To use a rental car in a tourist trip is always a great opportunity to learn about the country, its sights and surroundings, without depending on bus and train schedules. In addition, you can save a lot of time (and money), as well as at the same time visit neighboring states (the Czech Republic, Austria, Croatia, etc.). Let’s get acquainted with the highlights of car rental in Hungary.
Hungary is Europe
Since European legislation also applies to Hungary, the driver who rents a car must also have an international driver’s license and a national one, be over 21 years and have a driving experience of at least 12 months.
However, individual car rental firms can also set their own limitations. They won’t give cars of a certain class to those who are under 25 (or will give, but take an “extra charge for youth”) and/or doesn’t have a driving experience of three years or more. There are also rental companies that specify an age limit – usually 85 years.
Similar to all-European rules, the sum of a deposit is set – the limiter of the driver’s financial liability – under the standard insurance CDW (Collision Damage Waive). The amount of the deposit starts from 480 euros.
In any case, all the possible nuances of a particular car rental firm should be specified in advance on its website, so you don’t have to look for another company and waste precious time during the tour. Especially it concerns those autotravelers, who also plan to visit neighboring states on a rented car.
The minimum amount of car rental in Hungary is 32 euros/day with unlimited mileage.
Hungarian traffic rules
Of course, the traffic rules in Hungary are pan-European, but there are also nuances. First of all, you must turn on the dipped-beam headlights at any time. This immutable rule is observed regardless of the weather conditions and terrain features.
There are many narrow streets with one-way traffic in the historical centers of Hungarian cities.
Drivers should know that the excess of the speed limit will be instantly fixed by the tracking cameras, and also displayed on special boards (the latter light up red if the speed is exceeded). You can drive no faster than 90 km/h on suburban routes, and no faster than 110-130 km/h on motorways. Within any built-up area, the speed should be no more than 50 km/h, and in a residential zone – 20 km/h.
According to the traffic rules, in any car (in rented, of course, too), there should be a reflective jacket, a first-aid kit, a set of spare lamps, as well as an emergency stop sign and a fire extinguisher.
Both the driver and passengers must be fastened, children are transported only in car seats, and talking on the phone without a Hands Free headset is prohibited.
Any sound signals are allowed only to prevent possible accidents.
Studded tyres are not allowed. There should be snow chains in winter.
There shouldn’t be any alcohol in the driver’s blood at all.
Driving on motorway (expressway) is toll. The autobahns in Hungary are six-lane (two lanes in each direction and emergency stop strips) or eight-lane (three lanes in each direction, plus emergency stop strips). On autobahns, special places for rest are provided. There are parking, free toilet, water, garbage containers here.
There are emergency telephones throughout the trails. In case of accidents, drivers are forbidden to leave the scene of it before the arrival of traffic police.
The amount of fines for traffic rules violation
Any violator of the traffic rules can be entered into a pan-European database. After this, there may be problems with renting a car even in countries that are not members of the European Union.
You can be fined for lack of a green car card, a passport (for foreigners), speeding and not fastened seat belts, talking on the mobile phone or setting up the navigator right behind the wheel. It is interesting that the amount of fines for the same violation can be different on the road in a built-up area and outside the city when driving on a freeway.
Of course, standing (parking) in the wrong place will end with a penalty. The parking ticket is approximately 100 euros.
If the alcohol is found in driver’s blood, the amount of the fine will depend on the amount of ethanol: no more than 0,5 ppm – 500 euros, from 0,5 to 0.8 ppm – 660 euros, and more than 0.8 ppm – 1000 euros. Police cars in Hungary don’t hesitate to hide in roadside bushes and patiently wait for traffic rules violators in their clutches.
If the dipped-beam headlights are switched off, the penalty will be 30 euros. Not fastened belt will empty the wallet of the violator for 50 euros, and the absence of a car seat when transporting the child will cost 150 euros.
In terms of car rental, it is usually written: “Renters are responsible for all trunk charges, tolls in some places of the city center, speeding fines, parking fines and traffic violations – and all administrative costs connected with these fines”.
Hungarian parkings
In large cities of Hungary, as well as throughout Europe, there is a paid parking in the center. For example, Budapest is divided into several zones, the cost of parking in them is different.
Parking is paid only during the day on weekdays (from 8:00 to 18:00) and in the morning on Saturday (from 8:00 to 12:00), in the rest of the time you can park for free.
Parking vouchers are purchased in self-service machines and placed under the windshield. The minimum parking time is 15 minutes, the maximum is three hours. If you need to stay for a longer period, metro stations, train stations and some shopping centers have intercepting parking lots, usually located close to metro and train stations.
Returning a car to the rental firm
Don’t forget that you should return the car with a full tank, as well as demonstrate to clerk-receiver the absence of any defects or incomplete equipment with which the car was rented. Sign the act only after everything is inspected in your presence, and comments are reflected in the act.
Remember that English is almost not used in Hungary, so you should have all conversations in Hungarian (you need a phrase book or an interpreter). If you don’t understand something, don’t sign the car acceptance certificate, otherwise it can happen that then a large amount of money will be blocked on the card, and you will no longer be in the country.
Hungary is a wonderful country, located in the heart of Europe. The roads in the country are of high quality, and the journey is always memorable. Don’t darken it with a lack of a driver’s license. It is better if the latter conforms to the international model. It is quite easy to issue such a driver’s license – it’s done right on our website.
