FAQ about hitch-hiking in Hungary

Written by Gede Matyas (saman(a)sch.bme.hu)

In Hungary the hitch is generally good, but only at daylight. At night you shouldn't try it, because the drivers are afraid of you. (Unfortunately, in every year there are a few robberys made by hitchers, that's why people fear). The only restriction is, that you can't hitch-hike on the motorways, but you can stand at the gas stations and the ramps as well. That's a pity, that the Hungarian licence plates doesn't indicate the city or county the car belongs to. But if you asks someone at a gas station, and he drives to the right direction, and there's enough place for you, it's almost sure you'll get the ride.

There's only a few routes I can't advise to go on: the road no. 67 between Balatonlelle and Kaposvar (this is my hometown), and the small roads in the north-eastern parts of Hungary (near Miskolc and Eger) If you are leaving Budapest, you can do it as follows:
Towards Vienna, Balaton, etc: take the bus no. 40 or 53 till the bus stop "Sasadi ut". From there you have to walk ca. 5 minutes and there is a gas station at the beginning of the motorway.
Towards the Danube bend (Visegrad, Szentendre) take the suburban train from Batthyany square to "Bekasmegyer". There is a four-lane road and if you walk a little, you'll find a good place.
To Slovakia (Banska Bystrica) take the blue metro-line till Ujpest-Varoskozpont and then bus no. 43.
Towards East (Miskolc, Kosice) the yellow underground to Mexikoi ut, and the bus no. _red 25_ till Szentmihalyi ut.