Hungarian telephone numbers can be written in quite a few ways. You might find it difficult to tell what digits to add or omit when you’re calling from abroad or a non-Hungarian phone. Use the following guide to help you:

First some general rules for calling from non-Hungarian phones.
for Hungary dial (0036)
if the number begins with (06) take it away and replace it by (0036)
if it doesn’t begin with (06) either add (0036), this might not work for Budapest lines, read on.

Examples:

Numbers for Budapest phone lines can be written in many ways:
234-4567
(seven digits, no pre-dial numbers)
To call:
- from foreign phones: add (0036-1) -> 0036-1-234-4567
- from Hungarian mobiles or other parts of Hungary: add (06-1) -> 06-1-234-4567

1-234-4567
(eight digits, the first (which is always 1) is usually separated from the rest, actually that’s the pre-dial number for Budapest)
- from foreign phones: add (0036) -> 0036-1-234-4567
- from Hungarian mobiles or other parts of Hungary: add (06) -> 06-1-234-4567

06-1-234-4567
(ten digits, beginning with 06-1)
To call:
- from foreign phones: take away (06) add (0036) -> 0036-1-234-4567
- from Hungarian mobiles or other parts of Hungary: just call

Mobile numbers:
(20)234-4567 or 20/234-4567
(two digit pre-dial number + seven digits)
(pre-dial numbers can be 20: Pannon; 30: T-mobil; 70: Vodafon; other pre-dial numbers can stand for special rate phones)
To call:
- from foreign phones: add (0036) -> 0036-20-234-4567
- from Hungarian phones: add (06) -> 06-20-234-4567

06-20-234-4567 or 06 (20) 234-4567
(11 digits, beginning with 06 followed by a two digit pre-dial number)
To call:
- from foreign phones: take away (06) add (0036) -> 0036-20-234-4567
- from Hungarian mobiles or other parts of Hungary: just call

Non-Budapest Hungarian phone lines:
(23)234-456 or 23/234-456
(two digit pre-dial number + six digits)
To call:
- from foreign phones: add (0036) -> 0036-23-234-456
- from Hungarian mobiles or other parts of Hungary: add (06) -> 06-23-234-456

06-23-234-456
(10 digits, beginning with 06 followed by a two digit pre-dial number)
- from foreign phones: take away (06) add (0036) -> 0036-23-234-456
- from Hungarian mobiles or other parts of Hungary: just call

I think that’s about it. If I left something out please complete my list.

Regards,
Alice

From a mobile phone, '+' is the 'root' sign, so I write all the numbers like:

'+' (country number) (zone number) number

+36 1 xxx xxxx (Budapest)
+36 20 xxx xxxx (mobile number)
+44 788 xxx xxxx (an English number)

This way, I can call these even from abroad without any problem.
(Actually, I've never tried it. Seems I've got stuck in here nicely last year.

G

I think "+" actually stands for 00. And it might not work from all phones. I can only store numbers entering them with 00 but when the person calls I see "+" appearing on the screen. Funny thing, I cannot dial beginning with "+" either. Still, I won't change my mobile before I can buy one with a built-in professional digital camera. I'd say I have one more year to wait.

alice