Budapest to Bratislava by train

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Routes

From Budapest Nyugati to Bratislava hl.st.

Journey Summary

Travel Time
2hr 42min - 2hr 45min
Frequency
Daily
Tickets

Book early and save: Yes*

Online bookings open: 1 month ahead of the travel date

*Discounted tickets may not actually be available for this journey

The price on MAV will be in €s but the transaction will actually be in Hungarian florins - MAV will convert the currency during the transaction.

Reservations are optional for this journey - so rail pass users don't need to reserve.

However, seats will actually be assigned when booking tickets online on MAV.

But if you book at the international rail desk at Nyugati station you will have to request that an optional reservation be added to the booking.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
MAV from €19

MAV Guide

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.

cd.cz *

cd.cz Guide

CD is the national rail operator in Czechia and its very smart online booking service sells tickets for all express train services which it operates within Czechia, as well international journeys by EC, Railjet, SuperCity and overnight trains.
Some express trains, both within and to/from Czechia are operated by LeoExpress and Regiojet and these cannot be booked with CD.

CD also sells international tickets involving changes of train outside of Czechia for end-to-end journeys:

  • to Belgium
  • destinations in Germany not served by direct trains
  • to Paris
  • to Arhus, Copenhagen and Odense in Denmark
  • to destinations in Italy served by the overnight trains from Austria
  • to Luxembourg
  • to destinations in the The Netherlands, including Amsterdam, which are on the route of the direct trains from Berlin
  • to destinations in Romania, including Bucuresti served by the direct day and night trains from Budapest.

In addition to tickets, seat reservations, reservations for bicycles, plus reservations for couchettes and sleeping cabins, can also be booked online with CD, with no booking fees.

On this journey

Good to Know

Note that these trains to Bratislava now depart from Budapest-Nyugati station and NOT Budapest-Keleti station.

Final Destination: Praha, Hamburg, Warsaw

All trains also call at: Vác

An unusual aspect of this route is that you could be travelling on a Czech, Hungarian or Polish train.

Between Vac and Slovakia Between Vac and Slovakia
Between Vac and Slovakia Between Vac and Slovakia

It's not a particularly stunning journey, but there are views over The Danube between Vác and Slovakia, from the left of the train (when facing the direction of travel).

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