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Budapest

FUDcon EMEA 2012 - Budapest

Local Team

Date

  • October 26-27-28, 2012
  • alternative: October 5-6-7, 2012

Brief description of the city

Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre.

Further useful information

  • Official currency: Forint (HUF)
  • Time zone: CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2)
  • Electrical ratings: 230 Volts/ 50-60 Hz, EU plug (Schuko)
  • Important telephone numbers:
    • Emergency Telephone Numbers (Emergency, Ambulance, Fire, Police): 112; 104, 105, 107
    • National Directories: 198

Outline of local mass transit

Budapest public transport is provided by BKV the company operates buses, trolleybuses, trams, suburban railway lines, the metro, a boat service, a cogwheel railway, a funicular, and a chairlift, called Libegő. Day services operate from 4:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. each day. Night traffic (a reduced overnight service) has a reputation for being excellent.

Airports and their distance from lodging and venue

Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (also called Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport) has two passenger terminals: Ferihegy 1, which tends to serve the many discount airlines now flying to and from Budapest, and Ferihegy 2 'Skycourt'. The airport is located to the east of the centre in the XVIII. district in Pestszentlőrinc.

Fore more info refer to Wikipedia or the airport's official homepage.

Ferihegy Terminal 1: Domestic and European flights

  • 18 km from city center
  • estimated costs by bus is 260 HUF (~1 €) per line ticket - Bus No.200E and No.93 to "blue" metro subway Köbánya-Kispest, and 20 min to Deak Square (City center)
  • estimated costs by train is 360 HUF/person (~1.30 €) to Train station West (Nyugati), tickets are available from Tourinform office inside at Terminal
  • estimated costs by airport shuttle and for taxi nearly the same - 5000 HUF (~18€)(http://www.airportshuttle.hu/)

Ferihegy Terminal 2 'Skycourt': Intercontinental flights

  • 23 km from city center
  • estimated costs by bus is 320 HUF (~1€) per line ticket (Bus No. 200E)
  • estimated costs by train - directly not available, first you have to catch Bus No 200E, and then to Terminal 1.
  • estimated costs by airport shuttle and for taxi nearly the same - 5000 HUF (~18€) (http://www.airportshuttle.hu/ and www.fotaxi.eu)
If you purchase ticket from the driver on bus, it's more expensive.
Usually it's around 300 HUF, but on the bus 400 HUF at least. For more information about the public transportation of Budapest and the timetable of buses, see the public transportation company offical website.

Night services

What if you are arrive late night or really early in the morning? Well, No Panic!

  • From 4am to 11pm you can travel by bus 200E.
  • During the late night hours (from 11pm to 4am) you can travel by bus service 900 between Liszt Ferenc International Airport and the bus garage in Dél-Pest. BKV provides connection for the buses 950 and 950A at the bus stop of Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út in order to get to the city centre. Passengers travelling to the airport may change from bus 950 or 950A to bus 900 at Honvéd utca (Üllői út).

Schedule of Bus No.900

Taxi Service

  • If necessary, we have an reliable and quick taxi company calles TaxiPlus. They are cheaper than any others, and the operators are speaking well English.
    • They have few (about 5) cars nearby to Airport Terminal 1.
    • If necessary, they could provide driver who speaks your language, just ask from the operator when you arrive.
    • Basic costs from Airport is around cca 2000 HUF, you're inside the city with 3500 HUF / 12 EUR. Transfer prices
  • We will check for Hotel Transfer or organize a Shuttle... possibly by www.abusz.hu

Estimated costs of flights major airports that attendees will travel from

Costs from US to BUD (The prices for the US are generated by orbitz.com.)

  • New York - American Airlines, British Airways: cca. 11 hrs, around/from 970 USD
  • Boston - American Airlines, British Airways: cca. 12 hrs, around/from 890 USD
  • Washington - American Airlines, British Airways: cca. 12 hrs, around/from 1024 USD
  • Los Angeles - Iberia Airlines: cca. 15 hrs, around/from 1209 USD

Costs inner Europe There are a lot inexpensive Airlines in Europe: For 50-150€ you can fly from the most spots in Europe.

