The customer base of thermal baths in Budapest has changed. While in 2010, most guests were aged over 60, currently the majority are below 30, Szilvia Czinege, director of sales and marketing of spa operator Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévizei Zrt., told business daily Világgazdaság.

The Municipality of Budapest has set aside HUF 1.8 billion from its budget for the renovation of the busy thoroughfare of Blaha Lujza tér on the Pest side of the city, with planning tasks set for completion by the end of the year, said Budapest Mayor István Tarlós at a press conference yesterday.

Onyx, a restaurant in the heart of Budapest that says it tries to balance tradition with innovation, was awarded its second Michelin star at a gala event late yesterday. It is the first Hungarian restaurant to be awarded two Michelin stars.

The ibis Styles Budapest Airport Hotel, located at the capitalʼs Ferenc Liszt International Airport, was officially opened on March 7. Hungaryʼs only hotel with a direct terminal connection to the airport was developed by Wing Zrt. in cooperation with Budapest Airport, the operator of the airport.

Budapest Airport, the operator of Budapestʼs Ferenc Liszt International Airport, said Friday it will spend HUF 1.6 billion on renovating a 1.4-kilometer stretch of one of the airportʼs runways this year, state news wire MTI reported.

Sziget Festival, the iconic summer cultural event of the Hungarian capital, has announced new artists confirmed for the week of August 8-15 this year, including Dua Lipa, Gorillaz and Arctic Monkeys.

Based on the votes of 4 million tourists, the Hungarian capital has become one of the 10 trendiest destinations in Europe, recommended for "lovers of history, culture, museums but also nightlife shopping," according to European Best Destinations, a website started for the promotion of European tourism and culture.

Budapestʼs Museum of Fine Arts will open its Romanesque Hall to the public, restored to its former glory after an HUF 8.3 billion renovation, for two weeks from March 15, museum and government officials announced on Monday, state news wire MTI reported.

Parents in Hungary unhappy with the public education system can choose to have their children follow the courses of international schools. But the costs are affordable only to very few, current affairs news portal hvg.hu notes.

Recently launched car sharing services in Budapest are experiencing healthy demand on the market. Currently there are two players, and the competition has just begun, business daily Világgazdaság reported today.

Budapest taxi drivers have asked the city council to raise tariffs by 10-15% to keep up with mounting costs, business daily Világgazdaság reported on Wednesday. If their demands are met, it could mean an average extra HUF 300-400 per ride for customers, the paper estimated.

Hungarian oil and gas company MOL yesterday launched its car sharing service MOL Limo in ten districts of Budapest within an area of 60 square kilometers with 200 petrol-driven and 100 electric cars. For registered clients, one hour of use costs about HUF 4,000.

Hungarian startup Parkl has released an app that helps drivers find parking spots in downtown Budapest and greatly simplifies payment. What is more, at designated venues users are being offered free parking today and tomorrow (Friday), whilst a discounted rate valid through mid-February is meant to sweeten the trial period. 

Budapestʼs Liszt Ferenc International Airport has successfully passed renewed security checks performed by the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission, a statement released by the Hungarian police authorities says.

The law banning smoking at public transport stops seems to have failed to have its desired effect. In five years, less than 500 fines have been imposed for breaking the law, daily Magyar Idők reports.

Designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Hungarian capital are more popular among the curious than sites in Prague or Warsaw, according to a gauge of online behavior by Eurostat, the EUʼs statistics office.   

It might be an unusual move for a real estate developer, but it is certainly good news for skating enthusiasts: HB Reavis has opened a skating rink at the Agora Budapest building site. The new facility will be open every day.

Due to unforeseen technical difficulties, the inauguration of the new Párizsi Udvar Hotel in downtown Budapest will be delayed by a few months, and costs will also be higher than previously planned, hotel manager Tamás Fazekas said on Tuesday.

The number of taxis operating in Budapest has grown recently but despite this, customers will need to wait longer for a cab in December. Operators recommend using online apps for ordering, the president of the National Taxi Association (OTSz) told business daily Világgazdaság.

ÁERON, a Budapest-based contemporary womenswear brand, has opened its first Hungarian pop-up store in the Ritz-Carlton on Fashion Street in the capital, according to a press release sent to the Budapest Business Journal.