Are train tickets in Hungary cheaper if bought in advance?
I will be travelling from London to Debrecen via Budapest next Sunday and I would like to know whether it's best to book my Budapest-Debrecen train in advance or directly in the station.
My flight lands at about 3pm and I need to be in Debrecen at some point in the evening. I would like to have the flexibility to go to Budapest and walk around / have a meal, and then take the train from the city, but if it will cause me a load of pain or expense then I might simply book online a train from the airport.
Will the trains be more expensive if I just rock up to the station a half hour before the train? Are they likely to be booked out? (From what I can tell MÁV still has tickets even for tomorrow, but I can't quite puzzle out the colour code on the timetables.) More generally, is there anything specific I should watch out for?
Best Answer
It depends on the type of train. From Budapest to Debrecen you are likely to take an InterCity or EuroCity train and even if the price of the ticket itself is the same, the price of the compulsory seat reservation is higher if you buy it the same day, as if you buy it at least a day in advance. The difference is only a small 120 HUF (about 0.40€), but it is there.
I've never used it, but MAV also sell electronic tickets. You can find further informations (in English) here. Depending on the ticket type, you can either print it at home or have to pick it up from one of the ticket machines at the Hungarian railway stations.
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Are trains cheaper if you book in advance?
Advance train tickets are usually the cheapest way to travel by train, and generally go on sale 12 weeks before your date of travel. You'll need to travel on the train you're booked on, but you'll get a cheaper price by foregoing flexible travel times.Is it cheaper to buy train tickets in advance or last minute?
Advance purchase tickets are cheaper rail fares which are sold prior to the day of travel, and, in some cases on the day of departure.Do train tickets get more expensive closer to departure date?
Most train companies release cheap advance tickets about 12 weeks before the date of travel, and they almost always go up in price over time. To get the best fare, it makes sense to book an advance ticket as soon as you can confirm the date and time you want to travel.How far in advance are cheap train tickets?
Always Book Early Cheap train tickets are usually released by train operators in advance of the journey. Normally, this is around 12 weeks in advance, as the timetable for any particular day is normally confirmed 12 weeks in advance.How to buy cheap train tickets | Save more than $30!? | Hungary to Austria, Germany, Cezch, etc.
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