Ugh - Boss Wants to Rail IPO Fly From Budapest
Nov 22, 2011, 9:22 pm
#1
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Ugh - Boss Wants to Rail IPO Fly From Budapest
So I get to deal with an "adventuresome" new boss who wants to take the rail from Budapest to Stuttgart. Guess he did not get burned on this stuff in College.
So how clean a trip is this? Lots of transfers? Reliable service? Colleagues I ping over there just respond with "why won't you fly?" Thanks
So how clean a trip is this? Lots of transfers? Reliable service? Colleagues I ping over there just respond with "why won't you fly?" Thanks
Nov 23, 2011, 2:11 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Europe
Posts: 1,589
There are two main options:
- take the night train from Budapest to Munich, and change trains at Munich for Stuttgart;
- travel by day train (Railjet) to Munich (there are four a day), and change trains at Munich for Stuttgart.
On Fridays and Saturdays, one of the Railjets (departing Budapest at 13:10) is direct to Stuttgart, but arrives quite late (at 23:00).
There are one or two trains an hour from Munich to Stuttgart.
If you have the time, I would recommend the day train. If you travel in Premium class, you will be pleasantly surprised. Spacious, comfortable seats (just two across in mini-compartments of four seats), and excellent at-seat service (free drinks and snacks, and pay-service for bigger meals). Easy to get some work done - but no on-train internet access, unfortunately.
The worst thing about this is that you cannot book Premium class for this journey on-line - you can book First Class tickets and pay the supplement (€25 per person) on board if there are free seats - shouldn't be a problem, especially departing from Budapest. I really recommend Premium over First, because the journey from Budapest to Munich is over 7 hours, and the seating is much more comfortable.
If you want to travel overnight, you can book sleeping compartments for one or two people. The overnight train does get to Munich very early, though - at 06:15.
- take the night train from Budapest to Munich, and change trains at Munich for Stuttgart;
- travel by day train (Railjet) to Munich (there are four a day), and change trains at Munich for Stuttgart.
On Fridays and Saturdays, one of the Railjets (departing Budapest at 13:10) is direct to Stuttgart, but arrives quite late (at 23:00).
There are one or two trains an hour from Munich to Stuttgart.
If you have the time, I would recommend the day train. If you travel in Premium class, you will be pleasantly surprised. Spacious, comfortable seats (just two across in mini-compartments of four seats), and excellent at-seat service (free drinks and snacks, and pay-service for bigger meals). Easy to get some work done - but no on-train internet access, unfortunately.
The worst thing about this is that you cannot book Premium class for this journey on-line - you can book First Class tickets and pay the supplement (€25 per person) on board if there are free seats - shouldn't be a problem, especially departing from Budapest. I really recommend Premium over First, because the journey from Budapest to Munich is over 7 hours, and the seating is much more comfortable.
If you want to travel overnight, you can book sleeping compartments for one or two people. The overnight train does get to Munich very early, though - at 06:15.
Nov 23, 2011, 9:18 am
#3
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Back in 1964, the Orient Express had through couches between Paris and Budapest (and vv), with a stop in Stuttgart. [On some days, they even had sleepers going on to Bucharest.]
Nov 23, 2011, 3:45 pm
#5
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Does he realize that as a minimum you're both looking at 12+ hours of travel for what could be done in 90 minutes in the air at ok prices?
Nov 23, 2011, 10:32 pm
#6
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If you apply the rule "avoid Hungarian trains like the plague" then you will be fine: the Railjet is Austrian, not Hungarian. (applying that rule on everything not just trains is a good idea, too)
I did the Euronight from Budapest to Munich a few years ago and it was a horrible experience. The EN is a Hungarian train. See rule above.
I did the Euronight from Budapest to Munich a few years ago and it was a horrible experience. The EN is a Hungarian train. See rule above.
Nov 23, 2011, 10:50 pm
#7
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Time
Admittedly, Budapest-Stuttgart by train (RailJet Budapest-Munich, ICE Munich-Stuttgart) takes around 11hours. However, that's city centre to city centre.
Flying would take: 30mins Budapest to BUD airport; 1hr+ for check-in; 1hr30 flight; 30mins-1hr waiting for bags at Stuttgart; 30 mins STR airport into Stuttgart. That's at least 4 hours - not 90 minutes. And nearly all of that time is spent queuing or moving from one place to another.
Meanwhile, on the train, apart from the connection time in Munich, from the moment you get on in Budapest, until just before getting off in Stuttgart, is undisturbed time to read/work/sleep/whatever. (Especially if you're in First or Premium, so it's not too crowded).
Or, as Railways suggested, take the EuroNight sleeper from Budapest to Munich, and then the only daytime used up is the 2hr journey from Munich to Stuttgart. Leave Budapest at 21:10, and be in Stuttgart at 08:39. (Although I'd only recommend this if you take a sleeper berth (or failing that, couchette) and can sleep alright on a train - some people can, some people can't...)
Price
Looking at a random date in January, bahn.de has Budapest-Stuttgart on the RailJet/ICE for €39 in second, €69 in First. (Note in this direction, the ticket has to be sent by post - in the other direction, you can get it as a self-print online ticket).
I'm not sure what budget airlines would charge for this route - but you would then need to add any additional charges (for baggage, etc), plus the cost of getting to/from the airport at each end.
Overall, I doubt that flying would work out significantly cheaper than the train for this route.
In the end, it comes down to personal preference for what form of transport you prefer, and whether you prioritise a shorter journey time that involves airport hassles, or a longer journey that doesn't. If I was doing this journey, I would almost certainly choose either the EuroNight sleeper plus TGV, or First Class on the daytime Railjet/ICE, rather than flying.
