EuroCity train from Prague to Budapest
 

Budapest to Prague from €19

Prague to Budapest from €21

Prague to Bratislava from €15

Budapest to Bratislava from €14

Buy train tickets from Prague to Budapest

Or take a RegioJet train between Prague & Budapest from just €19.90

Buy train tickets from Prague to Budapest

Prague - Budapest from €16

Comfortable air-conditioned EuroCity trains with restaurant car link Prague, Bratislava & Budapest every two hours, city centre to city centre with cheap tickets if you use the right website!  The trains are run jointly by Czech Railways (CD), Slovakian Railways (ZSSK) & Hungarian Railways (MAV).  There's also a time-effective (and very comfortable) Prague-Budapest sleeper.

In 2020 these were joined by several competing RegioJet trains with 4 classes, free WiFi, cheap fares and excellent at-seat service.

small bullet point  Train times

small bullet point  Which train to choose?

small bullet point  Route map

small bullet point  Option 1, by EuroCity train from €21

    - How much does it cost?

    - How to buy these cheap tickets

    - What are the trains like?

    - Travel tips

small bullet point  Option 2, by RegioJet from €19.90

small bullet point  Option 3, by sleeper train from €39

small bullet point  Prague Hlavni station info

small bullet point  Bratislava Hlavna station info

small bullet point  Budapest Nyugati station info

small bullet point  Trains from Prague to other destinations

small bullet point  Trains from Bratislava to other destinations

small bullet point  Trains from Budapest to other destinations

Train times southbound 2024

 Prague ► Bratislava Budapest

 

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

 

EC

RegioJet

EC

EC

EC

EC

EC

RegioJet

EC

EC

EC

Sleeper

 Prague Hlavni depart:

-

06:15

05:44

07:44

09:44

11:44

-

13:15

13:44

15:44

17:44

22:03

 Bratislava Hlavna arrive

-

via

10:02

12:02

14:02

16:02

-

via

18:02

20:02

22:03

06:02

 Bratislava Hlavna depart

08:05

Vienna

10:05

12:05

14:05

16:05

17:13

Vienna

18:05

20:05

-

06:05

 Budapest Deli arrive |

12:58

|

|

|

|

|

19:58

|

|

-

|

 Budapest Nyugati arrive:

10:28

-

12:28

14:28

16:28

18:28

19:49

-

20:28

22:30

-

08:29

Train times northbound 2024

 Budapest ► Bratislava Prague

 

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

 

EC

EC

EC

RegioJet

EC

EC

EC

EC

RegioJet

EC

EC

Sleeper

 Budapest Nyugati depart:

-

05:30

07:30

-

08:12

09:30

11:30

13:30

-

15:30

17:30

19:30

 Budapest Deli depart

-

|

|

07:58

|

|

|

|

14:58

|

|

|

 Bratislava Hlavna arrive

-

07:55

09:55

Via

10:44

11:55

13:55

15:55

Via

17:55

19:55

21:55

 Bratislava Hlavna depart

05:58

07:58

09:58

Vienna

-

11:58

13:58

15:58

Vienna

17:58

19:58

21:58

 Prague Hlavni arrive:

10:11

12:11

14:11

14:37

-

16:13

18:13

20:11

21:37

22:11

00:15

08:13

EC = EuroCity train Metropolitan with modern Czech carriages, jointly run by Czech, Slovak & Hungarian Railways.  1st & 2nd class with restaurant car.

ECH = EuroCity train Hungaria with modern Hungarian carriages, run jointly Czech, Slovak & Hungarian Railways.  1st & 2nd class with restaurant car.

RegioJet = RegioJet train run by private open-access operator RegioJet.  Low cost, standard, relax & business classes.  Buy tickets at www.regiojet.com.

Check times for your own date of travel at www.cd.cz.

In addition to the trains shown here, private operator RegioJet operates 2 or 3 competing Prague-Bratislava trains per day in each direction.  See here for a description of RegioJet trains, see www.regiojet.com to check times & buy tickets.

