Prague to Budapest

It is literally a walk across the park to Prague Main Station, 5 minutes, 1000 ft.

Look here for info about booking direct through Czech Rail. Just book a 2 bed sleeping compartment and be done with it. http://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Prague.htm#Prague-Budapest

Estates Theater, especially if they are doing Don Giovanni.

So you are skipping Vienna; going to Budapest and then back tracking to Vienna? Adds some rail time you know. But then maybe its so you can save a nights hotel cost while on an overnight train? I get a lot of grief here because i am not a train romantic. I haven't been on an overnight train in decades and maybe they have changed but i didn't much enjoy it when such things were necessary. Others do and that's great. Just FYI, you can fly Prague to Budapest for about the same money on Czech airlines. Last time i checked, fares were as low as $110. Takes 1:15. So figure another 2.5 hours for check in and getting into Bpest from the airport. So 4 hours. There is an evening flight too.

Since you are staying at the Boscolo in Prague i hope you are doing the same in Budapest. Not the best situated hotel, but magnificent is the only way to describe it.

For Jazz when you get to Budapest: http://opusjazzclub.hu/?l=en Really, really, really great venue
and http://www.bjc.hu/home/ which admittedly i haven't been to yet but will in a few weeks.

Oops. We are staying at Boscolo in Budapest, glad to know it is great. Staying in a new hotel in Prague called The Augustine, which also appears to be amazing. For Vienna we are staying in the Intercontinental. We are going past Vienna from Prague, due to flight problems out of Budapest and Vienna had better availability using our travel points (British Airways). I am one for the more quaint off the beaten track traveler, but this trip is being funded by travel points we have been collecting.

However, the more I read about Budapest, I am thinking about lengthening our stay their by 1 day and shortening the stay in Vienna. However, I also like the idea of doing a day long trip on the outskirts of Vienna. So investigating our options on this.
Our Itinerary is London -5 days (2 days in Chesire to visit family), Prague 3 days, Budapest 2 days and Vienna 3 days. We have flights from London to Prague and Vienna to London. We are not set on the train as of yet, but thought it would be cool to try. Yes, it looks like Airfaire around Europe is cheap and we thought spending the night on the train would be a change of pace from airports.

I’ve ridden overnight trains, but it was at a time when there were no other options. Here is my take on an overnight train.

8 am Wake / Shower / Pack
9am Breakfast and off for the days sightseeing
Noon Return to check out, leave bags with front desk
More sightseeing
7 pm Return to hotel for bags and depart to train station. Your first time in that station and your first night train so tell me you won’t show up at least a half hour early.
8 pm Train leaves. Hope its not summer. In the old days there was no AC. Now days I suspect it works as well as most of European AC
9pm Still up
10 pm Still up
11pm trying to sleep, clackity, clackity, clackity, boom!
Midnight Finally Fall asleep
2am Wait! What was that noise and jerk, oh they must have disconnected some cars. Where are we?
3am Back to sleep
4am Wooooo! What station are we at. Heck did I miss our stop. Where are we panic!
5am Back to sleep
6am Welcome to Budapest!!!
7am At the hotel to drop bags
8am Eat Breakfast
9am Sightseeing
2pm Finally check in time at the hotel and first shower in 30 hours.

Now in Budapest you do have one exception. You can go to the Bath House when you arrive in town, take a dip and clean up.
Your bath house choices are:
GRAND: http://szechenyispabaths.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Szechenyi-Spa-Baths-Press-Photo-Outdoor-Pool.jpg
Exquisite: http://www.adventurouskate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/budapest-gellert-pool_chop1n.jpg
Ancient (16th century): http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-IbStar-blogs-Hungary-Budapest-Rudas-Baths-Flickr-Gi%C3%A5m-84554176.jpg

As for your hotel in Budapest? Here is the hotel coffe house http://www.newyorkcafe.hu/ (eat your heart out Vienna). And you are debating an extra day in Budapest?

The gorgeous 112-year-old building, which was a legendary meeting place for the Pest artistic world. At the turn of the last century, Budapest was known as the ‘City of 500 Cafes’One of the grandest of these was the New York Kávéház (Coffee House).

The New York Palace was built in 1894 as a showcase for the New York Insurance Company. The building was designed in an Italian Renaissance style with eclectic ornate elements. The frescos in the corridors and rooms

Inside were the insurance company’s offices (their motto at the end of the 19th century was ‘the best of everything’), and the ground floor was rented out as the New York Cafe. It immediately attracted Budapest’s literary society; authors, poets, journalists, intellectuals and Bohemians all filled its tables. The artists and intellectuals would sit at their appointed alcove tables while visitors were relegated to the ‘deep end’ (the mélyvíz), a lower floor surrounded by galleries on the ground floor, thus resembling an indoor swimming pool.

