Europe attracts tourists all over the world with its stunning cultural and historical heritage, a high standard of living, a rich and informative vacation. Hungary is a famous European power. Its capital, Budapest, is visited annually by hundreds of thousands of travelers from various corners of the globe.
Many tourists who have visited Budapest are beginning to be interested in the opportunity to continue their journey already in Vienna. This desire is quite understandable and justified, because Budapest and Vienna are the cities of the once united empire. Now they represent different European powers, but are still close to each other. So why not take this unique opportunity?
Possible options
So, today you can get from Budapest to Vienna in several ways:
- by train;
- by bus;
- by car;
- on the boat;
- as part of a guided tour.
Why not a plane?
"What about the plane?" - you ask. Indeed, an airplane is the most efficient and safest option for travelers, but the cost of a flight can hardly be called budget. In this case, it’s not even the price. The distance from Budapest to Vienna is only 240 km. Agree, you will spend much more time during registration than on the way. Of course, you can go to the Vienna Airport website . Budapest can also offer you several options. Our task is to introduce tourists to the most efficient and budgetary ways. In order to form an objective assessment of each of the above options, we dwell on them in more detail.
Train travel
Several dozen regular trains leave from Budapest to Vienna daily. It must be admitted that the railway communication between the cities is well established. That is why many tourists stop at this option. If you are planning a Vienna-Budapest tour, the reviews of which have inspired and inspired you, it would be nice to get acquainted with the train schedule in advance. You will notice that the trains begin to depart in the early morning (5-6 o’clock in the morning) and go along the route until the evening (18-19 o’clock).
The intricacies of train travel planning
Almost all trains from Budapest to Vienna leave from the Kelenföld vasútállomás railway station. The cars are characterized by an increased level of comfort, so the travel time (2.5 hours) will pass unnoticed. These trains come into comparison, perhaps, only with the Russian Swallow and Sapsan. The cost of a round-trip ticket starts from 26 euros and depends not only on the selected train, but also on the departure time. We advise you not to tie it to a specific place when purchasing a ticket. In this case, you can use it throughout the day, as well as the next day.
It makes no sense to give an exact train schedule, because it changes from time to time. In any case, read it in advance - it is advised to do numerous tourist reviews. Budapest-Vienna-Prague is a fairly popular route, according to seasoned travelers. They advise using the well-known Russian site “Tutu.ru” to familiarize yourself with the train schedule and purchase tickets. All tourists will appreciate the Russian-language menu, which greatly simplifies the trip.
Trains from Budapest arrive at Hauptbahnhof Station, but we recommend getting to Wien-Meidling Station. Why? From there, it is easier to get to the center of the Austrian capital using the metro.
The Vienna-Budapest road (the reviews about this trip are the most positive) will certainly delight and surprise tourists with wonderful views. Many people choose the train, considering it the most budgetary and fastest option. Indeed, if you take into account the minimum cost of a ticket (13 euros each way), it turns out quite inexpensively.
Travel by bus
If you had the opportunity to learn about the Budapest-Vienna-Prague-Dresden tour, then for sure you will not be afraid of long and sometimes not the most comfortable trips. Your goal is to get acquainted with the best European powers in one trip. As a rule, mobile tourists, when planning their route, prefer buses.
If you decide to travel from Budapest to Vienna by bus, you should get to the main bus station in the Hungarian capital - Nepliget buszpalyaudvar. Currently, the Budapest-Vienna route is served by several carriers: Orange Ways, Volanbusz and Eurolines. Each option has its own characteristics, so it deserves close attention.
Bus from Orange Ways
To begin, we recommend that you visit the official website of the carrier, available in many world languages. Unfortunately, it is not presented in Russian, but there is an option in English. If it is not available to you, use the virtual translator. All you need to do to purchase tickets is to choose a route, determine the date of the trip and indicate the number of passengers. For students and senior citizens from the EU, a system of benefits and discounts is provided. If you are not an EU citizen, do not rely on such privileges and demand them from the company.
The cost of a ticket in each direction starts from 10 euros, which is already lower than the price of railway tickets. According to the rules of the carrier, one ticket purchased gives the right not only to travel, but also to baggage. Moreover, it is allowed to transport two seats with a total weight of up to 32 kg and dimensions not exceeding 100 x 50 x 40 cm, otherwise you will have to pay extra. In Europe, travel for children under 2 years of age by bus is free only if the parents take the child in their arms, that is, in their place, otherwise you will have to purchase a separate ticket at full cost. And yet, if you go on a trip with a pet, the services of this company are definitely not suitable for you.
Bus from Volanbusz and Eurolines
The official website of the carrier is available only in Hungarian and English. Again, with a virtual translator you should have no problems. The company offers to buy a ticket worth about 10 euros without reference to a specific date and specific flight, which is very convenient. Nevertheless, we recommend that you still get acquainted with the schedule in order to pre-form the route of your short trip. It is noteworthy that a ticket from Vienna to Budapest is much cheaper: about 3-4 euros. Pay attention to this feature and purchase tickets separately.
