Hungarian trains
Hungarian trains are the best way to travel in Hungary.
- Book up to 60 days in advance
- Regional trains
Overview
Hungarian trains
Hungarian trains are operated by MÁV, the national railway company in Hungary. Hungarian trains operate within the country but also offer connections to neighbouring countries. The main hub for train transport in Hungary is Budapest, the capital city. Intercity, Eurocity and Euronight trains require a seat reservation.
There are different types of trains in Hungary:
Passenger trains also known as Szemelyvonat are commuter trains with a low level of modernity and with only second class available. These trains do not require a seat reservation.
Express trains also known as Gyors are local trains which also do not require a seat reservation.
InterCity trains are the fastest train operating in Hungary. A seat reservation is required, while both first and second class are available.
EuroCity/EuroNight are international trains requiring a seat reservation, and operating between Hungary and neighbouring countries.
Main routes | Travel time |
---|---|
Budapest-Szeged | 2h22 |
Budapest-Pecs | 2h42 |
Practical information
Paper ticket
Receive your ticket directly to your address. Just take them with you and you are ready to travel. Shipping fees apply.
- Hungarian trains tickets are open for booking 60 days ahead.
- Get the lowest prices by booking early and don’t wait until the last minute as cheaper seats sell the fastest.
- Opt for off-peak trains when you have to travel short notice. They are more affordable than morning and evening trains along with those running on holiday eves, Friday and Sunday afternoon.
A class apart
Classes of service
First class* | Second class | |
---|---|---|
Comfortable seats Spacious seats with a headrest and generous legroom. small> | ||
Bar buffet car Access to the bar buffet car where snacks and beverages can be bought. small> | ||
Reclining seats Cosy with more legroom, reclining seats are ideal to enjoy the trip. small> |
*mostly available on InterCity EuroCity and EuroNight trains.
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FAQ's
Common Questions, Simple Answers
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Q. Do you offer discounts on tickets for groups?
A. If your group consists of 10 or more passengers, you’ll be entitled to group rate tickets. Please note that for British domestic trains, we can provide a quote for nine travellers. First and second class group rates are available. Simply fill out our Group Quote form and a dedicated agent will answer your request.
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Q. How do I use my Italo print at home e-ticket for travel in Italy?
A. While Italo train tickets are considered print at home e-tickets, you don’t actually need to print anything or retrieve a voucher or boarding pass at the station.
All that is required is the confirmation (PNR) code printed on your Rail Europe booking confirmation email. Just present your e-ticket confirmation code and a valid photo id to the conductor on the train - it’s that easy!
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Q. What's the difference between a rail pass and a train ticket?
A. A rail pass and a train ticket are two completely different types of travel documents.
A train ticket is valid for a single journey between two cities. Many tickets also include a reservation, which mean that they are valid only for a specific train, on a specific date and at a given time. To learn more about tickets, read our article: tickets explained.
A rail pass, on the other hand, is good for travel in an entire geographical area (1 country, 2 countries or more). With it you can take as many train trips as you want within that geographical area, for as many travel days as you purchased, within a set period of time (the pass validity period).
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Q. What happens if I don’t fill out my rail pass before boarding the train?
A. Those who travel with a rail pass in which the travel date is not filled in the travel calendar box risk payment of a full fare ticket and a fine.
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Q. What should I do if the train is late?
A. It depends if you’re traveling with train tickets that include a reservation or with open tickets. If your train ticket includes a reservation, then it’s only valid for travel on the train for which it was issued. If the train is late, you’ll need to wait until it arrives.
If you’re traveling with open tickets you can decide to take another train, as long is it doesn’t require a reservation and travels the same route as the one for which your open ticket was issued.
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Q. What happens if my train crosses an international border during the night?
A. If you travel in a sleeper compartment, you provide the train attendant with your reservation voucher, rail pass or train ticket, and passport as you board. They can then take care of everything with conductors and customs officials so you can sleep uninterrupted.
If you travel in a regular train that just happens to cross the border at night, customs and border control officers may come directly to you and ask for your passport.
Please note that there will be no passport control (day or night) when traveling between countries that signed the Schengen Agreement. Not all countries belonging to the EU are part of the Schengen Agreement (e.g. Britain). On the flip side, some countries that are not part of the EU are part of the Schengen Agreement (e.g. Switzerland).
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Q. I recently saw a fare on your website that I can’t find anymore. Why?
A. Just like airfares, train fares fluctuate over time. In most cases, the fare you’re quoted on our website is based on current availability at the time of your request. It’s possible that the fare quoted to you has sold out and become unavailable. However, know that the new fare you see on our website is always the cheapest fare offered, based on current availability.
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Q. Where can I see the exchange and refund conditions of my train ticket?
A. When browsing fares on our website, you can read a brief description of each fare flexibility level, and then see the full exchange and refund conditions for each fare.
Once you have booked a train ticket with us, its exchange and refund rules will be indicated in your Rail Europe booking confirmation email, as well as printed with your train ticket and/or on the ticket jacket in the case of paper tickets. Please note that train tickets must be received for exchange or refund within the allowed time frame mentioned in the exchange and refund conditions.
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Q. How can I request a brochure from your company?
A. We have made our brochures conveniently available online in an effort to reduce the amount of paper used. You can download Rail Europe’s full-color Europe on Track or Rail Europe Collection brochures.
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Q. What is the 7:00 pm rule?
A. Overnight train journeys departing after 7:00pm and arriving after 4:00am without any change of train will count as one travel day. The date of arrival should be recorded on your rail pass.
Overnight train journeys departing after 7:00pm that arrive or involve a connection between midnight - 4am count as two travel days on your rail pass.