Page 308 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary

306  SUR VIV AL GUIDE TR A VEL INFORM A TION  307

Travelling Around Hungary stop even more frequently. The corner of Hungary. Its fleet of
“slow trains”, személyvonat, stop 1,000 buses reach parts of the
Hungary’s excellent railway network makes it relatively easy at every single town, village country even személyvonat
to travel around. The train is probably the easiest mode of and hamlet. Painfully slow, they trains do not get to, and visitors
transport for longer distances as the fares are also fairly low. should be avoided unless the intending to visit the more
However, the road infrastructure is also rapidly expanding destination is not served by a remote areas of the Great Plain
or the Northern High lands can
faster train.
and improving (for information on driving in Hungary, see Tickets are priced according be certain that one of these
pp308–9). There are InterCity buses, but these are often slow to distance travelled, and the buses will take them there.
and crowded, though undeniably cheap. During the summer type of train used. InterCity Volánbusz services are
many of the towns on the Danube Bend, north of Budapest, trains are the most expensive, usually prompt and reliable,
can be reached by ferry, a most enjoyable way of travelling. személyvonat the cheapest. but single-carriageway roads
In addition to the ticket, a seat
may, of course, slow them
There are no internal flights in Hungary.
reservation is required whenever down. Though most of the
a service is marked with an R, fleet is modern and relatively
Travelling by Train
as well as busy services comfortable, the buses
Virtually all trains in Hungary (otherwise, you will travel themselves are often crowded. People waiting on one of the platforms at West Train Station, Budapest
are operated by MÁV (Magyar standing up). For InterCity On longer journeys a refresh-
Államvasutak), a state-owned services, reservations are usu ally ment stop of around 15 minutes coach journey in Hungary, as the services of a guide, who
company; one other company, included in the ticket price. will be scheduled. As with well as for Euro lines services. will point out any sights on
GYSEV, which is co-owned by Buying tickets and making the train network, almost all The Volánbusz timetable is the route, in several lan guages.
the Austrian and Hungarian reservations can be difficult services begin and end in available on the Internet. There are additional cruises
governments, operates trains outside of Budapest, as little Budapest at Népliget, Stadion to popular places, such as
and maintains rails in parts of English is spoken. It is therefore or Árpád Bridge bus stations. Travelling by Boat Mohács, Solt-Révbér puszta
western Hungary. MÁV usually advisable to learn in advance These are easily reached on and Kalocsa.
runs a very good, reliable how to pronounce the desired the metro network, but note One of the most enjoyable
service, which offers excellent destination correctly. Almost that in some towns the coach ways of travelling around DIRECTORY
value for money. Almost all of Ticket office at Déli Station, Budapest all tickets are singles (egy útra), station may be some distance Hungary is by boat. During
the country’s major cities and as the system of charging per outside the city centre. the summer Mahart PassNave Trains
towns are connected by train requiring a seat reservation, kilometre makes the notion Tickets generally cost less operates daily services from Buda Hills Children’s
services, as are a surprisingly which run to all corners of of returns redundant. Returns than the second-class train Vigadó ter in Budapest to Railway
large number of smaller towns Europe. The best domestic (retúr) can be bought to be sure fare equivalent and can be Szentendre, Vác, Visegrád, Széchenyi-hegy, Budapest.
and villages. The one problem trains are the InterCity (IC) of a reser vation in advance, but obtained from the ticket offices Esztergom and Százhalom- Tel (1) 395 54 20.
is that the network is very services for which a supple ment the price will almost always be at the bus stations. These are batta, with additional services ∑ gyermekvasut.com
much focused on Budapest, is levied. They are very quick exactly double that of a single. usually open 6am–8pm daily. at weekends. The tickets are
and so often the quickest route and comfortable, but currently A good way of ensuring that Volánbusz also has a central not cheap (from around MÁV (Hungarian Railways)
from A to B involves a detour only serve a limited number of you get the ticket and train agency in Budapest, where 2,000–7,500 forints (€6–25) Andrássy út 35.
to the capital. cities to and from Budapest, service you require is to buy all advance tickets can be oneway for adults; children are Tel (1) 371 94 49 (general
information).
There are five different types and stop at few – if any – places tickets in advance in Budapest, purchased for any bus or half-price) but they do include
of train in Hungary, offering in between. Next in line are at the main MÁV office. Here, ∑ mav.hu (timetable)
∑ elvira.hu
vary ing degrees of speed and sebesvonat services, which are English and German are spoken
comfort. The fastest and most less com fortable and stop at and you can buy tickets for every MÁV Nostalgia Tours
luxurious trains are the inter- more stations, while gyorsvonat destination in Hungary, and make ∑ mavnosztalgia.hu
national Express services (Ex), (literally “fast” trains) services reservations for up to 60 days Wasteels
before departure. A useful service Kerepesi út 2–6, Keleti Station
is also provided by Wasteels, the (Platform 9), Budapest.
international rail ticketing agent, Tel (1) 210 28 02, (1) 343 34 92.
which has an office at Keleti ∑ wasteels.hu
Station (see Directory).
At the stations it is impor tant Inter-City buses
to know that indulás means
“departures” and érkezés Volánbusz/Eurolines
“arrivals”. The Hungarian word Űllöi út 131, Budapest.
for “platform” is vágány. The entire Tel (1) 382 08 88 (general
railway timetable for all routes information); (1) 219 80 63
in Hungary is also posted on (reservations).
∑ volanbusz.hu
the internet, in English, with full
pricing and routing information. Boats
Mahart PassNave
Travelling by Bus Belgrád rakpart, Budapest.
The state-owned Volánbusz Tel (1) 484 40 00.
company operates an extensive ∑ mahartpassnave.hu
An Express train in Nyugati Station, Budapest network of buses serving every River boat in Budapest, passing the Royal Palace

306-307_EW_Hungary.indd 306 18/09/17 3:41 pm 306-307_EW_Hungary.indd 307 18/09/17 3:41 pm