I was looking for a good way to get between Budapest and Krakow this fall, and I found a company called "Daytrip" (ondaytrip.com) that seems sort of like a long distance Uber service in Europe. It is UK based, and they connect you with local, English speaking drivers who will take you door to door between cities of your choosing. On their website you pick which 2 cities and it tells you the time and price. It also gives you a list of suggested stops between destinations that you can add on to your trip. They have excellent reviews on TripAdvisor, but I was just wondering if anyone here has used them successfully?
The trip I want to take between Budapest and Krakow would be a lot more expensive than flying, but for me the chance to enjoy some of the Slovakian countryside with a stopover to visit Orava Castle would be worth it. I much prefer road trips to flying, if the distance is reasonable, and the night train sounds miserable from reviews I've read. It would cost 300 euros for an 8 hour transfer, including a 2 hour stop to see the castle. My only fear about booking something like this without knowing anyone who has used the company successfully is that if plans fell through, it would be difficult to make a last minute backup plan. Thanks!
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY
4261 posts
I stumbled upon this website also and was thinking of using them around Poland. I am curious also if anyone used them.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17 posts
My husband and I used Daytrip last May (2017) and it was a great decision. The TripAdvisor reviews are accurate. We used the service to travel directly between Cesky Krumlov and Hallstatt. That trip would have been very time consuming by train (which was how we were travelling), and we might not have made it to Hallstatt at all if Daytrip had not been an option. The driver was extremely prompt and courteous and happy to answer questions. He picked us up right at our Cesky Krumlov B&B and dropped us off at the door of our hotel in Hallstatt. We did not choose to stop at any sights in between but the driver was very accommodating if we asked to stop for a snack or toilet. I'm so glad we used the service and I see that they have expanded their cities served by quite a lot since last year. Later in the trip we met an Australian couple in Vienna who were using Daytrip as their sole means of transportation around Central Europe. I highly recommend Daytrip and will most likely use them again in the future.
Posted by
OP
Florida
610 posts
MikeH- thank you so much for taking the time to respond! I'm glad to hear about your experience. I am definitely planning on using them on our trip in September and your review helps alleviate some of my concerns.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17 posts
You’re welcome Tamara, I’m sure you’ll be satisfied with the Daytrip option. I was apprehensive as well about booking it but I’m so glad we did. For your trip it will be nice to avoid the airport hassles, enjoy door-to-door service, and how awesome to be able to stop at Orava Castle!
Regarding the overnight train….I wouldn’t call my experience miserable but I was pretty disappointed. On that same trip last year we took the overnight train from Krakow to Prague (Krakow was the first stop on our itinerary, Prague was stop #2). It was one part of the trip I was MOST looking forward to. The fun part was the high energy of the other travelers as we boarded the train in Krakow. People from all over the world in very gregarious spirits, cabin doors open and people walking the corridor, saying hello, and clinking beer cans to the journey ahead. However the train car we were on (operated by the Polish Railway) was a bit aged. Our 2-bunk room looked to be about 1970s vintage and had a faint scent of stale cigarette smoke. The overhead light made a very annoying buzzing sound. When I asked the attendant if there was anything he could do about it he sneered and just turned off the light switch. Our sleep was not restful at all as throughout the night there were stops, jerking motions, loud train clanking sounds. I felt like I was woken up by the sounds/stops/starts every 20 minutes; my husband says he didn’t sleep at all. We arrived in Prague around 7:30am pretty exhausted but luckily the excitement of being in Prague(!!) for the first time kept us going. I’m glad I got to experience the overnight train but I probably wouldn’t do it again….except maybe on one of the more modern Austrian Nightjet trains.
One more thing, also on that same trip last year Budapest was our final stop (we covered a lot of ground). We were there 3 nights and I really enjoyed it. If you haven’t been already I’m sure you’ll love it as well. The hip/trendy dining scene and ruin pubs around Kiraly Street and the Jewish Quarter were a highlight.
Posted by
San Francisco
14979 posts
What you described as part of the night train ride experience is pretty accurate. You'll come across that on any night train ride, I know, I've take numerous of them sitting in the general seating area or in a compartment, which is all right but could be a bit tight if the compartment has 4 or 5 other passengers in it aside from yourself.
No problem sitting among strangers, (keep in mind you're a stranger to them too), everyone is civil and polite but it could get a bit cramp. That's why I prefer the general seating area over the compartment if there is a choice. Sleeping upright is no problem on the night train. I only take those night trains arriving at the destination after 5:30 am.