----------------------
My night-train memory, 2011 timetable:
Europe: R440, R441, CNL456, EN477, 60477, D347, D498, 435, 824
SE Asia: 69, SE3
Nov 24, 2011, 12:56 am
#8
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Mostly valid points with counterpoints. Hotel to train vs hotel to airport let us say is 50% less. so we're talking for easy measure 15 euros each way. so 30 euros more. 4 hours vs 12 hours for 30 euros....not bad. I found flights as cheap as 69 dollars(51.65 euro at current rate) on GermanWings and 165 dollars (123.63 euro on Malev which would handle the average baggage. Getting on a train at 21:10 isn't all that late and for someone like me that goes to sleep around 2:00 that leaves little sleep time and having to wake up for a transfer.
I am actually pro-train travel. I think they're great and a nice way to get around but for travel this long it just doesn't make sense to me.
I am actually pro-train travel. I think they're great and a nice way to get around but for travel this long it just doesn't make sense to me.
Hmmm. Not sure the comparison is quite as straightforward as that...
Time
Admittedly, Budapest-Stuttgart by train (RailJet Budapest-Munich, ICE Munich-Stuttgart) takes around 11hours. However, that's city centre to city centre.
Flying would take: 30mins Budapest to BUD airport; 1hr+ for check-in; 1hr30 flight; 30mins-1hr waiting for bags at Stuttgart; 30 mins STR airport into Stuttgart. That's at least 4 hours - not 90 minutes. And nearly all of that time is spent queuing or moving from one place to another.
Meanwhile, on the train, apart from the connection time in Munich, from the moment you get on in Budapest, until just before getting off in Stuttgart, is undisturbed time to read/work/sleep/whatever. (Especially if you're in First or Premium, so it's not too crowded).
Or, as Railways suggested, take the EuroNight sleeper from Budapest to Munich, and then the only daytime used up is the 2hr journey from Munich to Stuttgart. Leave Budapest at 21:10, and be in Stuttgart at 08:39. (Although I'd only recommend this if you take a sleeper berth (or failing that, couchette) and can sleep alright on a train - some people can, some people can't...)
Price
Looking at a random date in January, bahn.de has Budapest-Stuttgart on the RailJet/ICE for €39 in second, €69 in First. (Note in this direction, the ticket has to be sent by post - in the other direction, you can get it as a self-print online ticket).
I'm not sure what budget airlines would charge for this route - but you would then need to add any additional charges (for baggage, etc), plus the cost of getting to/from the airport at each end.
Overall, I doubt that flying would work out significantly cheaper than the train for this route.
In the end, it comes down to personal preference for what form of transport you prefer, and whether you prioritise a shorter journey time that involves airport hassles, or a longer journey that doesn't. If I was doing this journey, I would almost certainly choose either the EuroNight sleeper plus TGV, or First Class on the daytime Railjet/ICE, rather than flying.
----------------------
My night-train memory, 2011 timetable:
Europe: R440, R441, CNL456, EN477, 60477, D347, D498, 435, 824
SE Asia: 69, SE3
Time
Admittedly, Budapest-Stuttgart by train (RailJet Budapest-Munich, ICE Munich-Stuttgart) takes around 11hours. However, that's city centre to city centre.
Flying would take: 30mins Budapest to BUD airport; 1hr+ for check-in; 1hr30 flight; 30mins-1hr waiting for bags at Stuttgart; 30 mins STR airport into Stuttgart. That's at least 4 hours - not 90 minutes. And nearly all of that time is spent queuing or moving from one place to another.
Meanwhile, on the train, apart from the connection time in Munich, from the moment you get on in Budapest, until just before getting off in Stuttgart, is undisturbed time to read/work/sleep/whatever. (Especially if you're in First or Premium, so it's not too crowded).
Or, as Railways suggested, take the EuroNight sleeper from Budapest to Munich, and then the only daytime used up is the 2hr journey from Munich to Stuttgart. Leave Budapest at 21:10, and be in Stuttgart at 08:39. (Although I'd only recommend this if you take a sleeper berth (or failing that, couchette) and can sleep alright on a train - some people can, some people can't...)
Price
Looking at a random date in January, bahn.de has Budapest-Stuttgart on the RailJet/ICE for €39 in second, €69 in First. (Note in this direction, the ticket has to be sent by post - in the other direction, you can get it as a self-print online ticket).
I'm not sure what budget airlines would charge for this route - but you would then need to add any additional charges (for baggage, etc), plus the cost of getting to/from the airport at each end.
Overall, I doubt that flying would work out significantly cheaper than the train for this route.
In the end, it comes down to personal preference for what form of transport you prefer, and whether you prioritise a shorter journey time that involves airport hassles, or a longer journey that doesn't. If I was doing this journey, I would almost certainly choose either the EuroNight sleeper plus TGV, or First Class on the daytime Railjet/ICE, rather than flying.
----------------------
My night-train memory, 2011 timetable:
Europe: R440, R441, CNL456, EN477, 60477, D347, D498, 435, 824
SE Asia: 69, SE3
Dec 1, 2011, 12:18 am
#9
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Seeing OP's location, I'd like to point that trains in Europe are much better than those in US. Personally, I'd recommend railjet premium class if you don't mind sitting all the way. If you want to sleep and stretch on your trip, take sleeper (not couchette), but this will be one of less pleasant trains (still ok though).
On the other hand, on this long journey I'd go for plane, if possible.
On the other hand, on this long journey I'd go for plane, if possible.
