hkchemsir

Hello All,

I will visit Budapest in the coming summer and want to spend a one day trip to Visegrad.

Can you tell me the how to go there in the easy way? I will go there will my family and we enjoy the Nature scene of the River Duna.

Hope to hear your experience.

Thanks in advance.

Gavin

worldinbetween

To get to Visegrad (and I have never done this), I believe you take a train out of Nyugati (the west station) to Nagymaros-Visegrád ... From there, you will need to cross the Danube by a regularly running ferry. (Visegrad being on the far side of the Danute).

An easier alternative might be Vac (another Danube Bend village). I wandered around Vac today - and was amazed how charming it is. It is much improved over the last 2 years - with more pedestrian streets leading into the main square...

It also has a ferry which takes you across the Danube to an island. You can get to Vac from Nyugati also... Check the train times as not all routes to Vac are created equally (I take the train each day - it leaves at 11 or 41 after each hour). Some trains take well over an hour... These options take more like 40 minutes.

I am not aware of a bus to Visegrad.. but there might be one. We have not yet explored the bus network outside the city.

hkchemsir

Hello Worldinbetween,

Very happy to hear your reply. if you have any update information, please let me now.

Thanks.

Michael

Visegrad is on the left bank of the river, and is the logical destination from Budapest. No need to take the ferry to cross. We took it leaving Visegrad going away from Budapest.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57623003638578

worldinbetween

Not sure i understand what you are saying Michael, it depends how you got to that area. If you take the train to nagymaros from nygati, you will be on the wrong side of the river and you need to cross. Perhaps there is a route up the Budapest side.

Let me ask my friends at work tomorrow for the best way.

Michael

We drove and the major road along the Danube is on the left bank.

Michael

Oops. I checked and the major road goes to Vacs. But I suspect that there may even be direct buses to Visegrad which has an extensive summer recreation area nearby.

worldinbetween

Ah, yes... That makes a difference. I live here but I do not drive. Keep in mind, vise grade is across the river from Vac.

Maybe the OP has a car... For some reason I assumed not. Perhaps I assumed wrongly.

hkchemsir

Thanks. useful information.

worldinbetween

OK.. Here is what my friend recommends:

Go to Vac by train from Nyugati in the morning. Have coffee in the main square.

At this time of year – on Saturday and Sunday – a morning boat goes to Visegrad. Take this boat (he was unsure if it was 10:40 or 11:00).

Visegrad is a very small town. You will just climb the hill.

Take the afternoon boat from Visegrad to Szentendre. This is a Serbian town within Hungary (an odd, but common, concept in this part of the world).

Visit Szentendre and take the HEV train to Bethany Ter (back in Budapest).

To get train times: http://elvira.mav-start.hu/elvira.dll

A few things:

In Nyugati, enter the train station next to McDonalds. Walk to the end of the hall and you are in the domestic ticket hall. Exit this hall from the door next to the one you entered. This will lead you directly out to the tracks. You might want to write down the destination you are heading. It is an open ticket useable for any train on the day you buy it.

Be aware which train you are going to take. Trains to Vac take as few as 25 minutes, and as long as over an hour. The link above will help you know which time to catch the train (the board in the station will direct you to a track).

In Vac, exit the station by going straight thru the station, straight out the door, and heading straight. This road runs into the main square. There is a good coffee shop on the left near corner. One block further is the river and the boat dock. As you enter the square- the boat dock would be straight ahead another block and slightly to your left.

Vac is probably the nicest of the towns. And by following this route, you will go on the nicest parts of the river.

Alternatively, buy a ticket to Nagymaros-Visegrad (not to be confused with the next stop which is simply Nagymaros). Go through the small town to the river and take the ferry across the river.

As summer approaches, boats will be more frequent.

worldinbetween

A bit more on Visegrad... Expect fewer people will speak English in the small towns.

Keep your questions to one or two words...

And try to approximate the Hungarian pronunciation.

If I wanted to go to Visegrad from Vac by boat...
(and remembering in Hungarian, the “s” is an “sh” sound)...

I would walk up to the dock and say “Vee she grahd?”. Translation, does this boat go to Visegrad? Expect a nam (no) or igen (yes)

In Nyugati, I buy a ticket to Vac every day... No problem.

I say “Vatz, return”. As I do this, I raise one finger and point first right, then left.

If they respond “today?”.. they are asking me if I am returning today or buying an open return. I always reply, "yes, today". Of course, you might be only going one way!... So only wag the finger to the right, and leave off the return part!!

This trip will be easy. Keep your communication as simple as possible... and enjoy one of my favorite places in the world!

And don't get tripped up on Szentendre... remember,
the sz is pronounced just "s"... (it's easzy)!

hkchemsir

VERY USEFUL INFORMATION.

Thanks for your help.