Despite the 875 km between the two cities, Budapest and Berlin are linked by both direct day and night trains, which take one of Europe's most epic rail routes.
So whether traveling by day or night it's a straightforward and fascinating journey through four countries; Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia and Germany.
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
12hr 48min
Nightly
1 x train per night
OBB is the national rail operator and its booking service offers journeys by express trains within Austria, as well as international journeys which don't involve making a connection outside of Austria.
It pays off to book online, as the discounted 'Sparscheine' tickets are only ever made available on the website, and when making international journeys to and from Austria, these Sparscheine tickets tend to be cheaper.
OBB can offer particularly good value for money when travelling with children on international rail journeys, but something to watch out for when travelling between Austria and Germany on daytime trains, is that reservations are an optional extra; but if you book 1st class tickets with the Germany railways website DB, the reservations are complimentary.
OBB often takes a unique approach to its booking path, but a key thing to keep in mind is that the first price you will see for any journey is that of a Second Class seat.
The costs of upgrading to first class, a reservation, or a sleeping cabin etc, is then added to this price.
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
A key feature of DB website worth keeping mind is that it offers 1st class ticket purchasers complimentary seat reservations on journeys both within and to/from Germany.
Seat reservations for daytime in both 1st and 2nd class can also be booked separately from tickets.
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Budapest-Nyugati station at 19:30 and it also stops in Vac at 20:07; note that it previously departed from Keleti station in Budapest.
It is usually due to arrive in Berlin at around 08:00.
On the new timetable it's route has changed as it now travels via Praha and Dresden instead of via Wroclaw - it is usually scheduled to arrive in Dresden, shortly before 06:00.
**Final Destination: Berlin Hbf
This train also calls at: Berlin Südkreuz
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.
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.
Final Destination: Budapest Keleti
Train also calls at: Berlin Südkreuz; Prague/Praha, Brno, Bratislava
Type of Scenery: River
Star Rating: ***
Between Dresden and Prague, the train travels through the beautiful Elbe River valley, but sit on the left of the train (when facing the direction of travel) for the best views.
The
Book early and save: Yes
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Budapest at 19:30, 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:
Click the train details below 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 this train.
However, these rail pass reservations can NO longer be booked online the DB website, but you can now book rail pass reservations without paying booking fees on the OBB website (OBB operates these trains).
Though the process for doing so isn't particularly obvious, hence this step-by-step guide.
Or you can avoid the booking fees by arranging the reservations when you arrive in Austria, by purchasing them at a Reisezentrum travel desk, which you will find in any hauptbahnhof.
Though if you leave making the booking until your travel date, the more likely it is that your preferences will be sold out.
11hr 14min
Daily
1 x train per day
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
A key feature of DB website worth keeping mind is that it offers 1st class ticket purchasers complimentary seat reservations on journeys both within and to/from Germany.
Seat reservations for daytime in both 1st and 2nd class can also be booked separately from tickets.
MAV is the national railway operator in Hungary and its newly relaunched website is still at the 'beta' stage, but it can be used to make bookings.
The MAV website also sells tickets for the direct international trains from Hungary and it's booking path for overnight trains is particularly easy to follow.
This train service usually departs from Budapest-Nyugati station at around 07:30 and is typically scheduled to arrive in Berlin shortly before 18:45.
Final Destination: Hamburg
This 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.
Travellling by overnight train:
Only around 20% of this daytime journey is exceptionally scenic - so that overnight train can be a good option on this route, particularly as the difference in journey time is now only around 30 mins.
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.
A choice of tickets
Three types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis and Super Sparpreis
One type of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis,
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
The Sparpreis and Flexpreis tickets also include 'City tickets' for Hamburg which can be used on public transport between locations in the city centre and Hamburg hbf.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on this route - take note if you will be using a rail pass.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets.
When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy a departure will be.
Booking on the DB website
You can find this direct train more easily by making a proactive selection of 'Direct Trains Only'.
Or to see all the combinations of trains and journey options, some of which may be cheaper, take off the 'fastest connections' default.
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