Survival Kit #1: How to Travel by Train – Buying Tickets

Some of our Hungarian readers may have doubts, but travelling by train in Hungary can be a more economical or at times faster means of transport.

MÁV (Hungarian State Railways) has an online passenger information service called ELVIRA, which is also a female first name in Hungary. It is maintained by the Passenger Information Service.

ELVIRA is primarily designed for inland travel. The site functions in Hungarian, English and also in German.

You can book your domestic railway ticket, as well as pass, surcharge and international railway ticket via Internet or buy tickets with the help of your cell phone.  Read more HERE.

Some tickets can be printed at home; in other cases you have to find an E-ticket machine and print your online ticket there. E-Ticket Machine Locations.

MÁV also has special offers which include the so called “START Klub Card” that allows cardholders to travel with a 50% reduction.