Traveling by train from Vienna to Budapest? This post will analyze the route featuring prices and train station overview in both cities
How to travel from Vienna to Budapest by train? Check our guide on how to get from the Austrian capital to Budapest, including how to buy train tickets online for this route.
If you are planning to travel by train from Vienna to Budapest, this post will bring all the information you will need to have an optimal trip. It includes information on the train stations in both Vienna and Budapest. It also feature prices, routes and travel duration.
The Vienna Budapest rail route is pretty busy. Train travel is the best and probably fastest way to travel between this two cities, with most services being operated by the ÖBB Railjet.
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Vienna to Budapest by Train: Overview
Train Stations in Vienna
Train Stations in Budapest
Traveling time from Vienna to Budapest
Buy Tickets / Prices from Vienna to Budapest
Train Travel Resources
How to Travel by Train from Vienna to Budapest: Overview
Traveling by train from Budapest to Vienna is fast, uncomplicated and relatively cheap. There are many trains departing daily, from early in the morning until the end of the day. Most of these trains are Railjets, and some of them are EuroCity trains.
Vienna to Budapest (City Center)
For almost all travelers in the Vienna Budapest route, the trip will start in the Vienna Main Station and will end in the Budapest Eastern Station. If you starting or ending in any other point of these two cities, you will need at least one connection.
The ÖBB Railjet operates in most of the frequencies of this route, especially those ending in Budapest. The EuroCity trains operating in this route usually travel further to Romania or Serbia, after Budapest. There are also some EuroNight trains operating longer routes that stop pass by Vienna enroute to Budapest.
The routes and timetables may change, depending on a number of factors, but you can check them at the Rail Europe website.
Vienna Airport (Wien Schwechat) to Budapest
If you are arriving at the Vienna Airport (Wien Schwechat) and want to reach Budapest by train, the fastest option involves one connection. You will start your journey taking a Railjet train at the Vienna Airport (Flughafen Wien) to the Vienna main station (Wien Hauptbahnhof). This trip takes 16 minutes.
Once at the Vienna Main Station, you will take a direct train to Budapest Keleti (Budapest East Station).
Train Stations in Vienna
There are three important stations in Vienna, located in different parts of the city. The most important is the Vienna Central Railway Station (Wien Hauptbahnhof).
The other relevant stations are Wien Westbahnhof and Wien Meidling.
You can take a direct trip to Budapest from both the Vienna Central Station and the Meidling station. However, the availability of direct trains is greater at the Central Station. All trains between Vienna and Budapest stop at the Central Station, but now all stop at the Meidling station.
If you are staying in the Vienna Central Railway Station area, you can click here to check accommodations near this station on Booking.com
Train Stations in Budapest
There are four stations in Budapest with relevant traffic of passengers. They are Budapest Keleti (East Station), Nyugati (Western Station) and Budapest Déli (South Station).
However, if you are taking a direct route from Austria, Germany and some other countries to Budapest, Keleti is the only station that the train it will stop.
The Budapest Keleti Station is located in the central part of Pest, has many restaurants and has many restaurants and fast foods around it. The station also has lockers and a pretty good infrastructure.
The Keleti station is very well connected by public transport, with easy access to the underground transport, buses and taxis.
The district where the Keleti station is located is also a good place to stay in Budapest, especially along the Rákóczi street, towards the Blaha Lujza square.
If you are staying in the Budapest Keleti area, you can click here to check accommodations near this station on Booking.com
Traveling Time by Train from Vienna to Budapest
The traveling time from Vienna (Wien Hauptbahnhof) to Budapest using direct trains (Railjet, EuroCity and EuroNight) is of roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes. The trip is usually uncomplicated and without any border checks, as both Austria and Hungary are in the EU.
How to Buy a Train Ticket from Vienna to Budapest
There are a few options to buy train tickets from Vienna to Budapest.
The first option is the Austrian railways website. You can also buy train tickets from Vienna to Budapest using Trainline or Rail Europe.
If you want, you can also buy your tickets at any Austrian railway station, even minutes before departing, as long as there are available seats.
Train Travel Resources
Booking.com: the most complete website for finding hotels and accommodation anywhere.
World Nomads: if you are travelling abroad, you can get insurance from World Nomads. With a vast coverage in number of countries and activities, World Nomads is a great option for any kind of traveler.
CheapOair: this is one of my favorite websites for buying airline tickets for flights for any destination in the world. One of the best advantages of CheapOair is that they accept not only the usual credit card payments but also PayPal.
Train Travel Guide: in our railway travel guide, you will learn how to choose and ride the most scenic train routes around the world, always in the most comfortable way with optimal prices to enhance your travel experience.