General Information


Budapest Sportarena

The Arena is situated in the heart of the city, at one of the busiest road intersections. Getting to the building is extremely easy by car or by public transport:

  • 25 minutes from the airport
  • 2 minutes from the Népstadion Metro Station
  • it can be reached by buses number 30 and 95
  • or trolley buses 75 and 80
  • or by tram 1
  • or by car (there are 1160 parking spaces in the guarded car park next door to the Arena)

The main entrance to the building for visitors is at the intersection of Kerepesi and Hungária Street.

Banking and Foreign Exchange

The official currency in Hungary is the Forint. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Forint. Notes come in denominations of 200, 500, 1.000, 2.000, 5.000, 10.000 and 20.000 forint. Currency can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de changes, hotel receptions and at travel offices as well.  Banks are usually open Monday to Thursday between 08:00 – 15:00, Fridays between 08:00 – 13:00. All banks are closed on Saturdays, but numerous currency exchange offices are open on weekends.

Exchange rates (Approximate )
US $1 = 165 HUF
EURO = 255 HUF

Credit, debit and charge cards including AMEX, Diners Club, Cirrus, EnRoute, Euro/Mastercard, JCB and VISA can be used in banks and in ATM’s to withdraw forints, and in hotels, restaurants and shops for purchases. Signs are displayed at the entrance showing which cards are acceptable.

Climate

The weather in May in Budapest is pleasant, and the average temperature is 12 °C - 53 °F

Dialing Codes

The international access code for Hungary is +36 and the area code for Budapest is 1. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code.

Eating out

Budapest is a very cosmopolitan city and has a variety of restaurants offering both Hungarian and international cuisine at very affordable prices.

Electricity

Voltage in Hungary is 230 volts, and plugs are of the two-pin continental type.

Language

The official language of the Congress is English. Translation facilities will not be provided.

Name Badges

The ISAC badge must be worn at all times for admittance to the Sportarena. Entrance to the meeting rooms, poster sessions, exhibit hall and social events will not be permitted without it.

Smoking Policy

Hungarian by-laws specify that smoking is not permitted in public places. Restaurants also have to separate smoking and non-smoking areas. Smoking is not permitted in the conference venue; however outdoor terraces are available at the Main Entrance.

Tax

In Hungary there is a 20% tax on all goods (15 % on some, mainly services) called ÁFA (Value Added Tax), which is included in the price.

Tipping

Restaurant prices do not generally include a service charge – it is customary to give a tip of 10-15%.