Times and stations
MÁV's Austria page says trains run hourly between Budapest and Vienna in both directions from early morning until evening, and that most have a dining car. ÖBB's Vienna–Budapest page also describes the service as hourly. Neither page names the train type.
The current Budapest–Vienna–Salzburg–Munich timetable, dated 29 October 2026 on MÁV's timetable page, shows this pattern:
| Direction | Departs | Arrives | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budapest → Vienna | Keleti at :30, Kelenföld at :55 (first 05:30 / 05:55) | Wien Hbf at about :20 | About 2 h 50 min from Keleti, 2 h 25 min from Kelenföld |
| Vienna → Budapest | Wien Hbf at about :40 | Kelenföld at about :02, Keleti at about :29 | About 2 h 50 min to Keleti |
The PDF's text is hard to read by machine and some columns do not line up, so treat these as the pattern and check your exact train in MÁV's booking engine (jegy.mav.hu) or the ÖBB app. MÁV notes that its PDFs show only main stops, that times are for guidance, and that works can change them.
Keleti or Kelenföld? In the timetable, each Vienna train leaving Keleti at :30 is followed by a Kelenföld departure at :55. Boarding at Kelenföld cuts about 25 minutes of train time, which helps if you are staying in Buda; Keleti is the starting point if you are staying in Pest. Our Budapest public transport guide covers getting to either station.
What a ticket costs
Neither railway publishes a simple current full-fare table for this route. MÁV's fare documents page lists only a 2024–25 international fare table, so use the booking engines for the price of a flexible ticket on your day. What both railways do publish are their discounted fares.
| Fare | Seller | From | Refund | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| START Europa | MÁV | €13, 2nd class | No | Train-bound in Austria; valid 2 days; limited seats |
| START Europa Plus | MÁV | €41, 2nd class | Before the first day of validity, minus 10% | As above |
| Sparschiene Europa | ÖBB | Not published for this route | No | Train-bound; limited seats; up to 180 days ahead; no discounts |
| Sparschiene Komfort Europa | ÖBB | Not published for this route | Free until 15 days before; then 50% (min. €15) until 1 day before | Includes seat reservation |
The MÁV figures come from its Austria page and its START Europa page; ÖBB's conditions come from its Sparschiene Europa page. START Europa first class needs a first-class ticket, and MÁV directs first-class price questions to its customer service.
Children. On START Europa, children aged 6–15 travelling with an adult pay €5 in second class or €10 in first, up to three per adult, and under-6s travel free, according to MÁV.
Worked example: a family of four
Two adults and two children aged 8 and 12 on the cheapest START Europa second-class seats pay 2 × €13 + 2 × €5 = €36. Online that is charged in forints: at MÁV's listed rate of €1 = 370 Ft, about 13,320 Ft. The €13 price is a "from" fare with limited seats, so on a busy train expect more. Add seat reservations if you want to sit together; in the MÁV app they cost nothing.
Which ticket to buy
- Fixed plans, lowest price: MÁV START Europa. Book early, choose the exact train, and reserve seats in the MÁV app, where MÁV says the reservation is free (online it is sold at a discount).
- Plans might change by a few days: START Europa Plus, refundable before the first day of validity with a 10% deduction, or ÖBB Sparschiene Komfort, refundable free of charge until 15 days before travel and with a seat already included.
- You want to see prices in euros: search ÖBB's Ticketshop or app, which quotes its fares in euros. MÁV's Austria page says its international tickets bought online or in the app are always charged in forints at MÁV's own rate (€1 = 370 Ft on 30 October 2026). Its international ticket offices and the trains accept forints and euros.
- Missed the cheap seats: price both railways' booking engines for your train, and compare with a later or earlier departure; the discounted fares are limited per train.
Seat reservations
A seat reservation is not part of the basic discounted fares. MÁV sells it separately, free in its app. ÖBB's reservation page prices reservations on its trains within Austria from €3 and recommends them on busy travel days; it does not describe them as compulsory on day trains. Its Sparschiene Komfort fares include a seat.
Over the 2024 holidays MÁV urged passengers to reserve seats on its busier year-end trains, including InterCity and railjet xpress trains. A reservation is most worth having on busy days, around holidays, or when a group or family wants to sit together.
Where to buy
MÁV sells international tickets 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. ÖBB sells through its Ticketshop and app. The Sparschiene page says Sparschiene Europa fares start at €4.90 on short routes, but ÖBB does not publish a Vienna–Budapest figure; search your date to see it.
Arriving in Vienna
Trains arrive at Wien Hauptbahnhof about 2 hours 50 minutes after leaving Keleti. From there, our Vienna public transport tickets guide explains fares and day tickets, and our Vienna airport to city guide helps if you are flying home from Vienna. If you are continuing west, see our Vienna to Salzburg train guide.
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