I will be arriving in Budapest on Thursday and travelling to Prague and Vienna a few days later. I know the MAV website has 13 euro tickets for the Vienna to Budapest leg of my trip and that I would need to pick up the ticket at an e-ticket machine in Budapest. Since I will be in Budapest before Vienna, this is possible. What I'm not clear on is if this ticket would be accepted by the Austrian Rail since the trip is originating in Vienna, but I am buying the ticket in Hungary. Does anyone know? I've searched the forum but most who were trying to buy from MAV for this trip were not going to be in Budapest to pick up the ticket and were advised to buy from OEBB. T
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17911 posts
I would guess that it would be good it they sold it to you....... Sounds like a $17 gamble with very, very good odds. I would go for it.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks James. I haven't had any luck registering with MAV which is a requirement for buying e-tickets. If I'm understanding their website correctly, I'm supposed to receive an email from MAV with a link that activates my registration. I've tried registering with two different email addresses and I haven't received any emails from MAV.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32746 posts
check your spam folder
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks Nigel and James. I realized I needed to click through some additional pages on the MAV website to complete the registration. I received the confirmation email right away and was able to purchase the e-ticket. This site walked me through the registration and purchasing processing http://europetrainsguide.com/Advice/How-to-Buy-Train-Tickets/Hungary-MAV.html.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17911 posts
You aren't the first to have trouble with their site. It's pretty miserable.
Enjoy your stay in Budapest.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
It looks like you're booking this ticket for a specific train in order to get that discounted fare. So it certainly should be valid on that selected departure (but not others).
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17911 posts
Yes, Laura, that could be a problem. After seeing Budapest he may not want to stay in Vienna as long as he thought he would.