Impoverished writers could linger all day over the special ‘writers’ dish’ a bargain-priced plate of bread, cheese and salami. Regulars were even provided with pens, paper and unlimited ‘fekete leves’ (‘black soup’ the local term for coffee) and spend entire days within the inspirational walls, ruminating over a manuscript. The maitre d’ during the period, Gyula Reisz, known to all as the ‘literary head waiter’ gave endless credit for his select literary guests.

Lajos Nagy remembered the literary atmosphere in his work ‘Budapest nagykávéház’. He wrote, “There are some guests who do their books here, some who write verse, some sell their books, look for a job or churn out articles”.

There were two game rooms, one decorated in Rococo style, the other in Renaissance. The gigantic glass separating walls were painted by Gedeon Walther in different styles; with Japanese, Turkish, Baroque, Pompeii and Renaissance elements. The tables and chairs were bronze and the game rooms’ furniture was made from wood. The tasteful light fittings were a special attraction and unique to the New York.

The New York can be considered the birthplace of modern Hungarian literature. Almost immediately after opening in 1894, the Pesti Napló editorial moved in. Writers Sándor Bródy, Endre Nagy and Simon Kemény set up their regular tables alongside luminaries from the film world, including the young Sándor Korda and his associates. Actors, journalists and aspiring writers all gathered to soak up the atmosphere and browse through the impressive collection of some 400 periodicals and papers which arrived regularly. In 1908, the legendary literary journal ‘Nyugat’ set up home here, and Magyar Hírlap also operated from one of the offices on the floors above. Regular visitors were Kálmán Mikszáth, Endre Ady, Gyula Krúdy.Zsigmond Móricz came here to seek out the editor of Nyugat, Ernő Osvát, always to be found at his table in the gallery.

Ferenc Molnár wrote most of his great work ‘Liliom’ here. Soon after the coffee house opened, legend states that Molnár hurled the main door key to the New York Café into the Danube saying that it should never close.

The cafe flourished until the First World War, enjoyed a brief revival in the thirties, and then went into decline.
It suffered significant bomb damage during the Second World War and was ignominiously rammed by a Russian tank during the 1956 Uprising. During the Socialist period, the café was renamed the Hungária kávéház, and was famous for the slowest and most surly staff in town

All I can say to add anything else to this thread is that I HATE overnight trains. What James outlined is very accurate - I would add the strangers who end up in your compartment with you who snore and have bad breath, train officials knocking on neighboring compartment doors, people dragging luggage down the corridors at 3 in the morning, skinny little beds that barely fit an adult person, and if there is an AC at all it's terrible and gets shut off around midnight.

Fly.

Of course, if you've never done a night train, you won't really know. Book a private sleeping compartment and at least that will eliminate the snoring of strangers.
BTW, The Augustiner is on the north side of the river, so it will be Metro to the train station, or taxi.

Love the reality of the night train. James is that coffee shop in the hotel or near the hotel we are at... it looks amazing. Yes, we do want to go the the baths and the one your all recommened is on our list. So, I guess we will try to find a flight out of Prague into Budapest... plus book an extra night at the Boscolo. So two more questions.

- Any suggestions about flying on cheaper airlines from Prague to Budapest?
- We are going in October so not sure about weather and baths. We have been to korean bath houses, so not sure what the etiquette is at Hungarian baths.

I appreciate all the great info!

Czech Air has direct flight for $227, using a random Tuesday in October.

We have not taken an overnight train. But our feeling is that one jet-lag day per trip - the day we fly over from the US - is sufficient. Losing most of another night's sleep and functioning badly the next day is not our choice.

At the Czech Air website i found $110 on a few dates in October.

I looked at the flights on Czech airlines, they seem to be a little overpriced... some going as high as 904.00 USD or so it says which I find a bit outrageous. Plus they are propeller planes and that makes me a little nervous. I did see a Friday night at $224. So I will look around on Google Flights and see what I can find. Otherwise it might be the train. Thanks for all the help.

I was able to book a flight for 98.00 per person on Chase travel rewards site. However, the hotel I am in is unavailable for the night before. Any suggestions for a nice bed/breakfast in Budapest?

First, that coffee shop and the entire story about it is about your hotel. See, you did choose well. Worst thing I can say is that it is a tad bit off the beaten path, but for what you get, well worth it. Budapest is a good walking town and there is a tram stop about a block from you hotel that goes clear to Buda, past the Nyugati (Eiffel designed) train station and Parliament and antiques street and Margaret Island along the way. It also stops to make a connection to the M1 Metro that will get you to the Bath House, House of Terror, the river front and great places in-between. The M1 is the oldest underground on the continent of Europe and has a lot of character. Your hotel is also near the M2 line that will take you right into the heart of Pest and on to Buda.

