Midland Hostel 1 in Bucharest

Will it be very straightforward to take the Metro from Gara de Nord to the Universitatate stop and then walk to the hostel?

Yes, it should be relatively simple; get out of the subway station through the western exits and start walking on the main street heading west (the one going downhill).

If you don't want to walk, after you exit from the subway station you can take any bus or trolleybus from the station in front of the History Faculty and get off at the first stop, that's where that hostel is.

when I take the Metro I will need to change lines at Piata Victoriei. Do I have to pay again to board the second train or will my ticket cover both lines?

No, you don't have to pay again; the ticket is valid until you leave the subway system in general, no matter how many lines you change.

Is the hostel within easy walking distance of the Palace of the Parliament and Piata Unirii?

Yes, both are less than 1 km away.

As an aside, how long does it take to walk down B-dul Unirii between these two?

5-10 minutes.

Are there any dodgy areas around the hostel that I should avoid?

No.

if you have never been there about ANYwhere in Bucur looks very, very ''dodgy'' but it is not. main hazard are the roaming streetdogs anywhere in suburbia-more so after dusk
you will only ever know if rooms are really smokefree once you hve been inside. in east-eur this is a rather new fenomenon-and young people (the usual hostel guests) are nowhere in this world known to be strict rule-followers.

You answered all of my questions, and then some. Thank you very much!