Train travel in Hungary is a very good way to explore the country and tickets are relatively cheap. Railway network is well-developed and well-maintained. Most railway attractions can be found in Budapest, which is also the main railway hub in Hungary. Budapest Metro, opened in 1896, it is the second oldest metro system in Europe after London. The railway network consists more than 7,800 km standard gauge lines. There are many operational narrow-gauge railways, cog railway in Budapest and heritage trains running occasionally on some routes popular among tourists.
Last updated: 03.07.2024
The first railway line in Hungary connected Pest and present-day Vác (33 km). The line was opened in 1846. The famous Hungarian poet Sándor Petőfi rode on the first train.
Train travel in Hungary – domestic trains
Trains in Hungary connect the largest Hungarian cities. Passengers can also travel on regional trains along less popular railway lines. There are no high-speed railway lines in Hungary, but the speed of trains is decent. A large part of the railway rolling stock has been replaced in recent years. Very cheap one-day and monthly network tickets are available.
The best starting point for train excursions in Hungary is Budapest. Very good is also pretty city of Győr – you can find here inexpensive accomodation facilities.
Domestic passenger trains in Hungary are operated by MÁV Start and Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurti Vasut (GySEV).
Train travel in Hungary – useful websites:
jegy.mav.hu – MAV’s search engine and online shop.
Hungarian Railway – FAQ for passengers – rules, bike transport etc.
GySEV – official website
Volanbusz – bus timetable
BKK – public transport in Budapest. Timetable, tickets, prices.
MAV Rail Tours – heritage, luxury and charter trains
Trains in Hungary – basic information:
– Interrail tickets for train travel within Hungary are much more expensive than the Hungary 24 ticket.
– On some routes, it is cheaper to buy single tickets for two sections than for the entire journey (this should be checked in the search engine).
– Even at small stations, ticket offices are open. When buying a ticket from a ticket machine, we receive a 5% discount, and when buying online, a 10% discount.
– First-class tickets are approximately 25% more expensive than second-class tickets.
– Trains are punctual, and there is often Wi-Fi available in the carriages.
– Smoking cigarettes is strictly prohibited.
– Trains are usually punctual.
– There are no problems with photographing stations and trains.
The rolling stock is very diverse. On domestic routes, there are many different types of carriages and electric diesel multiple units – some carriages and trains are modern, while others are very old.
Most popular long-distance routes:
Budapest – Győr
Budapest – Eger
Budapest – Szeged via Kecskemet
Budapest – Pecs
Budapest – Miskolc
Train travel in Hungary – the best offers
On 1 March 2023 the new plain tariff was introduced. Discounts or free travel have been introduced for selected age and social groups, and cheap daily tickets are available for everyone, regardless of age. These regulations are not limited to Hungarian citizens only.
Key facts:
– Children up to 14 years old travel for free.
– Individuals aged 14-25 receive a 50% discount.
– Senior citizens over 65 years old travel for free.
– Individuals with certain disabilities travel for free.
New daily network tickets are available:
Magyarország24 (Hungary 24) – a network ticket valid for 24 hours, allowing unlimited train journeys within Hungary during the ticket’s validity period. This includes Intercity trains, where cheap monthly tickets are not applicable. Ticket is relatively cheap and very useful if you plan for example one-day ticket for Budapest to Kecskemet, Szeged, Cegled and back.
Vármegye24 (County 24) – equivalent to a network ticket valid for 24 hours but only usable within a specific region. It is useless for short, one-day trips from main cities.
A small fee is charged for purchasing tickets at the ticket office – tickets bought online or from vending machines are approximately 0.5 EUR cheaper.
ujtarifa.hu – official website
Monthly network pass for trains and buses
In 2023, Hungarian authorities introduced new network passes similar to the German Deutschlandticket. These tickets allow 30 days of travel on trains and buses operated by Volanbusz within a specific county or throughout the entire country at a low price, but with certain restrictions. The ticket for the entire country costs approximately 50 euros, while the ticket for one county is 25 euros. Students receive a 90% discount, but this applies only to students enrolled at Hungarian universities. In other words, Hungarian students can travel for 5 euros per month throughout the entire country.
The network ticket is valid on regional trains operated by MAV-Start and GySev. It is complicated on Intercity trains – in some trains, the ticket is not valid, in others, it is valid in selected carriages or on selected sections of the route. When searching for connections on the jegy.mav.hu website, an icon appears in the results indicating whether the ticket is accepted, and a detailed and updated list of Intercity train routes where the ticket is valid can be found on the website linked at the bottom of the article.
The ticket cannot be used on HEV trains and some regional trains within Budapest – you need a separate ticket.
For GySev trains, the ticket is only valid on domestic sections.
The ticket is also valid on the tram-train in Szeged.
www.orszagberlet.hu – official website
Train travel in Hungary – BHEV trains
BHÉV (Budapesti Helyiérdekű Vasút) is the name of commuter and rapid transit railway lines in and around Budapest, which are intended for quick and comfortable travel within Budapest and to nearby towns. The trains are operated by BKV – the Budapest Public Transport Company.
