Where can I exchange money before I travel, and is it better to use cards?

Wait until you arrive. The forint is a niche currency for most home banks, so rates before departure tend to be worse.

Cards are the easiest everyday option. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, and contactless works almost everywhere.

For cash, use a bank-branded ATM (OTP, Erste, K&H, CIB, Raiffeisen) and withdraw forints directly. Avoid the airport counters, the exchange kiosks on Váci utca, hotel desks and street changers. Use a standalone blue-and-yellow Euronet ATM only if it is your last option, and withdraw the minimum.

Always choose HUF when a terminal asks, and decline dynamic currency conversion, which can be 5–10% worse.

Keep some cash for market stalls and tips. A cushion of 2,000–5,000 HUF per day is a reasonable guide.

To see where cards work and where you need cash, read is credit card widely accepted in Budapest.