Budapest baths will reopen in stages – this is what you need to know

Budapest Széchenyi Baths Thermal Spa Gyógyfürdő

Budapest Széchenyi Thermal Bath Source: Pixabay / javirue

Hungary has been slowly opening up for the past few weeks or so and each step of easing restrictions was on condition of reaching a certain number of inoculated people. This Saturday, on the 1^st of May Hungary, has reached over 4 million people who had received their first jabs. This was the largest opening for a long time and now gyms, zoos, museums, cinemas and of course baths can be freely visited by people with an immunity certificate.

If you do not know what an immunity certificate is and how to get one, you can read THIS article.

Just like how the Hungarian government organised the overall opening, the baths in Budapest will do a similar staged reopening of their facilities.

As part of the first stage, the following baths have opened on the 1^st of May: Széchenyi, Gellért, Rudas and Lukács Thermal Baths as well as the Paskál and Csillaghegyi Árpád Baths

The next stage of reopening will be during Pentecost when the Palatinus and Pesterzsébeti Baths will also join the previously mentioned facilities. And finally, the Dandár Therman Bath, the Pünkösdfürdői and the Római Baths will be open to the public after early June.

According to Hellomagyar, there are some major changes to how one can enter these facilities; it seems that the effect of the coronavirus pandemic will last longer than anyone might have expected in early 2020.

In effect, this means that under current government regulations, only people with an immunity certificate can enter these baths.

The exceptions being that people under 18 can enter without the certificate if they are with a person owning such a document. Furthermore, people who have medical referrals can also enter without an immunity certificate.

Checking the guest’s certificates is the responsibility of the bath and they also need to check temperature before letting anyone in. Because of this, the waiting time to be able to visit such facilities may be longer than before the pandemic.

Also keep in mind that slippers are mandatory and with the exception of pools, saunas, and steam chambers, it is mandatory to wear a mask and keep the 1.5 metres distance from other people.

From May 3^rd, people can continue to use therapy pools if they had a previous referral that has been cut short. In such cases, there is no need for a renewal of the referral.

The good news is that the ticket prices will be the same as before the pandemic and the discounted tickets for pensioners, students, children, and family will still be available. The expiration date of season tickets or gift vouchers that have been affected by the closing of facilities are extended, reports Hellomagyar.