Bath house? You will figure it out. If you or the Ms. Is the least bit shy pay for a cabana. Otherwise you will be in a very large locker room with lockers very close together and if you hit the busy time there could be a lot of flesh pressing going on. The clerks are good at explaining the details and the routines are easy and the Hungarians are good and helpful people. We had a great time in the outside pools last Christmas so the weather doesn’t matter. The water is hot.

What day and time do you arrive. I might have an idea for accommodations for a night. .

Well, we have hijacked not the thread but the entire forum topic (Czech), so why stop. Since you are flying to Budapest the next logical question is how do I get from the airport to my accommodations? Easy oh great one. You arrive and go straight to the baggage claim. In baggage claim you will see a line on the floor directing you to the airport stand outside. On the way you will be approached by private drivers; ignore them. At the end of the line on the floor (about 150 feet) you will be at the FoTaxi kiosk. At the window tell the person where you are going. I can pronounce where I stay. It’s always a good idea to write the name down and show to them. Hungarian is difficult to pronounce. She/he will give you a receipt that you take about 40 feet to the taxi rank where an individual will help you with your luggage and into the cab. Hand the driver the receipt and off you go. 30 minutes and 6000 to 7000 forints (about $25) later you will be at your destination.

I never tire of James' enthusiasm for Budapest . A slight addition to his comments - He speaks of Molnar's great work " Lilliom " - Adapted in 1943 by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II , it is known here in the States as the musical play " Carousel " , Also , before you go , try to read Kati Marton's wonderful book about Budapest " The Great Escape " , it will enrich your visit beyond measure , as well as James' posts !

Steven; outstanding book. He father and mother were news wire reporters after the war. Both imprisoned during the soviet occupation. Her father wrote a wonderful book about the events. Then about 20 years ago Kati went to Budapest, dug through the secret police archives and wrote her own account about her parents at that time. Read both if you can.

The Forbidden Sky: Inside the Hungarian Revolution by Endre Marton – Cold War Historical
The Great Escape: Nine Jews Who Fled Hitler and Changed the World by Kati Marton – WWII Historical
Enemies of the People: My Family's Journey to America by Kati Marton – Cold War Historical

Steven, thanks for checking in. Always good to know you are well.

I will definitely put these on my reading list, right now I am reading Michener's The Bridge at Andau . I do apologize about posting in the wrong area. I found another one night accommodation at Hotel D'Art, then we can move to the Boscolo the next night. If you notice, I am a collector of travel points to make our travel a little less expensive. So moving back to Prague topic, any particularly good books I should pick up and read?

If you mean the Art'otel in Buda then its one of the few hotels in Budapest that I have actually stayed in. That's why I generally talk about neighborhoods and not hotels because I only have first hand experience with three. The Art'otel wasn't one of our better choices even if it is in the RS book. If it works with the points and frees up some money then great; do it. Get a room on the 3rd floor or higher with a view of the Danube. Any lower and the trees block the view. Its a pretty spectacular view. For both hotels you will benefit from a travel card so you can just hop on and off the trams and metro lines at will. The Art'otel is located at about the midpoint (less than a 10 minute walk each way) between a M2 metro stop that will take you back into Pest and the Buda side of the Chain Bridge from whence you can walk to Pest or take the Funicular up to Buda.

James E's description of the joys of overnight train travel is a classic, and should be required reading for anyone who considers voluntarily submitting to that form of midieval torture.
If the cost is remotely comparable - fly.
Let me amend that: even if the cost is not remotely comparable - fly.

Robert, don't get me in any more trouble than i get myself into. There are a lot of people that love the overnight trains. Just not my cup of tea. They can save you some money by combining hotel and transportation. I just prefer a hotel that doesn't shake all night and has room service. Just spoiled i guess.

There are a lot of people that love the overnight trains.
True, and they're welcome to my seat, er...couchette. After doing this twice my wife and I are agreed that there will never be a third time.
Your description of the ordeal pretty much mirrors our experiences. Never again.

Just curious, doesn't anybody rent cars and drive in Europe. We have rented cars for the past several years. Overall, I believe they are much cheaper than trains and offer maximum flexibility. Of course, I don't advise driving them in the big cities, but they're great for driving between cities and for little side trips to small towns.

Yes, I am sure many people rent a car and drive in Europe including me. But I do it for driving in countryside like Toscany, south Bohemia, Mosel area, Alps in Austria, etc. Never between big cities, e.g. Prague and Budapest (train is cheaper, faster and more comfortable, less stressful) and certainly don't rent in one country and return the car in another (big fee).

You asked for a suggestion for a place to stay in Budapest...we love the La Prima Fashion Hotel. It has a ridiculous name but the hotel is great! It's small, on a side street a stone's throw from the river and the Elisabeth Bridge, has very large rooms by European standards, is well-designed, and a very good buffet breakfast. Highly recommend!