When visiting Prague, many people want to extend their vacation and visit some of the other great cities Eastern Europe offers. These include places such as Bratislava, Warsaw and Zagreb. Still, the most popular addition to any vacation in Prague is undoubtedly a trip to the Hungarian capital of Budapest. This city can rival Prague in terms of culture and entertainment. One problem that many people find is how best to book tickets for this reasonably long train trip, though, but in reality, it is straightforward to accomplish!
Should you know before you leave for your vacation that you want to head to Budapest after visiting Prague, then, without doubt, the easiest way to book tickets is through the website of Czech Railways. The website even comes in English, simply by clicking on the option in the top right-hand corner of the screen. It must be noted that these tickets can only be purchased three days in advance, though, so for those planning on being in Prague for longer than that, they can’t be booked from home. In this case, there are plenty of places with internet connections in the city that can book the tickets closer to the date of departure.
There are a couple of different things that you must ensure that you do, though, when buying tickets in this way. The first is to print the tickets in letter A4 format or larger, as they contain a barcode. If you print them in a smaller paper format, the barcode will be squashed, and therefore the conductor will be unable to scan them. Also, ensure that the conductor validates the ticket on the way to Budapest as if they don’t, then the ticket will be invalid for the return journey.
It is also possible to buy tickets at the station when you want to take a train, but doing this will prevent you from getting the tickets you want. This is because the cheaper seats fill up quickly on trains leaving Prague, and they are limited in number – should this happen, you will either have to pay for a more expensive seat or wait for another train to become available. Therefore, booking online is, without a doubt, the best way to go!
Alternative – Minibus between Prague and Budapest
How to buy train or Bus from Budapest to Prague?
Don’t use unofficial train company websites – you will pay a lot more than you need to, and they also often provide incorrect information. Just buy the ticket in Budapest the day before, or even on the same day – the day special fare shouldn’t cost more than €29. The night train will cost more, at about €70, but you will save on a hotel. Alternatively you could buy a bus ticket, but a train is much more comfortable and for a similar price. For bus booking try EuroLines, http://www.Orangeways.com or http://www.StudentAgency.cz. If you wish even more comfort you can book a private minibus transfer from Prague Airport Transfers. It will cost you more, but on the other side you will have door-to-door transport, and you will also save hassle with your baggage.