  • Amsterdam: 105 EUR
  • Berlin: 87 EUR
  • Brussels: 95 EUR
  • London: 151 EUR
  • Madrid: 157 EUR
  • Paris: 158 EUR
  • Rome: 148 EUR

There might even be cheaper options. You can choose Easyjet, RyanAir from UK and west EU, for other locations you could choose WizzAir.

Travel by Train

Austria and Germany

  • Vienna: return ticket by train (takes < 3h) starting at 39 Euro
  • Other OBB tickets:
    • Wien - Budapest - Wien: 39 EUR
    • Linz - Budapest - Linz: 45 EUR
    • Salzburg - Budapest - Salzburg: 59 EUR

Czech

  • Brno: You can take the Avala EuroCity train (EC 270/271), Hungaria EuroCity (EC 170/171), Jaroslav Hašek EuroCity (EC 272/273) or Slovan EuroCity (EC 274/275). all goes to Bratislava through Sturovo and arrives to the Keleti (Station East). Journey takes around 4 hours, cost is 55-60 EUR with return ticket.

Other international trains

Trains with timetable

Possible Venues

Brief description of on the ground resources and their experience with FUDcon/other large events

Primary option

(Hotel/Conference/Fudpub):

Hotel

  • Accor Hotel Mercure Korona (4 star) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jJL2ffciLI
    • The 4 star Mercure Budapest Korona hotel is located in the heart of the city center, opposite the National Museum and a few minutes walk from the river Danube. Direct access to metro station (Kálvin square) at the entrance of the new Main Street of Budapest. The hotel offers wide range of services for both leisure and business travellers like: free WiFi, pool, sauna, Internet corner, upgraded Privilege room, 2 restaurants, lobby bar, garage, souvenir shop.
      • The earlier quote has arrived, we gain lot new extra options:
      • Quote time-frame valid till: 2012.03.26. Full package size: 60 rooms Twin.
      • 89 EUR/room/day with breakfast (calculated with 2 person). This prise contains VAT (18%), and local tax (4%). - Rooms are fully equipped, no-so-fast bust stable wifi available.
      • "Privilege" option for us: for +20 EUR/room/day option you'll receive as a member of the conference: 10% discount from all of the following services: minibar, bar, restaurant, laundry, Pay-TV (video), calls from your room, garage. Furthermore included to the room: Tee and coffee with machine in your room. Mineral water, bathrobe, slippers for the free swimming pool and for the sauna usage, magazines and newspapers, quick checkout at breakfast, free wifi usage everywhere in hotel.
      • Furthermore two type of options is also available for bigger rooms: "Junior" +40 EUR/room/day, and "Suites" for +70 EUR/room/day with a huge amount of extras bigger rooms, and more.


University

  • Budapest Corvinus University of Economy
  • Address: 1093 Budapest, Fővám square 8.
    • 4 Rooms + one great auditorium + technics + students
    • Free fast Wifi
    • BCE Innovation center at University
    • One Fedora ambassador is member of the Corvinus Students Council - Mate Gellei, already cooperating with us
    • We gained direct contact: Balázs Steixner - CEO of Corvinus Economical IT students community division (CID)
    • Plenty of students want to support us
    • This venue is much closer than the other two, you can reach it by foot easily: less than 10 min. from Hotel Korona
    • Quote request has been sent, awaiting for answer.


OR as alternative:


  • Budapest University of Technology and Economy (shortly called BME)
  • Address: Budapest, Tudósok körútja 2.
    • 4 Rooms + one great auditorium + technics (total costs is 2,870 EUR, and if we choose this have to pay forward 30% to ensure the venue)
    • Free fast Wifi
    • We can use Forum for the Talk-Bids
    • Distance Hotel - you need tram: 10 minutes ride, and 5 min walk to reach it.
    • Hosted the FSF Conferences and several other open source ones in the past with around 300 people
      • we gained direct contact to the events lead planner Gabor Rafael.
      • we could have the venue for free, but we should talk again with him.



