Hungary Rail Passes and Train Tips
By Rick Steves
Are rail passes a good value for Hungary?
Since point-to-point train tickets are cheap in Hungary, as they are in most of its neighboring countries, a rail pass isn't likely to save you much money. The main reason to buy a rail pass in this region is to avoid the hassle of buying tickets as you go.
How do I see whether a rail pass makes sense for my trip in particular?
Train Fares: Hungary & Slovakia
Use this map to add up approximate pay-as-you-go fares for your itinerary, and compare that cost to the price of a rail pass for the number of days you expect to spend on the train. (Dotted lines show ferry routes and dashed lines show bus routes, neither of which are covered by rail passes.)
Also, follow the links below for:
• More tips for figuring out whether a pass makes sense for your trip
• The basics on choosing among rail passes
• More tips on how to save money by fine-tuning your rail pass
• Advice on deciding between first and second class
• Fare-estimate maps outside Hungary/Slovakia
• Answers to frequently asked rail-pass questions
What are my options for rail passes that cover Hungary?
Eurail Global Pass (33 countries) → read more about this pass
►Rail Europe shopping cart: Have an order underway? Review and complete it here.
Extra tip: If you string together more than one regional rail pass (such as a Germany Rail Pass and a Hungary Eurail Pass), you'll use a day from each pass when crossing the border between them.
Do I need to make seat reservations on Hungarian trains?
For the most part, you can hop on nearly all Hungarian trains with just your rail pass in hand. Only overnight trains, and some international routes, require reservations (as indicated in online train schedules).
Any tips for buying point-to-point train tickets in Hungary?
If a rail pass doesn't pencil out for your trip, see our general tips for buying point-to-point tickets.