5 important things you should know before travelling by train in Hungary
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.
Avoid getting a fine
County and country passes are amazing for avoiding the queues most of the time. However, you should keep in mind that you have to purchase a seat reservation ticket for certain trains in the country (usually InterCity and Express trains). If you do not get your supplementary tickets, the train’s staff will give you a fine and/or throw you off at the next stop.
Travelling by train in Hungary for free?
Young children under the age of 14 and adults over 65 can travel for free to Lake Balaton. This discount applies not only to Hungarian citizens but also to tourists from other countries. For a long time, only tourists from EU countries (with the exception of a few other countries) were eligible for this discount. However, even if you are travelling for free, you must have an ID card to prove your age. The staff only accepts physical cards, thus taking a photo of your ID is not enough. In addition, you must purchase supplementary tickets for the above-mentioned trains to avoid getting a fine while travelling by train in Hungary.
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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.