How To Save
- Domestic Ticket: In spite of price rises and supplements the domestic rail ticket comes out as the most reasonable - cheaper than an international ticket even if bought with a Rail Plus discount. There are reasonable connections from Sopron, Hegyeshalom (Vienna-Budapest) and other border train stations where you may purchase your ticket.
- Free travel for EU citizens from age 65 with Volán Bus, MÁV State Railways and City Transports.
- Budapest Airport to City by rail. Purchase your rail ticket at the Tourinform information booth of Terminal 1 for as little as HUF 300 (little more than 1 Euro). Then turn left outside of the terminal and walk past the taxi and bus stops, follow the MÁV signs to the platform, and board one of the trains that leave for the Western Station every 10 or 15 minutes. Travel time is 20-23 minutes, much less than any other means of transport. (Terminal 2 has no railway link. BKV bus 200E runs to the Kőbánya-Kispest metro terminal; depending on your destination, it might be a good idea to get off the bus at Ferihegy Terminal 1 railway station.) There is no ticket counter at the platform, purchase the ticket at the Tourinform counter or if it is closed, the conductor will sell a ticket on the train.
- Budapest city transport: network tickets usually work out much cheaper than single tickets. (A single ticket is valid only for one ride on one single means of transport - with the exception of the Metro system where a ticket is valid for 60 minutes, no need to validate another ticket when changing to another Metro line.) Network tickets ("bérlet") valid for 2 weeks or a month are also valid for train and Volán bus rides within city boundaries. This does not apply to day passes ("napijegy" - 1, 3 or 7 days).
- Hungary Card: Hungarian Tourist Card holders are entitled to a number of reduced price tickets for the trains (2x2 half price return tickets second and first class and 2x 33% single ticket second class), busses between cities (3x50%) and boats. There are also free and reduced tourist passes for city transport as well as numerous other excellent offers for tourists including reduced admission to sights and discounted accommodation along with extensive listings. Costing around 25 Euros, this tourist card is available from major train and coach stations, or from the 'Tourinform' tourist information offices (or online ordering if you have an address in Hungary).
- Rail travel on a friendly rate with InterRail - choose the number and the dates of travel days, valid in Hungary for both the MÁV and GYSEV networks.
- MÁV START Club cards: Personal Start Club cards are also available for half a year - of interest if you stay in Hungary for an extended season and frequently travel by train; free bike tickets in July and August, 25% RailPlus reduction for international tickets. 1. A "BahnCard" type annual 50% card scheme for HUF 34,900/year and HUF 24,900 for 'under 26', 5,000 reduction in case of prolongation. 2. With Bónusz Card for 250 th HUF you can ride all trains 2nd class during one year, pay only supplements and 1st class surcharge. 3. With VIP Card for 280 th HUF is an all-inclusive individual rail travel pass, ride any train 1st and 2nd class (like Prémium but only the holder may use it). 4. MÁV START Klub PREMIUM Card for companies and organisations (not available to private persons) is valid for 1st and 2nd class, no supplements required, non-compulsory IC seat reservation and business lounge use for free, anybody can travel with it! Prémium Card is an excellent option for frequent travellers with a corporate/organisational background. For little more than EUR 1,000 +VAT, next to good management of the card within the organisation it can greatly simplify travel and reduce both administration and travel expenses. All Klub cards: On Saturdays another accompanying person not holding a card can travel for half the price.
- Major MÁV reductions: Children under 6 travel free, from 6-14 years of age 50% reduction. Discounts for under 26’s are available for tickets valid from Friday 10am to midnight on Sunday and on holidays. EU citizens from age 65 travel for free and all ladies and gentlemen from age 55 are entitled to a 20% discount. Next to 2 minors 1-2 adult companions are entitled to a 33% discount, and if accompanied by 3 or more children of their own, one parent or both parents as well as all children will receive a 90% discount. At present a graduated group reduction is available to large groups of 10+ only. Monthly or weekly commuter rail tickets for the relation of your choice. Monthly or 2-weekly Budapest passes are also good for trains and Volán coaches.
- EURegio - Special Hungary return tickets (ÖBB Austrian Railways / MÁV): travel with EURegio trains from Vienna, Graz and Wiener Neustadt to Hungarian towns and cities near the border, or other way round.
- Volánbusz NetPrice (allocated online tickets) and Bonus 10-40 (no alterations, return ticket, the earlier the cheaper)
- Orangeways is a private coach company with an excellent service, a simple concept and friendly rates
- Accommodation: Reasonably priced private accommodation can be found on the homepages of numerous towns and cities. Most professional databases are less helpful. If you speak no Hungarian and no English info is available, then allow friends or spontaneously made acquaintances to help you in your choice or to make phone calls for you, or pay a visit to the local Tourinform office where they will be happy to help.
- Telephone: Prefixes 20, 30 and 70 are mobile phones and rather expensive to call. Buy a Prepaid Telephone Card; calls cost around a third of the price of calls made from T-Com phone boxes.