Is it true Budapest is notorious for scamming tourists?

Posted by FormerFruit@reddit | budapest | View on Reddit | 27 comments

I’m looking into visiting Budapest for my next trip, I’ve always wanted to see the city. My mother went once with work and didn’t like it, when I told her I want to visit she said the place is an utter central location for scam artists and I need to be careful going alone as a girl. I said this is the case everywhere, she warned me about Rome last year when I visited. I absolutely loved the city and can’t wait to go again this year some time. It was definitely true to an extent, but I just had to be careful. Is it true about Budapest? Is it a big place for scamming tourists?

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27 Comments

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Sonique227@reddit

Never experienced any tourist scam in Budapest as like in Rome, Barcelona, Ibiza or Istanbul. Taxi is the one thing, which is better to called through app, but not that bad, like a few years ago. And yeah, get valid ticket on tram / bus / metro, bcs you will be penalised.

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Antique_Knowledge_72@reddit

Only call any taxi or uber through the app. That's in general. Don't go into stripclubs.

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Lovelygirlforevs@reddit

What app is widely used there?

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igenigen@reddit

Advice you received from PrudentFix is wrong. Uber is significantly better because they’ve been handing out 20% to 40% discounts every week depending on how much the algorithm likes you. Making them cheaper then though all taxis in Budapest are regulated to the same price.

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PrudentFix7546@reddit

We mostly use Bolt app. Its better than Uber. :)

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VszVszVsz@reddit

your mother must have been speaking about prague. we are often confused for one another :) some people have their opinion and they are out of date, because times have changed. but in this case, it was never true. we aren't like in some places in italy that there are pickpockets everywhere and other street scammers. if anyone stops you here they are usually a street person trying to get easy money from a foreigner. that's not to say that you can't get really bad service or food where you feel ripped off or get short changed. but those things can happen in most cities here in europe. as for solo women travelers, please search this sub for 'solo female' and you will see for yourself some good advice and maybe a few accounts by others who visited here on their own.

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picurebeka@reddit

I wonder what happened to your mother here, that makes her give you this advice...

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_BrunoOnMars@reddit

Nope it’s not true at all.

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Miguel8008@reddit

It’s an absolutely beatable city and you should go if you want to. I didn’t see any scams, but I’m not a single female l, so perhaps didn’t see them for this reason. What sort of scams are you being warned about?

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satanslittleangel666@reddit

I mean, literally every big city has people who scam tourists. I don't think Budapest is particularly bad on this front.

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Benhur3@reddit

I was in Rome a few months ago and it can’t compare to Budapest for scammers, it’s a lot lot worse. Budapest is awesome

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hungasian8@reddit

Been to Budapest like 6-7x as im visibly a tourist. Never had anyone scamming me and never seen any scams going on as well. Paris is definitely worse, Rome too. Your mom seems like a paranoid person

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beleg_cuth@reddit

I found Budapest much nicer than Rome. Rome is awesome, but full of Indians or from wherever asking for pics, giving you roses, trying to sell you anything etc. In Budapest I found most vendors to be native, in their own shop and not everywhere near important landmarks, and didn't see any fake artist or evident scam, I think nobody bothered me at all If you "survived" Rome, Budapest will be easy

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Missmarymarylynn@reddit

Indians? Are you for real? They're called Italians.

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Missmarymarylynn@reddit

I went solo and never had any issues! Now - Istanbul, that's another story

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Dense_Department6484@reddit

Budapest is a beautiful city that I go to often and it never feels "touristy", or overrun by bullshit on the street, it's beautiful and has lots of cool stuff to see, have fun!

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Miserable_Example_51@reddit

Yes, this was a 100 EUR advice.

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Head-Finding-6095@reddit

Maybe the taxis, there are well known taxi “maffias” in Budapest but they scamming everyone not just tourists. Always use the apps instead of just sitting into one. There are no random guys trying to push something on you (flowers, homemade bracelets etc) like in other european citys like London in England, Rome in Italy or Zakopane in Poland. Check the reviews of the restaurants, bars, clubs before entering, also you can pay by card in each of them, if they tell you you can’t just call the police.

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D0nath@reddit

Guys are in much more danger because of Tinder and bar scams. Common sense is needed, but that's even more true about Rome

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Jubileum2020@reddit

Eh...not that bad...balkan is worste a lot, and Rome too

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Sotyka94@reddit

Yes, but so is all major European city with tourism. I would argue that Budapest isn't even in the top 10. Rome is definitely in top 5.

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Cheap_Interview_3795@reddit

I go to Budapest for a long weekend every year and not once experienced any type of scam.

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userr1234567891011@reddit

It’s nothing like Rome…Rome is a cesspit…Just use your common sense…Don’t go into random restaurants on the main streets without checking reviews first…if approached by women etc trying to invite you into a bar/pub etc say no - regular places don’t do that. Only get into ‘branded’ cabs or -better yet- order via uber or bolt..But even those things aren’t common at all..You’d have to be an idiot to get scammed.

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Is it true Budapest is notorious for scamming tourists?

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27 Comments

Sonique227@reddit

Antique_Knowledge_72@reddit

Lovelygirlforevs@reddit

igenigen@reddit

PrudentFix7546@reddit

VszVszVsz@reddit

picurebeka@reddit

_BrunoOnMars@reddit

Miguel8008@reddit

satanslittleangel666@reddit

Benhur3@reddit

hungasian8@reddit

beleg_cuth@reddit

Missmarymarylynn@reddit

Missmarymarylynn@reddit

Dense_Department6484@reddit

Miserable_Example_51@reddit

Head-Finding-6095@reddit

D0nath@reddit

Jubileum2020@reddit

Sotyka94@reddit

Cheap_Interview_3795@reddit

userr1234567891011@reddit

Able_Information6488@reddit

ConvictedHobo@reddit

TortetoMasodhegedus@reddit

Immediate_Gene3646@reddit