Prague to Budapest is 610 km (379 miles) by train.  Prague to Bratislava is 396 km (246 miles) by train.  Bratislava to Budapest is 214 km (133 miles).

Which train to choose?

Route map

Prague - Bratislava - Budapest train route map

 

Click for larger map

Highlighted = Prague-Bratislava-Budapest route

Green = scenic sections of line

RegioJet trains run via Breclav, Vienna & Gyor.

Reproduced from the European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people.  I recommend buying this map, www.europeanrailtimetable.eu.

European Rail Timetable and map

Option 1, by EuroCity train

These are the regular express trains linking Prague, Bratislava & Budapest, run jointly by CD (Czech Railways), ZSSK (Slovakian Railways) and MAV (Hungarian Railways).  They are comfortable, air-conditioned, have power sockets at seats and free WiFi, and a waiter-service restaurant car.  Watch the video!

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets

What are the EuroCity trains like?

Most Prague-Bratislava-Budapest EuroCity trains are branded Metropolitan and use comfortable Czech (CD) rolling stock as shown below.  There are one or two exceptions, for example the EuroCity Hungaria uses Hungarian (MAV) rolling stock.  Watch the videoClick the interior images below for larger photos.

The usual formation of the Metropolitan-branded trains is:  2nd class open plan car, 3 x 2nd class compartment cars, multi-function car (bike racks, wheelchair spaces, baggage area, some 2nd class seats), restaurant car, 1st class open-plan car.  However, extra cars can be added at peak times, and formations vary. 

The 1st class car is normally at the back in the Prague>Bratislava>Budapest direction, at the front when going Budapest>Bratislava>Prague.

EuroCity train to Budapest about to leave Prague

Its Skoda electric locomotive adding a Flash Gordon vibe, the EuroCity train from Prague to Budapest is ready to roll.

First class on Prague to Budapest traiin   First class on Prague to Budapest EuroCity traiin

1st class.  There's usually just one first class car at one end of the train, next to the restaurant car.  On the vast majority of departures on this route, 1st class seats are in a spacious air-conditioned open-plan saloon, arranged 2+1 across the car width, a few face to face, most face to back, with some tables for 4, some tables for 2.  There are power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

On one or two departures, the 1st class car is one with classic 6-seat compartments, you can check what type of car operates on your train by going to www.vagonweb.cz, select en for English, then click Train formations, look under Czechia and click EC / EuroCity.

Restaurant car on Prague to Budapest traiin   Lunch on a Prague to Budapest EuroCity traiin

Restaurant car.  These trains have a restaurant car serving inexpensive snacks, drinks and meals, located between the 1st class car and the rest of the train.  Lunch or dinner as the train canters through the beautiful countryside is a real treat.  Euros, Koruna & credit cards are accepted, although cash can be better as card machines rely on mobile reception.  There are no table reservations, just go along and sit down.  There's a separate counter if you want to take snacks or drinks back to your seat.

2nd class compartment on Prague to Budapest traiin   2nd class compartment on Prague to Budapest traiin

2nd class seats on the Czech trains are mostly in classic 6-seat compartment cars like the photos above, with one car of open-plan seating as in the photos below.  All cars are air-conditioned with power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  I personally prefer the open-plan cars as it's less confining and you get a better view through multiple windows.  But if you are travelling with a small group of friends you might like a compartment.  Most open-plan cars have a large floor-standing luggage rack in the centre of the car, compartment cars only have above-seat racks, anything large needs to go on the floor.

These Czech trains also include one multi-function car with baggage area, bicycle rack, wheelchair ramps, wheelchair spaces & accessible toilet, usually marshalled next to the restaurant car.

2nd class open plan car on Prague to Budapest traiin   2nd class open plan car on Prague to Budapest traiin

Open plan seating in one car.

 

There's a luggage rack where the man is standing.

EuroCity train to Budapest boarding in Prague

A EuroCity train from Prague & Bratislava arrived on platform 6 at Budapest Nyugati.

