I know there's a train from Warsaw to Budapest. You take the Intercity PKP I think, it should depart around 10-11pm. Not sure if there's information on the PKP website but the best way is to go to Warszawa Centralna train station and ask for information from the Intercity booth. I don't remember how much it cost but it should be no more than $30 both ways.
Warning: the train ride may take 12 hours. When me and my friends took the train, we got stuck in this one place in Slovakia (Srnica or whatever it's called) for straight up an hour. They changed the head engine there and the coach got moving. Next thing we know we're heading back in the same direction and the signboard "Srnica" showed up again. Probably another head engine change or the train conductor forgot his lunchbox.
hi guys...i'm planning to visit krakow in end of coming january, from there i would like to travel to budapest, is there any cheapest n best way to go there from krakow?thanks
The best would be flying, the cheapest hitch-hiking ;-) But seriously, I think that there is no direct flight to Budapest from Krakow airport or from nearby Pyrzowice airport. But there is direct night train:
Kraków Główny 30.01.10 leaves at 22:11 (10:11 p.m) Budapest-Keleti pu 31.01.10 arrives at 08:32 a.m. (it suppose to be everyday train)
source: pkp.pl
PS. it says that it is train with couchettes only. Personally I used that kind of train once travelling from Wroclaw (Poland) to Berlin. It was quite long journey, but I just fall asleep in the evening and woke up in the morning. It was quite comfortable and I think quite safe.
I called PKP today in the morning and asked them the price of: 2nd class, intercity, one way ticket Warsaw Central - Budapest Keleti for one person (departure from Warsaw - 6:45 AM).
They told me 405PLN
The numbers are 19 757 (for TP S.A. clients) or (022) 19 436
That's possible. However, $30 both ways still sounds incredibly cheap. Maybe your friend was able to get some sort of a very special discount on the tickets?
Ordinary train ticket, 2nd class, from Gdańsk to Warsaw (both ways) costs 120PLN (that's over $40) so it would be odd if Intercity ticket to Budapest was cheaper than that.
That's possible. However, $30 both ways still sounds incredibly cheap. Maybe your friend was able to get some sort of a very special discount on the tickets?
We were visiting students at the time, and I did have to present my legitymacja so I think there could be a student discount. That was a year ago in October. You're right that a Budapest ticket should cost more than a Gdansk ticket - but it should not be *that* expensive i.e. 405zl.
Polrail are highly, highly recommended by me - fantastic customer service. They do charge a premium, but for their highly specific knowledge and ability to book obscure fares that bamboozle PKP Intercity workers, they're second to none.
Certainly, they're recommended if you want to book anything esoteric.
thank you guys...i've checked the bus website,but unfortunately for the date that i wanted ( 31st jan) it's very expensive! so, i think i ;ve to cancel my trip to budapest and just spend more time in krakow n warsaw, from warsaw i ll go to prague ( czech train is cheap!)
yes there is a direct train from Warsaw to Budapest, but it's quite expensive, I think. it costs about 470 (return ticket). the journey takes about 11 hours. There is cheaper connections going by bus. There are a lot of direct connection form Warsaw for ex Ecolines, Eurolines or Orangeways (it's the chepast, I think- one-way ticket costs 70 zl=17 EUR) but it starts from Cracow.
I'm going to go Budapest next week on Friday, so that's why I know a bit ;)