the motorway or you will receive a fine. Cameras check registration numbers. For good measure, save the receipt for a minimum of one year, in case you are wrongfully fined. An e-vignette can be purchased prior to your trip to Hungary through, for example, autopalyamatrica.hu or virpay.hu. For more information: toll-charge.hu and maut-tarife.hu (rates).

Motorised traffic may have restricted access to the centre of Budapest and other major Hungarian cities because of the air quality.

Place your warning triangle on the motorway at least 150 to 200 metres (or else 100 metres) behind the car. All passengers must wear a safety vest. If you have had a breakdown, call the alarm number of your breakdown assistance insurer. You can also call the Hungarian automobile association (MAK) at 188 or +36 1 345 1755. Towing on the motorway is permitted up to the first exit. If there is visible damage to the car, ask for a police report; this will be needed at the border on your way home.

Most campsites are located around Lake Balaton. An advantage is that Hungarian campsites are the cheapest in Europe. The toilet facilities are of a reasonable standard. Free camping (outside of campsites) is prohibited. Camping gas cylinders are often difficult to find.

Protect yourself against ticks; they can pass on diseases. Avoid contact with mammals in connection with the risk of rabies.

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