I was fortunate enough to be sent to a conference in Budapest and I decided to return from Budapest to London by train instead of plane. Train is my favourite way to travel as it’s usually far more comfortable and more spacious than other modes of transport, and I like being able to see where I’m going along the way.
Read on for more information, including some top tips for the journey and details of how much it costs.
Incidentally, Budapest is one of my favourite European cities and I’ve written an article about it here.
What was the route?
I took four trains on my journey from Budapest to London:
- Budapest to Vienna (afternoon)
- Vienna to Cologne (overnight)
- Cologne to Brussels (morning)
- Brussels to London (afternoon)
Budapest to Vienna
Start your journey at Budapest-Keleti and travel across the Hungarian countryside into Austria.
This leg of the journey takes just under three hours and it flew by for me, partly due to the comfortable seat and the surprising amount of leg room.
My top tips for this section of the journey are:
Check which station the train departs from in Budapest
Some train routes out of Budapest begin at Budapest-Déli station rather than Budapest-Keleti. It’s worth checking options for both when booking.
The train calls at two stations in Vienna
The train stops at both Vienna Meidling and Vienna Central Station. I almost got off at Vienna Meidling before realising it was the wrong stop!
Lounge access at Vienna Central Station
You can use the ÖBB lounge at Vienna Central Station for 90 minutes before your train departs. But there’s a catch: you only get access if you’ve booked a first class or sleeper ticket (not couchette).
I used the three hour gap between my trains to venture briefly into Vienna. But otherwise it was fairly dull wandering around the station rather than sitting in the lounge as I had envisaged. Fortunately the station has a wide range of places to buy food and to sit down.
Vienna to Cologne (overnight)
The next leg of your journey from Budapest to London by train is the overnight train from Vienna to Cologne. This Nightjet sleeper train took just under 11 hours. I had booked into a six-person couchette car, which is the cheapest option.
The sleeping arrangements
This was a small but efficient space. It’s essentially an old-style compartment with two bench seats facing each other, and one bed at the top of each side of the compartment, and then the back of each bench folds up leaving you with a three-level bunk bed. There’s enough storage space underneath the bottom bunk for several suitcases, and also a shelf above the compartment door.
A sheet, blanket and pillow are provided for each passenger. There’s a shared toilet at the end of the corridor.
I have to say this was not the most comfortable night I’ve ever spent. You are basically sleeping on train seats which feel increasingly harder throughout the night. However, it’s still better than an aeroplane seat because at least you’re lying down. And you get breakfast in the morning – a choice of tea or coffee and two bread rolls with butter and jam.
You do have the option to splash out on more comfortable beds. You can choose a sleeper compartment for one to three people, some of which come with their own basin and toilet. The slightly cheaper option is a four-person couchette.
Time in Cologne
If you have time to kill in Cologne before your next train, the cathedral is right outside the station. It’s a very imposing sight with the mass of dark stone looming over the square! The station also has a variety of cafes where you can recharge after your night on the move.
Cologne to Brussels
The next step in the journey is the train from Cologne to Brussels.
This train was around two hours. The seats are fairly spacious. There seemed to be no reserved seating other than a lot of seats marked “BahnBonus Status”, meaning that anyone who has that membership status can sit in a seat reserved in that way. So if you haven’t got a seat number on your ticket then it’s best to find an unmarked seat so that you don’t have to move if someone with BahnBonus Status wants to sit there.
Brussels to London
The last part of the journey from Budapest to London by train is the Eurostar from Brussels to London.
The Eurostar is one of my favourite trains. It’s comfortable, spacious and quiet, with a café car if you want to buy food on the train.
Remember that you need to arrive at Brussels-Midi station an hour or so before your train departs as you have to go through security and passport control.
This train takes about two and a half hours and takes you under the English Channel to London St Pancras.
Cost
How much did the trains from Budapest to London cost?
I booked my trains about two months in advance and this was the cost:
Budapest to Vienna
The train from Budapest to Vienna cost £12.55.
Vienna to Cologne
The cheapest fare from Vienna to Cologne is £45 for a six-person couchette. You can pay up to £550 for the most luxurious private compartment, and you’ve got lots of options in between.
Cologne to Brussels
The train from Cologne to Brussels cost £35.
Brussels to London
The Eurostar from Brussels to London can cost as little as £39 if you book at a quiet time a long time in advance. I have usually paid £80-120 for a weekend journey booked several months in advance.
Should I travel from Budapest to London by train?
The short answer is yes!
Sadly, it’s difficult for train companies to compete with off-season £20 Ryanair flights and inevitably travelling by train is more expensive than flying. However, it doesn’t have to be extortionate. If you book well in advance, you can get reasonably cheap tickets on most trains. You also save the money you would otherwise have spent travelling to and from airports miles out of the city, so there are small mercies here.
It’s also far more fun to see where you’re going along the way. And you can feel good about travelling more sustainably than flying.