There are six direct trains between Prague – Holesovice and Budapest – Keleti palyaudvar (Budapest – Keleti pu, which is Hungarian for Budapest Eastern Railway). A one-way ordinary ticket (not discounted) costs 55 EUR. A return ticket can be bought at a discounted rate of 82 EUR (both tickets – 2nd Class, without seat reservation).
There are two overnight ‘sleeper’ trains and one daily train, leaving from Prague – Hlavni nadrizi, destination Budapest – Keleti palyaudvar.
| train | from | dep. | to | arr. |
| EC 345 Avala | Prague | 05:28 | Budapest | 12:32 |
| R 471 Amicus /477 2. | Prague | 21:40 | Budapest | 08:32 |
| EN 477 Metropol 2. | Prague | 00:42 | Budapest | 08:32 |
There are three trains leaving from Prague – Holesovice, destination Budapest – Keleti palyaudvar.
| train | from | dep. | to | arr. |
| EC 273 Jaroslav Hašek | Prague | 07:30 | Budapest | 14:32 |
| EC 171 Hungaria | Prague | 11:30 | Budapest | 18:32 |
| EC 175 Jan Jesenius | Prague | 15:30 | Budapest | 22:32 |
Buying tickets online
If you wish to purchase tickets online, be warned that some international websites selling tickets do charge an extra booking fee, and you might end up paying up to twice as much compared to if you buy the tickets directly from the Czech Railways website.
Eurocity trains connect Prague to Berlin, Vienna and Budapest. It is a very comfortable way of travel, but not as quick as in other countries – Eurocity has an average speed of about 120 km/h as the Czech railroad network is not suitable for higher speeds.
Alternative: Private transfer by taxi, minibus or coach.
Additional Information: The direct Budapest trains do not stop in Vienna. It is possible, though, to travel directly to Vienna and then by train to Budapest. Tickets must be purchased separately for each part of the journey. Generally, advance booking is not required, unless you are travelling in the high season: Easter, Christmas etc. However, for peace of mind, it is advisable to buy tickets or make a reservation one day before travelling.
