Budapest, Hungary
Major Budapest stations are still are not up to western quality standards; they are hard to access for people with disabilities and their facilities are very limited. Do not expect luggage trolleys or clean toilets. Having food or a coffee at a Budapest railway station is unlikely to give you a gastronomic buzz; it’s also difficult to find a good nearby cafe if you didn’t research in advance. Be prepared for long queues at the ticket office; English is rarely spoken.
Scams: Although the stations are not dangerous, there is always a small risk of petty crime; use your common sense and avoid shady figures. Try not to fall in the trap of dishonest taxi drivers and fake tourist information guys hanging around in the main entrance hall in Keleti Station, unless you are willing to pay five times more for your hotel room and for the trip there. Sit only in taxis pre-ordered by you or logoed by one of the biggest companies. Make sure the taximeter is on or bargain the price with the driver beforehand. However, do not worry, take normal precautions and you will not face any problem. Hungarian railways are definitely safe.
Hungary’s rail system is operated almost entirely by Hungarian State Railways (Magyar Ãllamvasutak, MÃV). If you arrive to Budapest from another Hungarian city, you can choose among a wide range of services. Travelling by Intercity is more expensive but vehicles are much cleaner and faster than regular trains (2nd class price sample as of February 2007: Gyor-Budapest Intercity, 1h 26 min, HUF 2230; regular train 1h 45 min, HUF 1710). Always check if your train is subject to compulsory reservation; for prices and further information check MÃV’s timetable. It is wise to reserve your Intercity tickets for national holidays, Friday and Sunday evenings beforehand. It is still NOT possible to buy rail tickets via Internet.
Note that EU citizens under 26 years get 33% discount on trains between Friday 22.00 PM and Sunday 24.00 PM; EU citizens older than 65 years travel for free on every train on second class. On Intercity trains extra fare is applicable. Discounted rates are NOT available on international rails.
For your international travel plan, check Deutsche Bahn’s European Timetable.
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