We are planning a trip to Budapest for 5-7 days. Our home base will be Budapest. Would we be able to see surrounding areas by train and still return to our hotel in Budapest by the end of the day.

MAV's website will give you train schedules. A guidebook will give you options for day trips - or there's this list: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g2...Day.Trips.html .

In 2012 we visited Hungary and hired a guide/driver for the day for several trips. Hungary is very inexpensive to hire a driver and that way you are not dependent on the train schedule, negotiating the language (Hungarian is not an easy language). In our case, it was a very hot summer and it was relaxing to be transported in an air conditioned Mercedes. We used Alos Pulai and if you search under my name you can see more about the experience. The bonus is that Alos has a lovely wife who is a trained massueuse and she will come to where you are staying for a very reasonable fee.

We found the trains easy to use and had no trouble just using English to ask any question from anyone. One very nice and very easy day trip is to visit the town of Szentendre about 13 miles away on the Danube. We took a boat up the river to the town and returned by train. Another side trip, this time by bus and again easy to set up, was to the unusual Memento Park outside of town. Both of these side trips were day trips and we were back in town way before dark.

In town, be sure to take in the "Baths" They are unique.
Also try to attend some event in the gorgeous State Opera House. Very memorable.

We took a day-trip to Eger and the Valley of the Beautiful Women to sample wines there. There is information here ---> http://wikitravel.org/en/Eger

Pjk

You can also take the train to Eger and the valley of the Beautiful Women to sample wine. Info is here ---> http://wikitravel.org/en/Eger

Pjk

Personally, I like Vac ("Vatz")... You can take the train from Nyugati (the western station) - it takes 30 minutes if you catch the "non-stop" train (which is at 7 and 37 minutes after the hour). The English speakers do not work at Nyugati, but do not let that throw you off course.

http://theworldinbetween.com/2013/06...ube-bend-town/

Eger is a bit far, for me, for a day trip.

Szentendre (Saint Andrew) is a formerly Serbian village (notice the influence in the architecture, esp. the churches).

Enjoy...

thank you everyone for your help! looking forward to visiting budapest.