Prague to Budapest - 13 Best Ways to Travel in 2026

The train is a comfortable and well-connected way to travel from Prague to Budapest, passing through Slovakia along the way. Seven direct daytime services run daily, departing roughly every two hours between 5:24 AM and 3:24 PM. The journey takes around seven hours. Trains are modern, with free Wi-Fi, power sockets at every seat, and a dining car where you can order Czech dishes, snacks, and drinks throughout the trip.

In addition to the national rail services, RegioJet operates two daily trains on this route, departing Prague at 5:45 AM and 12:45 PM. Their trains include onboard entertainment screens, free hot and cold drinks, and an attendant throughout the journey.

If you prefer to travel overnight, there is a night service departing Prague Main Station at 10:43 PM, arriving at Budapest Nyugati station at 8:49 AM. Sleeping car options are available, with one, two, and three bed compartments. This is worth considering on a seven hour route: you arrive rested, and you save a night of accommodation.

Train Stations in Prague and Budapest

In Prague, most trains depart from Prague Main Station (Praha hlavní nádraží), connected to the city center via Metro Line C (red) at the Hlavní nádraží stop. Some services depart from Praha Holešovice station, three stops north on the same Metro Line C at the Nádraží Holešovice stop.

RegioJet trains arrive at Budapest Déli station, connected to the city center via Metro Line 2 (red) at the Déli pályaudvar stop. All other trains, including the overnight service, arrive at Budapest Nyugati station, connected to the city center via Metro Line 3 (blue) at the Nyugati pályaudvar stop.

Tickets and Booking

Train tickets start at €20 when bought in advance. That price holds reasonably well, as day-of fares only rise to around €31, making this one of the more forgiving routes in Central Europe for late planners. Trainline is the most convenient place to book. It compares prices across Czech and Hungarian Railways in one search, displays fares in your preferred currency, and works smoothly with international cards. If you are combining this trip with other European rail journeys, Rail Europe lets you manage everything from one place and handles multi-country bookings without the hassle.

Czech Railways (ČD) and Hungarian Railways (MÁV) both sell tickets directly, and it is worth a quick check on each since prices can differ slightly for the same train. The catch is that both sites quote fares in local currencies only, which can be disorienting if you are not used to converting Czech crowns or Hungarian forints on the fly. Trainline removes that friction entirely. Book ahead during summer and on weekends, as the seven daily direct trains are popular and the cheapest seats go first.

Insider Tip

The stretch through southern Moravia and into Slovakia is the most scenic part of the journey. Keep an eye out as the train crosses into Slovakia near Břeclav, where the landscape opens up into wide river plains along the border of the Danube and Morava rivers.

Book your Prague to Budapest train on Trainline | Book with RegioJet

The journey from Prague to Budapest takes seven hours by train or bus. Neither will show you anything of the 525 km of Moravia, Slovakia, and western Hungary you pass through on the way.

The Prague to Budapest Transfer Tour turns that journey into a full day of sightseeing across three countries. You depart Prague in the morning, travel south through the Czech Republic and into Slovakia, then cross into Hungary before the final drive into Budapest. You arrive in the early evening having seen three genuinely worthwhile destinations along the way.

What's Included

The open group tour departs Prague at 8:00 AM and runs for approximately 9 to 10 hours with a maximum of eight passengers in a comfortable, air-conditioned minivan or car.

Your guide is a local who travels with you the full day. They bring real knowledge of Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian history to each stop and are there to answer questions throughout the drive, not just at the destinations themselves.

A lunch break is scheduled in Bratislava, where you can try Slovak cuisine at one of the restaurants in or around the Old Town. Your guide will point you toward the best options. Lunch is not included in the tour price.

Hotel pickup and dropoff are available for private bookings. Open group tours depart from a central meeting point in Prague and include dropoff in central Budapest.

The price is €99 per person for the open group tour. Private bookings are available for couples, families, and groups who prefer a door-to-door experience. Check the Prague to Budapest Transfer Tour booking page to see the exact price for your group.

What Travelers are Saying

The bus is a practical alternative on this route, with around ten or more departures daily and fares competitive with the train. Two operators serve the route: Flixbus and RegioJet.

Flixbus vs RegioJet

Flixbus has the most departures, running from early morning through to midnight, and offers the widest choice of departure times. Fares start at €20 when booked in advance, with prices rising closer to the departure date.