The suburban railway currently operates on four lines. For tourists, the two most important lines are:
H5 Batthyány tér ↔ Szentendre (travel time 39 minutes)
H8 Örs vezér tere ↔ Gödöllő (travel time 47 minutes)
Lovers of architecture and leisurely walks in towns should definitely visit Szentendre – a beautiful town located just about 20 kilometers from Budapest. BHÉV trains are old electric multiple units produced in the former East Germany. Trains are are not equipped in toilet.
Bkk.hu – timetables and additional information
Railways in Hungary – GySEV
GySEV is an Austrian-Hungarian carrier continuously serving passenger and freight transport on the Győr – Sopron railway line since 1872. Currently, besides this line, it operates selected connections such as Sopron – Wiener Neustadt, Sopron – Vienna, Sopron – Szombathely, and also runs IC (InterCity) trains from Sopron to Budapest.
Rolling stock fleet consists modern Flirt multiple units quite comfortable ex-German passenger carriages without air conditioning. In 2012, GySEV introduced free Wi-Fi access on board its trains.
The carrier is known by two different names:
GySEV (Győr–Sopron–Ebenfurti Vasút) – in Hungarian
ROeEE (Raab-Ödenburg-Ebenfurter Eisenbahn) – in German
GySEV – official website
Balaton 24 ticket
Balaton24 is a seasonal ticket seasonal ticket, which allows for cheap travel on railway lines around Lake Balaton. The ticket is valid for 24 hours. In previous years, a 72-hour ticket was available, but during the preparation of this article, I could not find information about it.
The tickets are also valid on one of the bus lines that transport travelers from the trains to the popular town of Tihany from Balatonfüred operated by Volanbus (but not on local buses in Siofok, Balatonfüred and Keszthely and boats operated by BAHART). With the ticket, you can also ride the narrow-gauge railway from Balatonfenyves to Somogyszentpál.
Tickets can be purchased at ticket offices, ticket machines, online, and through the MAV app. Tickets purchased online or via the mobile app are an additional 10% cheaper, and tickets purchased at ticket machines are 5% cheaper. The transport of bicycles and pets is subject to the general terms and conditions specified in the Hungarian Railways’ transport regulations, meaning you need to buy an additional ticket for the transport of a bicycle or pet.
The prices of Balaton 24 tickets are very low.
Map of validity of the ticket in 2024
The biggest attractions around Lake Balaton:
Balatonboglár – a viewing platform with a panoramic view of Balaton.
Balatonfüred – a popular holiday resort.
Hévíz – one of the two thermal lakes in the world (a few kilometers by bus from Keszthely).
Keszthely – a beautiful palace of the Festetics family.
Siofok – the main holiday resort; historic railway station.
Sümeg – a castle on a hill.
Szigliget – castle ruins (5 km from the Balatonederics railway station).
Tapolca – an underground lake in a complex of water-filled caves.
Tihany – an 11th-century abbey, numerous lavender-related products, and a viewpoint over Lake Balaton.
Narrow-gauge railways in Hungary
There are more than dozen operational narrow-gauge railways in Hungary in many regions of the country.
Most popular narrow-gauge railways:
Children’s railway in Budapest
Lillafüred Forest Train
Nagybörzsöny Forest Railway – Nagyírtás – Márianosztra – Szob
Matra Forest Railway
Balatonfenyves Narrow Gauge Railway
Hungarian narrow-gauge railways are often situated in forests and are very popular among locals and tourists.
Narrow-gauge railways in Hungary – a full list
Rack railways in Hungary
There is only one rack railway in Hungary, located in Budapest.
The Cogwheel Railway in Budapest (Budapesti Fogaskerekű Vasút) operates on a short route (3.7 km) between the stations Városmajor and Széchenyi-hegy. The journey between stations takes 14 minutes – the 24- or 72-hour Budapest Travel Cards are valid. The railway is marked as tram line 60 in the timetables. The end station of the line is located near another railway attraction in Budapest – the children’s railway. The origins of the current line 60 date back to 1868, when horse-drawn trams were inaugurated. Six years later, in 1874, the cogwheel railway made its first ride on the route. The vehicles currently serving line 60 were manufactured in the 1970s. The route is steep, with an elevation difference of 315 meters.
Funicular railways in Hungary
There is only one funicular railway in Hungary – a heritage funicular in Budapest
Funicular to Buda Hill – is one of the most popular tourist attractions, inaugurated in 1870 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s worth noting that the railway was destroyed during the Second World War and was reconstructed many decades later – the reconstruction was completed only in 1986. The funicular’s cable-driven track is only 95 meters long, yet it covers an elevation difference of 51 meters. Interestingly, pedestrian bridges have been built along the funicular route, offering picturesque photo opportunities.
The funicular is not part of the integrated public transportation system, and daily or 72-hour urban transport tickets are not valid. Tickets for the ride are relatively expensive. The one-way journey takes just one and a half minutes and costs quite a bit. Nevertheless, during the tourist season, long queues form of people eager to experience this attraction.