FUDPub

  • Karpatia Söröző and Restaurant
  • Address: H-1053 Budapest - Ferenciek square 7-8.
    • Elegant authentic Hungarian Restaurant and brasserie
    • Relatively cheap prises, we could have separated room excusively for us
    • Possibly real Gipsy music
    • Very close to the Hotel (8 minute by foot)
    • http://www.karpatia.hu/en

Secondary option

Hotel

Rubin Wellness & Conference Hotel (4 star)- Contact: Gabriella Szelig

  • Address: H-1118 Budapest, Dayka Gábor u. 3. (Buda site)
    • Easy to access by train - train station nearby, not too big hotel (only 81 room)
    • Prise: 85 Eur / 2 person with breakfast + spa facilities in business class rooms
    • This is a bit far from venue site - takes 25 min. to reach the venue
      • We could get cheaper prises

University

  • Technology University of Eotvos Lorandt UCC - IT Campus of ELTE or University Congress Centre - http://www.ucc.hu
    • http://science.elte.hu/
    • http://teszt.ttk.elte.hu/kar/photogallery/kar/images/08.jpg
    • Campus map: http://science.elte.hu/map_of_l_c.pdf
    • We have a contact inside UCC: Janos Krompecher, Gabor Racz (he is also CEO of SilverWings, an Event Planner company - http://www.swings.hu, so FULL catering possible, if we need it.) They could cover any of our needs. Costs are depending heavily on our choices.
      • We have received an very detailed optional list of possibilities, but the final total calculation (Rooms, equipment, catering) can hit 5000 EUR just for the venue if we don't care. From 4 rooms only the auditorium has equipment included (but the prise contains them for all three days). The offer includes an huge hall, where we could have buffet lunch - we have 3 different menu set offer, each one is between 15-18 Eur/person/day. Also this contains coffee desk and lots of beverages, coffee and tee - this has 2 types: 2,80 /person/opportunity - another one contains some hungarian pogatsa too with all of the beverages for 4,10 Eur/person/opportunity.

Distance from Hotel: In this combination the venue reachable by tram, and with short walk to the campus. Cca. 10 min. together.


FUDPub

  • Fat Mo's Pub - Budapest, V. Nyáry Pál str. 11. - http://www.fatmo.hu/
    • Prohibition came into law in 1919, and by 1933 liquor became legal again after the general public had acknowledged that prohibition had failed. The Roaring 20's gave rise to many colourful characters. "Fat" Mo Smith and Izadore "Izzy" Einstein were the greatest and wackiest prohibition agents of all time. They were men of integrity, tipping the scales at 240 pounds (110 kg) each. The pair raided speakeasies from 1920-1925, often in disguise dressed as rabbis, fisherman, bootleggers and football players. They made 4397 arrests and impounded over 5 million bottles of rot-gut liquor. Fat Mo's Speakeasy and Music Club extrapolates on this story from the roaring 20's with Fat Mo finally succumbing to the old saying "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" and opening up his own speakeasy in 1927.
    • We have live jazz or funky music from 21- till 23.00, after it Dj.Manzaro heats up the ground, and US style dinner is available for 19 EUR/person. This is an full package offers "drink as many you can" drinks also for the fist 4 hrs after arrival. Package offer counts with 100 person.
    • Beverages package offer is available for cca 1800 Eur, beers, wines, and that includes Mojito till midnight with discount.
    • Food package offer 1900 Eur - includes BBQ, and wide variety of meals. We can choose from 3 different menu set one, that will be served.
    • Live music and the Dj is free for us!