RegioJet runs fewer daily departures on this route, but their coaches are a step up in comfort, with onboard entertainment screens, free hot and cold drinks, and an attendant throughout the journey. Fares also start at around €20. If you can find a departure time that works, RegioJet is worth the extra planning.

If flexibility matters most, go with Flixbus. Those who prioritize comfort over departure flexibility will find RegioJet the better fit.

Bus Stations in Prague and Budapest

In Prague, all buses depart from Florenc Bus Station in the city center, connected to the rest of the city via Metro Line C (red) at the Florenc stop. Some services also stop at Prague Main Station before leaving the city.

In Budapest, buses stop at Kelenföld station before terminating at Népliget Bus Station. Kelenföld is connected to the city center via Metro Line 4 (green), and Népliget via Metro Line 3 (blue). Both stations are a short metro ride from the city center.

Tickets and Booking

Second class tickets start at €20 when booked in advance. Book directly through the Flixbus or RegioJet websites. Both booking websites work in English and accept internationally issued credit and debit cards. If you're traveling in summer or on a weekend, securing your ticket early will save you from paying more or missing out.

Luggage

A cabin bag and one large piece of luggage are included with both operators at no extra cost. Visit their respective websites to confirm the exact dimensions and weight allowances before your journey.

Book your Prague to Budapest bus on Flixbus | Book with RegioJet

Want to see more than just Prague and Budapest?

Seven hours on a train covers the distance, but the road between Bohemia and Hungary passes through three countries and some of the most undervisited scenery in Central Europe. The Prague to Budapest Sightseeing Transfer Tour takes you through the UNESCO-listed gardens and Neo-Gothic palace of Lednice in southern Moravia, into the medieval Old Town and hilltop castle of Bratislava for lunch, and on to the beautifully preserved Baroque streets of Győr before dropping you in Budapest. It departs at 8:00 AM, arrives around 6:00 PM, and costs €99 per person. Three countries, three stops, and a day that makes the journey as good as the destination.

If you want to travel quickly from Prague to Budapest, you have the option to fly. Ryanair, a low-cost airline, offers daily flights from Prague to Budapest, except on Saturdays. There is at least one flight per day, and on some days, there are two. The departure times vary depending on the day, so if you choose this option, you will need to plan your schedule around your flight time. The flight time from Prague to Budapest is one hour and ten minutes, but you should allow 4-5 hours in total, considering the time it takes to get to and from the airports and complete airport procedures.

Plane tickets from Prague to Budapest
Tickets for Prague to Budapest flights start at €16 for a one-way journey. However, since it is a low-cost airline, you will need to pay extra for additional services such as larger carry-on luggage, checked-in bags, and seat selection. The prices for desired travel dates on Ryanair can be unpredictable, but even a few days before the trip, you can usually find a Prague to Budapest plane ticket for around €21. While Ryanair does not offer luxury amenities, it provides a safe and efficient means of transportation from point A to point B, which is the most important aspect.

Airports in Prague and Budapest
To get to Prague Airport, besides taking a taxi, you can either take a direct bus from the central train station (although slightly more expensive) or use the metro (green line A) to reach Nádraží Veleslavín. From there, you will need to transfer to the local bus number 119, which will take you to the airport. As both the Czech Republic and Hungary are part of the Schengen Zone, and assuming you have already checked in online for your flight, you can proceed directly to the security control once you arrive at the airport. In Budapest, there are two options for getting from the airport to the city center, aside from taking a taxi. You can either take the direct bus number 100E to Deak Ferenc ter (although slightly more expensive) or take bus number 200E to Kőbánya-Kispest metro station and transfer to the blue metro line 3. Regular public transport tickets are valid for these options.

For those who prioritize comfort and flexibility while traveling, a private transfer from Prague to Budapest might be a good option. It is a slightly more expensive choice, with prices starting at around €450 for a car with an English-speaking driver, but it offers convenience and ease of travel. The direct route from Prague to Budapest typically takes around five hours, but for an additional fee, you can include exciting sightseeing stops along the way, such as Kutná Hora, Mikulov, Lednice Chateau, or Bratislava. This private transfer is also recommended if you are traveling with heavy luggage, as the door-to-door service will make managing your belongings much easier.

