Trains - Eastern Europe

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Hi,

I am heading for a 2 week break next month to Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Krakow in that order.
I have looked up various sites on the internet but cannot find anyone which allows you to book online with the prices shown, I will probably just buy them when I get there. Does anyone have any prior experience with this?
 
Buy when you arrive - it's probably much easier (and cheaper)

The CIE office on Abbey St. in Dublin used to be able to sell European Rail Tickets .. but it certainly used to be a very laborious process and often cost more than buying locally. (I'm not even sure they could do eastern European tickets)
 
Booking tickets in advance will deprive you of the opportunity of changing your itinerary once you are on holidays. You might want to spend a day or 2 extra in, say, Budapest once you are there. The opposite might apply to Bratislava. In general, public transport tickets in Eastern Europe are inexpensive and there are no problems in getting tickets so booking in advance might be an unnecessary chore,
 
Hello Infoseeker,


I one travelled by train from Budapest to Bratislava.

Nov 2003.

Got ticket on day in train station in Hungary.

Train station is a bit of a kip.

Queued for ages in what i thought was ticket line.

Got to front only to be told that i couldnt buy international tickets.

Went upstairs in train station to a kind fo travel agent. No waiting etc. Ticket was cheap. Paid by credit card also.
 
I would not bother buying the tickets until you get there. The trick I used was to buy a ticket for the follow on journey once I get there. Works out up to 50% cheaper than what you get for them here. I have used this system a few times.


If looking for the prices/timetables of Polish trains try www.pkp.pl. Not sure where to get timetables for the rest of them.
 
Hi Boris,

Thanks for the reply.
I am not 100% sure what you mean by 'to buy a ticket for the follow on journey once I get there'

Do you mean just buy the ticket when you get to the station?

I am going from Budapest to Bratislava, then Bratislava to Vienna, Vienna to Krakow and finally an overnight trip from krakow to Budapest.

I was just going to book each ticket when I reach each city, is this the correct option?
 
You won't necessarily need a train to go from Bratislava to Vienna. It only takes 40 minutes or so by bus and buses are very frequent, if memory serves me correctly.

Vienna-Krakow and Krakow-Budapest are long distances. Allowing for the time you will spend on trains (including an overnight trip that at best will be a lot less comfortable than a hotel bed) it might be more worthwhile to give Krakow a miss and spend an extra 1-2 days in Budapest.
 
Yes. Just buy the next ticket as soon as you get there especially if you are booking for sleeper carriages. Ubiquitos is right, less comfortable and very rackety. Don't guarantee on getting much sleep.
 
Thanks again.
Headed there for 2 weeks; 4 days in Budapest, 2 in Bratislava, 4 in Vienna and 4 in Krakow so will put up with the less than comfortable train conditions.
I will be fine but the girlfriend will probably moan:)
 
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