Budapest to Vienna Trains

We booked this trip using OBB website when we did this trip in 2019. I just tried a dummy booking and the maximum you can book for is six passengers. It doesn't show a seat map for seat reservations but you can select a compartment which would ensure that all six of you were together. Make sure you book a seat. On our trip there was a large family (3 adults and 3 kids) who hadn't booked seats and half of them ended up sitting on the floor for most of the trip as there weren't enough free seats in the carriage.

I book with the mav site often with no issues. But it's only one or two seats at a time. I've called their help number in the psst and they have been polite and helpful.

First choice should always be with the originating company (mav)

I have only done this for a group of 13 once (2018) using the mav site - and indeed could only book at most 5 at a time. So I had 3 confirmation numbers I used to print the tickets at Keleti. Part of my issue may have been a limited number of available seats at a certain price point (cheapest disappear faster). I know I had reserved seats for everyone but can’t remember how I did it….. and we were all in the same car so I must have had some kind of choice control. Not much help…..

Thank you Ausie Nomad, Mister E and TexasTravelMom! Okay...and little more poking around and it may be that 6 passengers traveling together qualify for a discount. And the seat assignment or even cabin 'together' is a mystery I think until I book all the way through. So at this point...I'll wait until February when we can actually book (90 days in advance). Mister E...when you have called MAV customer service, any chance they spoke English? I guess another option would be to book through "The Trainline" -- but I tend to like to book with the originating country's system. Your thoughts?

When you call, odds are you will get a recording in an unintelligible language then be put on hold, then if like most government agencies I have dealt with, a person will come on very quickly and, again, say something in an unintelligible language. Remembering the time difference you respond "Good Afternoon";
One of two things happens;
75% of the time the person says "How may I help you";
25% of the time you are back on hold for a few minutes until they find an English speaker.

I have another suggestion too if you are visiting Budapest first when you arrive in town, or the first free moment you have, go to Keleti pályaudvar (the main station in town) and visit the MAV office (It is open all day) and its a great excuse to tour the beautiful station.

Trains rarely sell out and if you book a few days in advance I can not imagine having a problem (there is a train to Vienna every hour or so).

There is a chance that they will tell you its cheaper to buy online, then pull out your cell phone and ask them to help.

Why go through all this trouble instead of going to a third party? its part of the charm of the exploration; you will meet people and you will function within the system and this is what I live for when I travel.

In general service professionals in Hungary are polite and helpful; but it is a post Soviet bureaucracy so be patient with that and marvel at how many times the rubber stamp hits the paper.

I agree with James, and have had good experiences dealing with the ticket window at Keleti when I wanted to visit the town of my people, Tata. It helps to have details written out on a piece of paper. They take their time and help you quite thoroughly. My next helpful experience was trying to get an HEV ticket for Godollo--by that trip I had started trying to learn Hungarian and feebly attempted to request the ticket, and the woman just beamed at me and said in perfect English, "You want to go to Godollo?"

Thanks again, Mr. E! Thank you Christa!

I often will run by the ticket office at the train station the afternoon before our departure and purchase the tickets.

Things can get hectic before trains arrive, and I want to be ready to jump on without any issues. We only go second class and that's usually without seat assignments. I cannot remember having any problems getting a seat.

If you have trouble with MAV, buy the tickets from ÖBB.

Thanks David...at least on the website you can definitely 'reserve a seat' ...just cannot seem to see a seat map.
Thanks Badger -- I'll keep that in mind as I get closer to May!

Melinda, not sure you can reserve a particular seat. But this is a train. There are two seats on each side. Sometimes you can choose in a group of four facing each other of the usual lined up seats.. But just go to the office and dont worry too much, it will be fine.

Thanks Mr. E !