Information - Everyday
Money
The currency is the Forint that comes in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 coins and 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10000 plus 20000 denomination banknotes. Try to exchange money in smaller amounts as you go and keep receipts, because upon departure you won't be able to reexchange money without them. Do not, under any circumstances, exchange money on the street: there is a 100 per cent chance they will cheat you.
Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and some shops. Nevertheless, check with the restaurant if they accept them, before you order.
Shopping
Good shopping is mainly concentrated in the Vaci Street Pedestrian Mall and its side streets. You may also try the Grand Market for Hungarian sausages and wines. Main buys are the world famous Hungarian Herend and Zsolnay china, leatherware, classical CD's, antiques and paintings and, of course, the red paprika, the signature of Hungarian cooking.
Also very popular are various folk items, like embroidered blouses, table linen, wood carvings, etc. In the outskirts, there is a fascinating Flee Market, but be prepared for a lengthy cab ride.
High fashion is readily available in name brand shops at prices you are used to at home. Shops generally are open Mon-Fri 9 or 10 to 6 or 7 pm, only 9-1 in the morning on Saturdays.
Transport
Public transportation in Budapest is efficient, cheap and easily accessible. You will have to buy tickets in advance though, at subway stations or kiosks and then punch your ticket in machines inside the trams, buses or metro stops. Supervisors are all over the place, so it pays to ride with a ticket. Cabs are somewhat more tricky: try to stick with checkered (called Fotaxi), Budataxi, Citytaxi or Radio taxi cabs and avoid hotel cabs and non-fleet sharks who may and will cheat you.
Public safety
Safety in Budapest is what you would expect in a large metropolis. You can walk the streets at ease, nevertheless always mind your purse in "tourist-infected" areas. Do not leave valuables unattended in your hotel rooms, most hotels will have safe deposit boxes at no extra charge.
Keeping in touch
Keeping in contact with home is easy. Due to decades of Communist neglect in communications development, the telephone networks (both fixed-line and cellular) installed in the 90's represent a quantum leap and are state of the art. For credit card or collect calls to the US, you may dial 06-8000-1111 to directly access AT&T. All parcel services (Fedex, TNT, UPS) are available. 5-star hotels will have rooms with computer communications capabilities.