Visa requirements

  • For the members of the European Economical Territory (EGT), and for the following countries are NOT required to have a visa. United States of America, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (only holders of a "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" passport), Croatia, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Canada, Korea, Republic, Liechtenstein, Macao (only holders of a "Regio Administrativa Especial de Macau" passport), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, El Salvador, San Marino, Switzerland, Singapore, New Zealand, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela.

Security at Budapest

  • Basically the common security is alright, but theft is possible, if you don't care about your personal stuff. If you need such help, most of the polices has translators, or the officers are speaking english. If you coming with car to the event, don't forget to hide/take with you your electronic devices (eg. phones, computers, expensive stuffs) or cover it on the backseat, and close down your car. Another advice is at the airport refuse all taxi drivers who offers directly at door his service - that could be a trap, and at the end you'll pay lot more than usually you should.

Lodging and estimated costs

Outline of proximate restaurant locations

  • a lot, this is a tourist place!

Deadlines for event reservation, etc.

  • still enough time for feedback
  • Hotel Mercure Korona - Quote time-frame valid till: 2012.04.10. After this time hotel keeps the right to cancel the whole quote Full package size: 60 rooms. Cancellation: at least before the event 1 month forward. Cancellation fee if we reach time limit before the event less than 1 month: full charge.

Budget draft

This is only an estimated cost coverage between the current available scenarios, but the team tries to keep things as tidy as much possible. Note: The only problem that the team is facing with is between the two coasts there is the Danube. You have to know that historically Budapest is two cities binded with bridges, witch means Buda has less possibilities then Pest, and Buda side is lot more expensive than Pest. This means also that the Buda site has less opportunity in variety of Hotels, and Pubs, but all the IT buildings, and IT Universities has their building on this side.


Estimated costs for 150 people:

Entry Preferred case
(the perfect FUDCon)		 Worst case
(if things go wrong)
Venue BME or Corvinus University IT campus 2,870 EUR (for full event time, no catering) UCC 4370 EUR (for full event time, no catering)
Hotel Mercure Korona 6675 Rubin Wellness & Conference Hotel 6375 EUR
FUDPub Karpatia söröző (possible with gypsy music) 2500 EUR / 150 people Fat Mo's Pub 1900 (dinner)+1800 (drinks) EUR /100 person (sorry no alternative yet)
Catering Friday Lunch package by local community, Coffee desk, beverages 2000 EUR (3 days) at Venue 3315 EUR
Catering Saturday Lunch package by local community, Coffee Desk, beverages / Dinner at Fudpub (see above) see above at Venue 3315 EUR
Catering Sunday Lunch package by local community, Coffee Desk, beverages see above at Venue 3315 EUR
Total 14,045 EUR 24,390 EUR
  • The total costs not includes the possible supporting companies, and other discounting variables.

Extra costs

  • Tshirts - one sided, stadman - 6 Eur

More ideas

  • Conference pass ID, lanyard?
  • Info Booklet ?(designing needed)
  • Fedora Beer mats

Possible sponsorship by companies

  • Balabit - Syslog-ng, Lumberjack upstream developers. Request has been sent, answer: possibly yes, they need only full of details, and stats about participants, and talks.
  • ULX - local JBOSS distributor and Red Hat partner. Request has been sent, awaiting for answer.
  • Andrews - local FSF.hu and conferences supporter. Request has been sent, awaiting for answer.

Pros and Cons of the proposed location

Pros

  • is very well located in the middle of Europe
  • BRNO Office is virtually around the corner
  • Budapest is very nice city
  • People who hate flying, have the opportunity to drive by car and make car-pooling
  • Great Venue and Lodging for a good price
  • Good Art of Living (good food, wine, music, weather ...)
  • First Fedora Conference in Central Europe - conquer new areas
  • support from the Educational Institutes - still to check
  • local production of swag is cheap
  • We have several companies RH related, who wants to attend (Ulx, Balabit)

Cons

  • Small team - still growing community
  • Language barrier at the location - not many locals speak english
  • Maybe the city is so nice that people get distracted
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