Travel tips

Useful links


Option 2, by RegioJet

In July 2020, private operator RegioJet started running 2 daily Prague-Budapest trains in competition with the regular service run by the various national rail operators.  RegioJet is a private Czech travel company, part of Student Agency which also operates bus services to, from and within the Czech Republic.  Under EU law, any company with the necessary licences can operate international train services in competition with the national operators.  These two trains were created by extending two of RegioJet's successful Prague-Vienna trains to Budapest, so they go via Vienna, not Bratislava.  With air-conditioning, free WiFi, power sockets and 4 classes, RegioJet is a good choice.  There's no restaurant, but there's at-seat service in Standard, Relax & Business classes with complimentary water & Illy coffee.  Watch the RegioJet video.

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets

What are RegioJet trains like?

A RegioJet train to Prague at Vienna Hbf

A RegioJet train at Vienna Hbf.

Business class on a RegioJet train from Vienna to Prague   Relax class on a Vienna-Prague RegioJet train

Business classLarger photo 360° photo.

 

Relax class seating.  Larger photo 360° photo.

Standard class astra car on a Vienna to Prague RegioJet train   Regiojet train at Prague

Standard class Astra car.  Larger photo360° photo.

RegioJet Astra car at Vienna.

Standard class children's compartment on a RegioJet train   Standard class on a Vienna to Prague RegioJet train

Standard class children's compartment. Larger photo.

 

Standard class Larger photo 360° photo.

Orchid in the toilet on a Regiojet train   Low-cost class class seats on a RegioJet train

I think all trains should have orchids in the loo.

 

Low cost class Larger photo.

Regiojet train from Prague to Vienna, at Prague Hlavni

RegioJet train at Prague Hlavni.


Option 3, by sleeper train Metropol

What's the sleeping-car like?

The Prague-Budapest night train has one (or at peak periods, two) comfortable Czech sleeping-cars, see the photos below.  Car number 363 runs all year, car 362 is additional at peak periods.  Each air-conditioned sleeping-car has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be sold as a single-berth, 2-berth or 3-berth.  There are two toilets at the end of the corridor.  All compartments have a security deadlock, and each compartment has a power socket for laptops & mobiles.  Bottled water, soap & towels are provided, and there's free WiFi.  A light breakfast with tea or coffee is included in the fare.  In 2022, beautifully refurbished sleeping-cars like the one shown below were deployed on this route, these cars have a shower compartment at one end of the corridor.

The sleeper train from Budapest to Prague

The Czech sleeping-car from Budapest to Prague, boarding at Budapest Nyugati on a summer evening.

Washbasin in Prague-Budapest sleeper   Czech Railways sleeper from Budapest to Prague   Czech Railways sleeper from Budapest to Prague

Washstand, soap & towels provided.  Larger photo.

 

2-bed 'double' sleeper.  Each compartment can be sold as a single, double or triple sleeper.  Larger photo.

 

The corridor.  Each compartment locks securely.  Larger photo.

Czech sleeper toiletries kit  

Czech sleeper breakfast

Toiletries & water are supplied.  Courtesy @AufGleis13.

Breakfast with tea or coffee is included. Photo Ivor Morgan.

What's the couchette car like?

From early April until early September the train also has one (or occasionally two) comfortable Czech couchette cars with 9 compartments, each of which can be used as 4-berth or 6-berth.  Clean sheets and a pillow are provided, the doors have a normal lock and security lock or chain.  Toilets and washrooms at the end of the corridor.  Couchette compartments are not segregated by gender, as you do not normally get fully undressed.  See generic couchette car numbering plan See larger couchette photo.

The Prague to Budapest couchette car at Prague Hlavni   6-bunk couchettes on Czech night train

Couchette car to Budapest, boarding at Prague Hlavni.

 

6-berth.  Larger photo.

How much does it cost?

How to buy sleeper tickets

Travel tips


VideoBratislava to Budapest by train


 

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