Now, regarding the conditions of carriage. Each passenger has the right to carry two pieces of baggage with a total weight of not more than 40 kg. The overall dimensions of luggage correspond to a standard luggage bag or suitcase (80 x 80 x 25 cm). The company allows you to carry pets with you. True, in this case it is necessary to use special carrying bags, muzzles. The weight of the bag with the pet should not exceed 10 kg. In rare cases, it is allowed to transport larger animals, but only by special request. The company provides discounts for children and adolescents: the ticket price for children under 3 years old is 20% of the cost of an adult ticket, for children and adolescents under 14 years old - 50%. This carrier is more in demand, as it attracts passengers with loyal conditions and affordable ticket prices.
If you choose a bus for travel, then the travel time will be on average 3-3.5 hours.
Travel by car
If you value your time, are not used to adjusting to someone, we suggest you go to Vienna from Budapest by car. So, as already noted, the distance between cities is 240 km. By car, developing average speed, you can reach your destination in just 2-2.5 hours. It is important to understand that in this case we are talking about moving along the expressway with fairly dense and intense traffic from both the Austrian and the Hungarian sides.
Toll roads
Most often, tourists rent cars. I must admit that the Russians coming to Hungary in a personal car have recently become less and less. So, if you rented a car and decided to go around not only Hungary, but also visit Austria, Vienna in particular, then be sure to discuss this possibility with the tenant. The fact is that in Hungary and Austria there are quite a few toll roads. Therefore, a car rental company may include in the fee the cost of vignettes, which will become your permission to travel on toll roads. If you are an avid traveler and decide to travel by car, you will have to purchase a vignette worth 10 euros in advance.
The Budapest-Vienna route by car can be laid out independently using modern navigation programs and applications. In Hungary, all the vignettes are electronic, there is no need to mount them on the windshield of the car. But, as soon as you cross the border and find yourself in Austria, do not be lazy and fix the vignette. You can buy it in Austria at any gas station, the cost is slightly lower than in Hungary, and is 8 euros.
Some tourists try to deceive the law and drive on toll roads without a vignette. We want to remind you that traffic rules in Europe must be strictly observed. Moreover, the fine for driving without a vignette today reaches 100 euros in Austria and about 50 euros in Hungary. Agree, the cost of the vignette is much less.
The cost of one liter of AI-95 gasoline is in the range of about 1 euro. Tourists most often rent small compact cars with an average fuel consumption of 7-8 liters per 100 km. By simple calculations it turns out that a trip to Vienna from Budapest by car will result in a tidy sum (about 60 euros). Is there really no way to save?
Traveling with BlaBlaCar
We offer you not to give up comfort and go to Vienna by car, but not on your own. This is a modern travel search service. Car drivers leave an order indicating the route and wait for feedback. Most often, tourists who want to save money just become fellow travelers.
Be sure to download the application on your phone or tablet. In order to take advantage of its capabilities, set a route and get acquainted with the offers that appear on your screen. If you show patience and zeal, you can find an option in the region of 10-15 euros. If you have a personal car or you rented it, you can also save. How? You place an application already as a driver, offering to take travel companions with you. Thus, you will not lose comfort, but save a substantial part of the cost of the trip.
Travel to Vienna along the Danube
In the summer, an exciting way to get from Budapest to Vienna is the fascinating Danube cruise. Just imagine: you will take a Vienna-Budapest tour. Rest definitely turn out unforgettable. In season, high-speed catamarans called Meteor ply along this route. The trip will turn out not only bright, but also informative, because you will have the opportunity to admire the beauties of the Hungarian capital from the water.
I would like to say a few words about the schedule: not everything is so rosy here. "Meteors" in the direction of Budapest-Vienna depart only three times a week: on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Departure time is 9 o’clock in the morning. The journey takes an average of 5-6 hours. The path is not long, the ship arrives in Vienna at 16-30, which is why if you want to get to know the city better, be sure to book the hotel in advance.
Now, regarding the cost of such a trip. Get ready to give 100 euros each way. It is better to buy a round-trip ticket, which will cost 125 euros. For children under 12 years old there is a 50% discount. Agree, it turns out that it’s not a budget trip at all, albeit quite bright. From Vienna back to Budapest Meteor walks on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with departure at 9 in the morning.
Travel as part of a sightseeing tour
Excursions from Vienna to Budapest are very popular. If you don’t have the slightest desire to upload yourself buying tickets online, you don’t want to think up your travel itinerary and organize your leisure time in Vienna, then it’s better to turn to professionals for help.
Budapest-Dresden-Vienna - a tour that allows you to get acquainted with the largest European capitals. In fact, there are countless variations. It will not be difficult for you to choose the best option, starting from your taste preferences and financial capabilities.
If you are not ready for long journeys, you can limit your trip to the Austrian capital only. This tour usually lasts 11-13 hours, tourists are transported by car or minibus. Be prepared for the fact that the vast majority of the time will be spent on the road, and not the most comfortable one. Excursions from Vienna to Budapest no less saturated and long.
The cost of the excursion program starts from 70 euros per person. Of course, the larger the group, the lower the cost.
To summarize
We tried to describe in detail the most popular ways to get from Budapest to Vienna. Each method has both advantages and disadvantages. We consider the best option travel by train, combining comfort, efficiency and affordable cost.