Customs
Travelers are not required to pay duty on an appropriate amount of items for their personal use during their visit. In addition, the following duty-free allowances apply: no more than 1 liter of liquor and 2 liters of wine; and 250 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.
Currency Exchange
Avoid black-market currency exchanges. You're better off with one of the 2,200-plus official points of exchange -- Postabanks, OTP and other banks, travel offices and hotels. Keep your exchange receipt for changing leftover forints back when you leave Hungary. Don't buy too many forints at once, because it is difficult to change large sums back. Banking hours are short. In Hungary, most banks are open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. Some banks may have shortened hours on Saturday, but all will be closed on Sunday. It is important to note that credit cards are not as widely accepted in Hungary. You may choose to reserve your credit card payments to your hotel, car rental and petrol station bills. Higher end restaurants will accept them as well as some finer boutiques and shops. As a general rule you should check before ordering your meal if you intend to pay using your ATM or credit card.
Tipping
Tipping is even more common in Hungary than in the U.S. or Canada. The person who pumps your gas, checks your coat or cuts your hair expects a tip. Service is sometimes included in restaurant bills, but a tip is nevertheless expected. Do not leave your tip on the table, you will want to present your tip to the wait staff directly. Ten percent for restaurant service or a taxi ride is fine. Give the musicians who perform at your table a small token of appreciation. Leaving little to no tip at all is an indication that your service was less than satisfactory.
General Business Hours
Museums: 10 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Post offices: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and until 2 p.m. Saturday. The Central Post Office is open until 8 p.m. weekdays, and post offices near the train stations on Terez korut and Baross ter are open 24 hours. Restaurants: Lunch, the day's most substantial meal for many Hungarians, is served from noon to 2 p.m. Dinnertime is early by European standards, often ending before 9 p.m. Shopping: Shops and department stores operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays (often until 8 p.m. Thursday) and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Food stores are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and until 2 p.m Saturday. 'Ejjeli-nappali' ('non-stop') stores are always open and offer convenience items.
Value Added Tax
25%