Hungarian Railway Museum
In the industrial district known as Istvantelek (where there is a railway station of the same name), you can visit well-equipped and well-maintained Hungarian Railway Museum at Tatai út 95. The museum boasts a rich collection of carriages, locomotives, and other vehicles that used to operate under the MAV and GYSEV carriers. Some of these vehicles are occasionally launched as heritage trains.
The museum grounds are quite extensive – there is a park area, a roundhouse, and additional attractions like a miniature railway, a 400-meter track where visitors under museum supervision can operate historic diesel or steam locomotives, as well as take short rides on handcars or horse-drawn trams.
The museum receives excellent reviews. Admission is charged, and additional activities like operating historic locomotives or riding the miniature railway incur extra fees, though prices are reasonable.
Hungarian Railway Museum – official website
Tram-train Szeged – Hódmezövásárhely
The first public tram-train system in Hungary was inaugurated in November 2021. Tram-train connects the cities of Szeged and Hódmezövásárhely. Total length of the route is 22 km.
The tram-train uses Szeged – Békéscsaba railway line and tram networks in Szeged and Hódmezövásárhely. In Hódmezövásárhely a new 3.6 km tram line between railway station and Hódmezővásárhely Folk Garden was constructed.
The tram-train service includes 12 hybrid Citylink bi-directional, dual-mode vehicles. The low-floor and barrier-free configuration enables easy accessibility to people with limited mobility. The travel time between the two cities has been reduced to less than 40 minutes. The vehicles are not equipped with toilet. The Citylinks are air-conditioned and equipped with CCTV and WiFi, have 92 seats space for up to 216 standing passengers. The tram-trains have designated areas that can accommodate two wheelchairs or four prams.
The tram-train can reach speed up to 100 km/h.
The tram-train is operated by MAV-START.
Train travel in Hungary – international trains
Hungary has railway connections with many countries. There are both daytime and overnight trains, and promotional tickets are available. During the summer season, trains on most routes are packed with passengers.
Austria
There are numerous trains between Vienna and Budapest and one train daily between Budapest and Graz. Regional cross-border trains run from Vienna and Wiener Neustadt to Sopron (operated by GySEV) and from Szombathely to Szentgotthard.
shop.oebbtickets.at – Österreichische Bundesbahnen’s online shop
Hungarian Railways – online shop
Germany
There are daytime and overnight trains from Budapest to Munich and Berlin
Hungarian Railways – online shop
Croatia
There are daily trains from Budapest to Zagreb. The one or two trains daily in each direction starts from Budapest Deli station. Tickets are relatively cheap, even if you do not buy them well in advance.
The cheapest tickets from Zagreb to Budapest costs 15 EUR.
There are local trains between Pecs and Beli Manastir. One-way ticket costs 2,5 EUR. From Beli Manastir you can continue your journey to Osijek by a Croatian train.
In summer there is an additional overnight train from Budapest to Split. Train is comprised of modern, air-conditioned Hungarian couchette cars and sleeping cars. Breakfast in the dining car is included. This train has very good reviews but the tickets aren’t cheap. In 2024 train Budapest – Split runs three times a week from 18 June to 30 September.
Hungarian Railways – online shop
Czech Republic
There are trains between Prague and Budapest. Trains from Prague to Budapest stop in Pardubice and Brno, then pass through Slovakia. Czech railway operator Regiojet launches trains from Prague to Budapest via Vienna and Gyor.
Czech Railways – online shop
Hungarian Railways – online shop
Regiojet – private operator, online shop
Poland
There are daytime trains from Warsaw to Budapest and overnight trains between capitals of Poland and Hungary
PKP Intercity – online shop
Hungarian Railways – online shop
Slovakia
There are many trains between Slovakia and Hungary. International trains between both countries run on the following routes:
Bratislava – Budapest
Kosice – Miskolc
Bratislava – Rajka (you can continue your journey to Gyor)
Tickets are not cheap anymore. The price is dynamic, depending on the train. It is worth buying tickets in advance.
Slovak Railways – online shop.
Hungarian Railways – online shop
It is also possible to travel from Kosice to Slovenske Nove Mesto, cross the border there on foot (3 km), and from Satoraljaujhely continue by train, e.g. to Miskolc or with a transfer to Tokaj.
There is a bus between Sturovo and Esztergom stations every two hours Taxi drivers charge many more for a ride between cities, which is worth it if 3-4 people take a taxi.
Trains between Slovakia and Hungary – an ultimate guide
Serbia
On 28 November 2023 passenger trains from Szeged to Subotica were reinstated. Trains run 5 times a day. There are fast and comfortable Intercity trains from Szeged to Budapest. Ticket costs 3,20 EUR
Hungarian Railways – online shop
Srbijavoz – online timetable
Direct trains Budapest – Belgrade are suspended due to the construction of the high-speed railway between the two capitals.
Slovenia
There is a direct train from Budapest to Ljubljana. During the summer seaso train will be extended to Koper. Ticket prices from Budapest to Ljubljana and Maribor start from 16 EUR.
Hungarian Railways – trip planner and online shop
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