Hungary & Czech Republic: Trip Preparation & Destination Information

Where can I find information on travel safety? Check out the US Department of State's website for Hungary and the Czech Republic for the most up-to-date information on safety while traveling. To minimize the risk of pickpocketing it is recommended to be discreet: don’t flash anything of value, keep a firm hand on your camera, and carry shoulder bags slung across your body. Overall it’s a good idea to avoid badly lit areas completely at night and deserted inner-city areas by day.

Is the water safe to drink? Yes, the water throughout Hungary and the Czech Republic is safe to drink.

Do I need a Visa? For Visa information, visit these links for Hungary and the Czech Republic. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after you return home and has two or more blank pages. Otherwise, some countries may not let you enter.

What about vaccines? For vaccination information, visit these links for Hungary and the Czech Republic. 

Do you recommend travel insurance? While not required, we highly recommend all travelers get travel insurance for their trip to protect themselves from the unknown! Check out travel insurance options from our partner, worldnomads.com, or from a provider of your choice.


How much should I pack? As we will be using shared transfers and spaces throughout our tour we recommend all travelers pack as lightly as possible. Please review our luggage restrictions below.


What does public transportation look like?

Budapest has a Metro:

Tickets or passes must be bought before boarding; you cannot buy them from the driver (except on the night bus network). They are available at Metro stations, tobacconists, and newsagents, and from vending machines at many bus and tram stops in the city center. The single tickets are valid for one single journey of any length (without changing) on all routes (including the Cogwheel Railway, but excluding those parts of the HÉV that lie outside the metropolitan boundary of Budapest). Special tickets can be purchased that allow a change of route, and that cover the HÉV outside Budapest. There is also a range of pre-paid books of tickets and value-for-money passes on sale.

Bratislava has busses and trams:

Remember to purchase an appropriate ticket before using the services and mark it inside the tram or (trolley)bus. You cannot buy the travel ticket from the bus driver; however it is possible to do so at the yellow coin-operated machines situated at most of the stops, newspaper stands, and tourist information offices. Student and children tickets have a 50% discount (you need a valid ISIC card). At some stops, these machines are missing so it might be a good idea to have some spare ticket in your purse. One ticket can be used for any kind of Bratislava public transport but there are tickets with a different validity.

Prague public transport is an integrated service, which means you can use the same public transport group tickets for the metro, trams, buses, funicular, and even the ferryboats.

You can purchase the Prague public transport tickets online, or purchase the Prague Integrated Transport (PID) tickets from vending machines located at the entrance of metro stations and some bus or tram stops. PID tickets are also available at train stations, but only in stations that are larger and closer to Prague.

Keep in mind that for the Prague Integrated Transport (PID) tickets to work, it must be validated using the stamp machine or validator that you can find near the vending machines. If you’re taking a bus or tram, you can see the stamp machine inside. The stamp machine has a slot where you must place the ticket for it to be stamped and validated. When you hear a beep, that means your Prague Integrated Transport (PID) tickets have been validated. After removing your paper ticket from the stamp machine, always check if there’s a stamp of validation on it to avoid paying for violation fees. PID tickets only need to be validated once.

What about Wifi? You should have very good access while in cities and towns. In parks or rural areas, reception can be spotty.