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Pécs Trip

Time for another mini trip report. This time a trip from Budapest to Pécs for a University graduation ceremony. Pécs is about 140 mikes south of Budapest, near the Croatian and Serbian borders. Transportation is via train from Kelenföld station in Buda.

Kelenföld is a post war sort of underground station with stairs/escalators/elevators up to each pair of platforms. Somewhat similar to Vienna but a fraction of the size. Nothing culturally redeeming about it, but it works. But it’s why I think first time visitors to Budapest should come into Keleti Station … or even Nyugati Station.

My ticket cost 0ft cause I am an old fart + 650ft for the seat. For my S.O. I paid 3100ft for ticket and seat. I bought the tickets yesterday on the MAV App.

Travel time is 3:08 but they are repairing tracks so it’s a train for an hour, a bus for an hour, then a train again. Great fun. The RS Germanic Exceptionlists will be pleased that this isn’t an OBB train so I can’t complain about OBB.

To reach the station a 3 minute walk then Bus 70 one stop, then the 4/6 Tram 3 stops then the M4 underground to the last stop. Travel time right at 33 minutes, so 7 minutes faster than going to the airport by taxi. Arrived 30 min early. That’s just me.

So our seats are 2nd class in carriage 5 which would be better if there were more than 4 carriages on this train. A quick discussion, in English, with a conductor and we are now sitting in a 4 seat First Class cabin courtesy of again.each seat has a reading light, 2 USB and 1 Mains outlet. On the wall is a flat-screen with a map and our progress. And there is free WIFI. Not too shabby for a MAV carriage.

Scheduled 13:32 departure … actual 13:32 ... You can’t beat that with a stick. Our roommates, a Hungarian woman and her exceedingly polite maybe 14 year old son.

MORE TO COME

Arrived at the bus transfer station on time. Walked across 3 sets of tracks, through an open field to the busses. You cant do that in 4 minutes so we left 6 minutes late. Nice bus. Interesting drive through some towns.

MORE TO COME

Lush rolling hills quaint villages of tile roofed cottages and fields of grain and sunflowers. Nearly spotlessly clean and in very good repair. Vincent van Gogh would enjoy.

The bus trip was great. Sort of happy for that. Then we boarded the train. A somewhat older train. Open seating. We left about 15 minutes behind schedule, traveled about 10 minutes, then parked with now power and no AC and no operable windows. 15 min later moving again with power and AC .... yea!!!! If nothing else goes wrong we will be 30 min late thanks to OBB.

Posted by
5393 posts

But there’s a nice modern mall right at Kelenfold (across the street) with really nice public bathrooms and high end shops - interesting for a wander if you wind up leaving from there.

I once wound up on one of those trains when my reserved-seat car did not - in England. It turned into a party when one couple at my table pulled out a bottle of wine and plastic cups.

Hope the rest of your trip is smooth!

Posted by
23060 posts

I bought my kitchen knives there last year. I have been out of all of the stations but this one. Now I am batting 1000. Not pretty but it works just fine.

Okay so after arriving 30 min late and meeting up with the graduating student, she proceeded to give the grand tour. I haven't been here in 10 years. It was good then and worth every moment this time.

Then I get an email from MAV. They are refundung my seat reservation cost because it only worked on a third of the trip. I didn't ask, they just did it. Let's see OBB do that LOL.

Sitting in the town square with a beer and a plate of Ćevapi.

Posted by
23060 posts

Oh, the hotel Corso. Not bad for the topic of the trip but not the best for tourism. But all I could get on 2 days' notice. But I did get the 2 room suite with sauna and whirlpool tub and 4th floor terrace for less than the cost of my basic single Vienna room last week.

Posted by
23060 posts

Graduation was very well done and bilingual Hungarian / English). Students from all over the world.

Caught an earlier train back. For those that might want to visit here, the tracks will be repaired by 18 July and the trip will be faster and easier.

Posted by
9799 posts

The bus ride sounds really pleasant—I can even picture the scenery in my mind.

And a suite with a sauna, whirlpool tub and 4th floor terrace sounds pretty darned nice. I'm curious what the price was if you don't mind sharing.

Posted by
23060 posts

I am back on the bus now. The views from a bus are so much better than from a train.

The room was about $180. A basic room was about $100. I paid a little more because I booked 2 days ago and it's graduation and light show weekend. It was nice but I know better in town. But it was full.