Does anybody have experience with the new direct rail service from Budapest to Lviv. It started in December 2014. I want to travel this route in September but the railway website does not list Lviv as a destination so I can't view the schedule, make a reservation, or, most importantly, get the price.
Posted by
San Antonio, TX
334 posts
If you are using the Hungarian MAV site, Lviv is listed as "Lvov." There are timetables for Budapest-Nyugati to Lvov.
Posted by
OP
Ft. Worth, TX
4 posts
Thanks Mike, I was using the Rick Steves RailEurope site.
MAV is using the Russian transliteration of Lviv (for shame).
So I have the schedule information now but the site won't display a price or let me make a reservation. I tried different dates, getting progressively closer to today, thinking maybe I'm too far out but still won't give more than the timetable.
I've heard that for some international trains you can't get the tickets online. I hope that is not true for this situation.
Posted by
San Antonio, TX
334 posts
Excerpt from: http://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Budapest.htm#Budapest-Kiev
"Budapest to Lviv, Kiev & Ukraine...
A comfortable new direct train called the Latorca links Budapest and Lviv (Lvov) & Kiev as of 14 December 2014, leaving Budapest Nyugati station daily at 07:23 and arriving Lviv around 21:38 the same day and Kiev around 07:43 next morning.
The train has one or two Ukrainian sleeping-cars with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin. Passengers for Lviv use the sleepers in their daytime seats mode even though it's a daytime journey, as only the sleeping-cars run across the border into Ukraine.
Booked locally in Budapest, Budapest to Lviv costs around €32, the fare to Kiev is not known but won't be expensive. You can find these fares in the information pages of the Hungarian version (but not necessarily the English version) of www.mav-start.hu. Fares will be slightly higher if booked from outside Hungary.
You can check times at www.bahn.de but it cannot be booked online, only by phone."
Posted by
OP
Ft. Worth, TX
4 posts
That's what I was afraid of. I was really hoping to have all reservations made before I left home. About $35 USD is very reasonable; much better than my original plan of Prague-Krakow-Lviv. At least September is after peak season so I wouldn't expect the train to be sold out.
Thanks again Mike, you've been a great help.
Posted by
San Antonio, TX
334 posts
I would be very surprised to find the train sold out in September. Get the tickets when you get to Budapest and you should be fine. Hopefully you're spending a few days in Budapest first -- it is a fabulous city.