Budapest Public Transportation
 

Just back from Budapest, some notes on getting around town and the countryside.

You can get a multi-day pass (from 1-5 days) for the Budapest public transit system operated by BKK. Many options available, I bought the "5/30 BKK 24-hour travelcard", good for any 5 days in the 30 days from first use. Online at: http://www.bkk.hu/en/tickets-and-passes/prices/

The pass covers metro, buses, trams, and even two Danube ferry lines operated by BKK (no need to pay for a boat tour!). However, the pass on the ferries is good on workdays only (need to buy a regular ticket for weekends); also the captain can decide to leave you behind if there are too many people on the ferry, which happened to me on Margrit Island (five-minute walk back to the bus and tram stop on the Margit Bridge.)

If using the pass on the HEV (suburban rail lines), you need to purchase an extension ticket to go all the way to the end of line, e.g., Szentendre or the palace at Gödöllő. Purchase on the train from the conductor. A ticket machine does not seem to cover the situation of already having the pass and needing the extension ticket only. Ticket machine will charge you for both the basic and extension tickets.

The Hungarian rail system MAV only offers domestic tickets for purchase on line. If you want to cross the border to Vienna or Bratislava on MAV, you need to buy the tickets at a ticket office in country.

According to seat61.com, the go-to site for all things train, you have to COLLECT your ticket in Hungary, but you can still BUY it online.

https://www.seat61.com/websites/mav-start.htm

Hi,
Garybear is right.
You CAN buy and PRINT out (however it is not necessary anymore. The reservation info on your Smart phone's screen will do the job as well) all the domestic tickets at home.
You need to print or buy them at the station, for international routes ONLY.
While mostly "maninseat61" is correct, but quite a few times his infos are outdated.

What is the difference between "collect" and "print"? Seat61 says you can buy on line but have to go to the station to get the actual tickets.

If that is actually incorrect, please email him to say so. I have always found him responsive to emails, and a lot more people rely on him for train info than will read this thread.

One bit of long-standing advice: Be sure to have the correct ticket and follow its rules for each trip on public transit. The city inspectors can level fines on the spot and, at least in the past, were known for their eagerness.

I tried purchasing the ticket online from the U.S. and got response that it was not possible. If there is an option to make the reservation on line, and then pay and pick up in country, then I was not aware of that.

By the way, the same situation exists with Slovak Rail (ZSSK) -- can only purchase domestic tickets on line from the U.S.

Hi,
For any DOMESTIC train travels you DON'T need to collect your ticket!
You can print your ticket or seat reservation (for people over 65 its free in Hungary) at home, using your printer or simply download the reservation to your cell phone and show it to the inspector when necessary.
For International travels you HAVE to go to the station to receive your reserved (online) ticket from a Vending machine at the station (physical print) or just simply buy the ticket from the ticket booth at any station in Budapest.
I know its probably the most idiotic system we have here in Hungary.
However weird it would look, but a few years ago I used to buy train tickets from Budapest to Montenegro for my mother at the Austrian railroad's website!!! There was no need to go anywhere. I just bought the tickets online, paid with plastic, printed out the ticket at home, gave it to my mother and that was it. Yes, Yes!!! Buying tickets for Budapest outbound travel from the Austrian rail.
Fortunately don't have to do it anymore. Nowadays we have low-cost airlines flying to those destinations and you can fly in an hour and 20 minutes (versus the slow dragging train of almost 20 hours!!!!!!!!!!) and for? YEAH, you guessed it right. FOR LESS!!!
She flew the day before yesterday from Budapest to Podgorica and the round-trip ticket (bought only 3 days prior to departure) with a special premium package (inclusive of wider window seats, 32 kgs (70 lbs) luggage plus large cabin luggage and a small bag as well (3 pieces!), cost-free unlimited changes of your flight dates, priority boarding). Total was 140.00 Euros round trip! about 15-20 euros cheaper than the train. Initially we bought the ticket for the 27th, but had to change it on the very day of departure (ONLY 4 hours before the flight!) for October 1st, because of her feeling not well (very high blood pressure). That saved us immediately at least 70-80 Euros!
So much about comfortable (which is absolutely not the case for the Balkan bound trains) train travels, like the above gentleman in that seat promotes all the time...