Things You'll Need:
- Hungarian currency
- Passport
- Internet access to book tickets online
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Step 1
Make sure you bring your passport. U.S. citizens can stay up to 90 days in the Czech Republic without a visa.
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Step 2
Pick a train. You will will probably be leaving from Budapest and arriving in Prague. There are at least 6 trains a day that make that trip: the Metropol, the EuroCity Commenius, the Hungaria, the Csardas, the Amicus and the Pannonia. Some trains make more stops, so duration is variable.
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Step 3
Take Hungarian currency with you when you purchase the ticket. The trip to Prague from Budapest will cost somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 forints. Only forints will be accepted.
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Step 4
Decide when you'd like to depart. The trip to the Czech Republic will take around 9 hours; approximately 6 trains a day connect Budapest to Prague. Refer to the official timetable Web site for the schedule (see Elvira in Resources).
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Step 1
Find out if your train of choice offers different classes of travel. First-class travel is often recommended to travelers, but second-class travel is the common choice of Hungarian and Czech locals. The difference between price is slight, but the choice is yours.
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Step 2
Go to a ticketing agent at one of Budapest's 3 train stations or the state railway's central ticket office. The ticket office should be more accommodating to travelers who don't speak Hungarian.
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Step 3
Be very clear and thorough when booking the ticket. A small miscommunication then can cause huge problems later. You may want to ask which station your train will depart from, since Budapest has 3 train stations.
