5 important things you should know before travelling by train in Hungary
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Travelling by train in Hungary can be a tough cookie if you are not familiar with certain things. During the summer, many people choose to travel by train to Lake Balaton. Luckily, there is a myriad of easily approachable destinations near Budapest that could be the perfect spot for a day trip. Here are some important things you should keep in mind while planning your journey.
Plan ahead!
Bors has collected some important aspects you should consider before hopping on a train in Hungary. For instance, you should always plan ahead. Whether you are travelling by bus or train in Hungary, or maybe a mix of the two, you can plan your journey with EMMA, MÁV’s travel planning system.
Day and night around Lake Balaton
During the summer, many people travel to Lake Balaton during the day to spend some time by the lake. Meanwhile, others prefer the vivid nightlife, going to festivals and parties. Luckily, your ride home is covered by MÁV, as there are trains connecting the lake and the capital running day and night.
Bring your bike along!
You can bring your bike along for your journey at Lake Balaton, but there are some important things you should pay attention to. Whether you have a bicycle ticket or a bicycle country pass, you must purchase an additional bicycle space reservation ticket. It is advisable to buy it as early as possible, as the trains have a limited capacity for storing bikes. If you do not buy your ticket in time, you will have to choose a later train that still has an available space for your bike.
I am a Hungarian citizen. But I invite an US citizen ti visit, over 65. Does s he get free access to Budapest public system and trains like EU travelers?
Dear Hanna,
Yes, she is eligible for free travelling. Both BKK and MÁV have this discount. Just remember that she still has to purchase supplementary tickets for certain trains.
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The most important things first time users need to know about trains in Hungary is that there’s unlikely to be functioning AC on their train, and; its unlikely to arrive at their destination on time. Caveat emptor.