Munchen Hbf is a  hub for international trains

Budapest to München / Munich by train

How to take a rail journey from Budapest to Munich / München

This is typically a straightforward journey as direct trains are available whether you want to travel by day or overnight

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Routes

Option 1: travel during the day

Travel Information

Final Destination: Munchen

These trains do NOT call at Munchen Ost station.

These trains also call at: Gyor and Linz and Salzburg

Departing from Budapest:

The train will call at Budapest-Kelenfold around 10 mins after departing from Budapest-Keleti.

If the starting point of your journey in Budapest is on Metro Line 4, or has an easy connection to Line 4, then take the Metro to Kelenfold station and join the train there.

Not only will your journey be quicker overall, the Metro transfer at Kelenfold is much easier, particularly if you have luggage.

4 x trains per day

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: Three months ahead of the travel date

On the DB Bahn booking site look for journeys that have:

  • 0 in the Chg. column
  • RJ  (and only RJ) in the Products column.

Use the earlier/later buttons to search for the cheapest ticket prices.

Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
The final direct daytime train of the day departs from Budapest Keleti at around 15:40.

Seat reservations

They are optional for this journey, but these trains can be particularly busy.

So if you want peace of mind that you will have an assigned seat for the entire journey, adding a reservation when making a booking is recommended.
However, seats will actually be assigned when booking tickets online on MAV.

But if you book at the international rail desk at Keleti station (you can book using the computer terminals), you will have to request that a reservation be added to the booking.

Rail pass users can purchase reservations online on DB Bahn, or in person at the international travel desk at Keleti station, but ideally do that when you first arrive in Budapest.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
DB Bahn from €29

DB Bahn Guide

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.

Trainline from €29

Trainline Guide

MAV from €29

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.

On this journey

Good to Know

It's not a particularly scenic train journey from Budapest to Munich/Munchen, though the stretch between Wels and Salzburg is easy on the eye, so you won't be missing out on a particularly memorable travel experience if you opt to take the overnight train instead.

Though it is due to arrive in Munchen/Munich at the somewhat painfully early time of 06:10.

However, the first of these Railjet trains isn't scheduled to arrive there until 14:30.

Option 2: travel through the night

Travel Information

Final Destination: Stuttgart Hbf

This train also calls at: [Munchen Ost](https://goo.gl/maps/BrgSQ9FnJUpxaJvm

1 x train per night

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: 3 months ahead of the travel date

Our guide to booking night train tickets on the DB (German national railways) website is available HERE.

'Kalaman Imre'  is the name given to this train, which is provided by Hungarian Railways (MAV) - note that 'Nightjet' trains are not used for this service

It comprises
- Compartment Seats
- Couchettes ; 4 berths AND 6 berths
- Sleeping cars with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins (there are no deluxe sleeping cars with showers in the cabins available on this route)

Click the train button above for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:

Using rail passes:

Rail pass users must reserve before boarding this train.

However, these rail pass reservations can NO longer be booked online the DB website.

If you want to reserve seats, berths in couchettes or beds in the sleeping cabins before you arrive in Hungary, the best option is to pay a booking fee and use the Eurail or InterRail reservation services**.**

If you don't want to do this, reservations can be arranged and paid for at the international reservation desk at Budapest Keleti station  - ideally do this when you first arrive in Budapest on the preceding train on your itinerary.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
DB *

DB Guide

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.

On journeys within Germany and on most international journeys from and to Germany on trains operated by DB:

  • For journeys by the express trains, EC. IC and ICE trains an adult (on German railways an adult is a person aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 6 - 14 with them at no additional charge.
  • Tickets need to be booked for children aged 0 - 5, but there is no charge for them.
  • Those aged 65 and over can take journeys at a discounted rate.
  • Dogs, which are too large to be placed in pet carriers, require tickets which cost 50% of the adult rate.

When booking both types of the discounted 'Sparpreis' tickets seat reservations are an optional extra, so need to be added when booking if you want an assigned seat(s).

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