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Budapest to Berlin by train
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Routes
From Budapest Nyugati to Berlin Hbf
Journey Summary
11hr 35min
Daily
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months ahead of the travel date
When making an online booking, check that you’re looking at booking info for this direct train,
On the DB Bahn booking site look for the journey that has:
0 in the Chg. column
EC (and only EC) in the Products column
and departs Budapest at around 07:40
Our step-by-step guide to booking train tickets (and reservations) on the DB (German national railways) website is available HERE.
RESERVATIONS:
Seats will actually be assigned when booking tickets online on MAV and if you book 1st class tickets on DB.
Book 2nd class tickets on DB, or if you have a rail pass, reservations are optional for this journey, but this train tends to be particularly busy in 2nd class between Praha and Berlin.
So if you want peace of mind that you will have an assigned seat for the entire journey, adding a reservation when making a booking is recommended.
However, if you book in person at the international rail desk at Nyugati station, you will have to request that a reservation be added to the booking.
Rail pass users can purchase reservations online on DB Bahn - or in person at the international travel desks at Nyugati or Keleti stations - but do that when you first arrive in Budapest, the office is unlikely to be open before the train makes it early start!
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB Bahn | from €39 | |
| MAV | from €39 |
On this journey
Journey Features
Good to Know
Note that this train service departs from Budapest-Nyugati station and NOT Budapest-Keleti station.
It is usually scheduled to depart from Budapest-Nyugati station at 07:40.
Final Destination: Hamburg
Train also calls at: Praha/Prague, Dresden, Berlin Südkreuz
Check the lcoation of your final destination in Berlin, as Berlin-Sudkreuz station is connected by local S-Bahn trains to the eastern and western edges of the city centre, and it has direct S-Bahn trains to FriedrichstraBe.
Type of Scenery: River
Star Rating: ***
As the train travels through Hungary, either side of Vac, there are some views of The Danube from the left of the train.
Between Prague and Dresden, the train travels through the beautiful Elbe River valley, but sit on the right of the train (when facing the direction of travel) for the best views.
Travellling by overnight train:
The overnight train service from Budapest to Berlin has been restored to the timetable,
The journey by overnight train is around two hours longer than this daytime journey, but only around 20% of this daytime train is particularly scenic - so that overnight train can be a good option on this route.
Note that this train service departs from Budapest-Nyugati station and NOT Budapest-Keleti station.
It is usually scheduled to depart from Budapest-Nyugati station at 07:40.
Final Destination: Hamburg
Train also calls at: Praha/Prague, Dresden, Berlin Südkreuz
Check the lcoation of your final destination in Berlin, as Berlin-Sudkreuz station is connected by local S-Bahn trains to the eastern and western edges of the city centre, and it has direct S-Bahn trains to FriedrichstraBe.
Type of Scenery: River
Star Rating: ***
As the train travels through Hungary, either side of Vac, there are some views of The Danube from the left of the train.
Between Prague and Dresden, the train travels through the beautiful Elbe River valley, but sit on the right of the train (when facing the direction of travel) for the best views.
Travellling by overnight train:
The overnight train service from Budapest to Berlin has been restored to the timetable,
The journey by overnight train is around two hours longer than this daytime journey, but only around 20% of this daytime train is particularly scenic - so that overnight train can be a good option on this route.
From Budapest Keleti to Berlin Hbf
Journey Summary
13hr 51min
Nightly
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Budapest at 19:25, so target that time when looking up this journey.
Online bookings open:
6 months ahead of the travel date on OBB
3 months ahead of the travel date on DB Bahn
Our guide to booking night train tickets on the DB (German national railways) website is available HERE.
The choice of accommodation - summary:
- Compartment Seats (Sitzwagen)
- Couchettes (Liegewagen); 4 berths AND 6 berths
- Standard sleeping cars (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins
- Deluxe sleeping cars (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins
Click the yellow train button above for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:
The first price you will see on the OBB ticketing site will be for the compartment seats.
Travelling with a rail pass:
Rail pass users must reserve before boarding these trains
However, these rail pass reservations can NO longer be booked online the DB website.
If you want to reserve seats, berths in couchettes or beds in the sleeping cabins before you arrive in Germany, the best option is to pay a booking fee and use the Eurail or InterRail reservation services**.**
Or you can avoid the booking fees by arranging the reservations when you arrive in Germany, by purchasing them at a Reisezentrum travel desk, which you will find in any hauptbahnhof.
Though it's best to do this at the first hauptbahnhof (city centre station) that you will arrive at, the later you leave booking your accommodation, the more likely it is that your preferences will be sold out.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| OBB | * | |
| DB Bahn | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Berlin-Charlottenburg
This station is in West Berlin, but if you'll be heading to the area around Berlin Zoo station, leave this train at Berlin Hbf and take an S-Bahn train to Zoologischer station.
This train also calls at: Berlin Ostbahnhof
If you will be heading to Berlin city centre, then it's likely that your best option will be to leave this train at this station - and connect there into one of the frequent S-Bahn trains to Alexanderplatz or Friedrichstrabe stations.
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Budapest-Keleti Hbf station at 19:25 and it also stops in Vac at 20:07.
It is usually due to arrive in Berlin Hbf station at 09:16.
Our guide to travelling on European overnight trains is available HERE.
Travelling by the daytime train:
Budapest and Berlin are connected by what it now one of Europe's longest daytime train journeys.
The daytime journey isn't without scenic highlights, but this is a route on which the balance can tip in favour of taking this night train - particularly as it has a comfortable arrival time in Berlin.
Note that this overnight train departs from Keleti station in Budapest, but the daytime train departs from Budapeseet-Nyugati station.
Final Destination: Berlin-Charlottenburg
This station is in West Berlin, but if you'll be heading to the area around Berlin Zoo station, leave this train at Berlin Hbf and take an S-Bahn train to Zoologischer station.
This train also calls at: Berlin Ostbahnhof
If you will be heading to Berlin city centre, then it's likely that your best option will be to leave this train at this station - and connect there into one of the frequent S-Bahn trains to Alexanderplatz or Friedrichstrabe stations.
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Budapest-Keleti Hbf station at 19:25 and it also stops in Vac at 20:07.
It is usually due to arrive in Berlin Hbf station at 09:16.
Our guide to travelling on European overnight trains is available HERE.
Travelling by the daytime train:
Budapest and Berlin are connected by what it now one of Europe's longest daytime train journeys.
The daytime journey isn't without scenic highlights, but this is a route on which the balance can tip in favour of taking this night train - particularly as it has a comfortable arrival time in Berlin.
Note that this overnight train departs from Keleti station in Budapest, but the daytime train departs from Budapeseet-Nyugati station.
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