Budapest to Prague by Train: Times, Fares and Night Train

Day trains: times and stations

MÁV's Czech Republic page says day trains run every two hours between Budapest and Prague in both directions, via Brno, with barrier-free travel, bike carriage and a dining car. A separate daytime train runs to Ostrava.

The Budapest–Bratislava–Prague–Berlin timetable, dated 18 August 2026 on MÁV's timetable page, shows this two-hourly pattern from Budapest-Nyugati:

Trains also stop at Vác and Štúrovo before Bratislava. In the other direction, trains leave Prague at :37 past every second hour from 05:37 and reach Nyugati about 6 h 51 min later (05:37 → 12:28, 07:37 → 14:28, and so on).

The PDF was read by machine extraction, which garbled some columns and cut off the last row; it also showed an extra 08:12 departure from Nyugati that could not be matched reliably to its Prague arrival. Treat these as the pattern and confirm your train in MÁV's booking engine at jegy.mav.hu or at a ticket office. MÁV notes that its PDFs show only main stops, that times are for guidance and that works can change them.

What a ticket costs

MÁV publishes "from" fares in euros for its discounted START Europa tickets from Budapest, all in second class:

These come from the Czech Republic page, which says the fares are tied to a specific train, sold in limited numbers and valid only for day travel. MÁV's START Europa page adds that START Europa Plus can be returned with a 10% deduction before the first day of validity, that tickets are valid for two days, and that border-crossing trains are train-bound. First-class START Europa and the more flexible Europa Flex fares are priced by MÁV's contact points, not on the page.

Children aged 6–15 travelling with a START Europa adult pay €5 in second class or €10 in first, up to three per adult; under-6s travel free.

Paying. MÁV charges international tickets bought online or in its app in forints, at its own rate (€1 = 370 Ft on 30 October 2026). International ticket offices and the trains also accept euros.

Seat reservations are sold separately from START Europa. MÁV says they are free in its app and discounted online.

Day train or night train?

The Metropol EuroNight (train numbers 10476/10577) runs daily between Budapest and Prague, according to MÁV's night travel page. MÁV lists the operator as Czech Railways (JLV) and the train as having couchette and sleeping cars. MÁV says its night trains generally leave Budapest in the evening and arrive the next morning, and that the fare covers both the ticket and the berth. The page does not give the Metropol's departure station or times, so check them in the booking engine.

MÁV's Czech page lists START Night prices per person:

Worked example: two adults

• Day train: 2 × €30 = €60 on the cheapest START Europa seats, about 22,200 Ft at MÁV's rate, plus your last hotel night in Budapest or your first in Prague.
• Night train in a private two-berth compartment: 2 × €80 = €160, about 59,200 Ft, with no hotel night needed for that night.

The night train saves a hotel night and a daytime of travel, at €100 more than two day-train seats. If a Prague or Budapest hotel night costs you more than about €100, the two-berth sleeper is the cheaper overall option; a four- or six-berth couchette narrows the gap further. These are "from" prices with limited availability.

Which ticket for which trip

• Fixed date, lowest price: START Europa from €30, booked early, with a free seat reservation in the MÁV app.
• Date might change: START Europa Plus from €37, refundable minus 10% before the first day of validity.
• Short on days: the Metropol sleeper, so you travel while you sleep.
• Late start: the last day train in the current pattern leaves Nyugati at 15:30 and reaches Prague around 22:20. After that, the night train is the remaining direct option listed by MÁV.

If you are planning a three-capital loop, our Budapest to Vienna train guide covers the hourly Vienna service from Keleti and Kelenföld. Because tickets are charged in forints, our guide to paying in Hungary explains how to avoid poor conversion when you pay by card.

Where to buy

MÁV sells these fares online at jegy.mav.hu, in the MÁV app, at international ticket offices and at the VOLÁN international desk at Népliget; MÁVDIREKT answers on +36 1 349 4949, according to the Czech Republic page.