Rail travel is one of the most popular ways of discovering Europe, and the most scenic. Travelers who want to take multiple trips in-between countries will save hundreds of dollars by purchasing a rail pass. However, if you will only be traveling in Hungary, a rail pass might not be necessary. One-way and round-trip tickets in Hungary, as well as in many countries across Eastern Europe, are surprisingly inexpensive. Even sleeper cars on trains in Europe are cheaper than the skyrocketing prices in North America.
One of the biggest pros of buying a rail pass is to avoid the hassle of buying tickets before every single train trip. In Hungary, reservations are only required for overnight and international trains. But for a domestic train trip, one can simply validate their rail pass at a machine in the station and hop on the train.
Cost of point-to-point tickets within Hungary: one-way tickets in second class can cost between US$5-30. For first-class tickets, add 50%. To calculate the fares for your itinerary, click here to check the fares on the rail company’s website. Add up the fare of all journeys you want to take, and compare it to the price of the Eurail Pass.
Second Class versus First Class: in central and eastern Europe, there is very little difference between the two classes on domestic trains. First Class is quieter as there are fewer travelers, and have a table, which makes it ideal for those who want to work while traveling from point A to B. Second Class has more passengers, and not all seats have a table.
Important to know for Rail Passes on international trains:
- If you’re in possession for more than one rail pass (for example, you are traveling from Budapest to Bratislava and hold a Hungary Rail Pass and a Slovakia Rail Pass), you will a day on each pass since you’re crossing the border. The Hungary Rail Pass wouldn’t be valid in Slovakia, hence, once you’ve crossed the border, you must use a day on the Slovakia Rail Pass.
- When traveling between two countries, it is important to know the route your train will be taking. You must hold a rail pass for all countries that you’re traveling through, even if you will not disembark in those countries. For example, if you’re traveling from Budapest to Prague and the train travels through Slovakia, you must hold a pass for all 3 countries.