You also have the option to drive from Prague to Budapest yourself, giving you complete control over your journey. The quickest route is approximately 525 km long and can take around five to six hours, including rest stops. However, it's important to note that renting a car from Prague to Budapest for just one day can be expensive, costing up to €1,000 due to the need to return the car to a different location. It's advisable to extend your trip to a few days, which would only increase the rental cost by around €200, making it a more viable option. By taking a small detour, you can explore beautiful and interesting yet lesser-known places along the way, such as Trebic, Brno, Mikulov, Trencin, Trnava, or Gyor, among others.

If you enjoy traveling on two wheels, cycling from Prague to Budapest can be a fantastic way to spend your holidays. It typically takes around 10-14 days to cover the distance of approximately 500 km and explore interesting places along the route. By making small detours, your Prague to Budapest cycling itinerary can be filled with attractions, including visits to four capitals, several UNESCO sites, and numerous charming towns and stunning natural spots. The route is generally straightforward, with only the initial part having some hilly terrain, but as you approach Budapest, the area becomes flatter.

Alternatively, you can join a Prague to Budapest bike tour, where all the practical aspects of the trip are taken care of for you. This way, you can still experience some of the region's best destinations and enjoy the journey from Prague to Budapest by bike in the company of like-minded individuals.

While car sharing is a popular option for traveling within Europe, it may not be the most convenient choice for the Prague to Budapest route. However, it's still worth considering. The most well-known website that connects passengers with drivers is BlaBlaCar. You can browse through the available rides and contact the driver once you find a suitable option. Keep in mind that the search results may also include regular bus connections, so double-check your choice.

It's important to read the details carefully, as the pick-up or drop-off locations may be located away from the city center, which could be inconvenient if you're unfamiliar with the area. Nonetheless, BlaBlaCar serves as a viable alternative to traditional travel options. It is particularly useful for last-minute trips, as rides can appear on the website shortly before departure. If you're unable to find a direct car-sharing trip from Prague to Budapest, you can try searching for trips from Prague to Brno/Bratislava/Vienna and then continuing on to Budapest.

If you enjoy the excitement and adventure of spontaneous travel and have extra time on your hands, you can consider hitchhiking from Prague to Budapest. To be honest, the chances of hitching a ride all the way to Hungary are slim but not impossible. It would be more realistic to aim for another destination first and then continue your journey towards Budapest.

You'll need to decide which route to take, either via Brno and Bratislava (a slightly shorter route) or through Vienna. Regardless of the route, your starting point from Prague will be the same, at motorway no 1. The best place to catch a ride heading south is at Újezd u Průhonic - the first petrol station along this road. To reach there, you can take the red C metro line to Opatov (the second-to-last stop in the direction of Haje) and then transfer to bus X122, which will take you to its final stop, K Sukovu. From there, it's just a short walk to the petrol station where you can begin hitchhiking.

While it is not technically feasible to travel directly by boat from Prague to Budapest due to the absence of connecting rivers, there are delightful Danube River cruises available that incorporate the Czech capital into their itineraries. Once you have explored Prague, you will be transported by bus to Germany, where you will embark on the riverboat for the main portion of the Danube River cruise. The cruise will make stops in Austria and Slovakia before reaching its final destination of Budapest. Some cruise packages starting in Prague may include additional destinations along the Danube. After your visit to Budapest, you can choose to continue the journey towards Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania.

This is an idea for adventurous travelers who believe that the sky is the only limit. If you have three weeks to spare and would like to fully immerse yourself in Central Europe, explore its finest destinations, and truly experience it, why not embark on a journey from Prague to Budapest on foot? Granted, this will be a long and challenging trek, covering a distance of over 500 km, but it will undoubtedly be an unforgettable adventure.

Only a small portion of the route is hilly, and what you will primarily need for this journey is endurance. However, the reward of reaching your destination will make it all worthwhile. You can plan your trip in advance to include the region's highlights or be spontaneous and decide your path as you go. Along the way, you'll encounter numerous breathtaking places, ensuring that no matter which direction you choose, you'll be treated to the true essence of Central Europe.

With a distance of over 500 km and a travel time of at least 5 hours (or more if using public transport), embarking on a day trip from Prague to Budapest is not feasible. However, if Hungary is the next destination on your itinerary, you can turn the journey into a fun and exciting day trip. The best way to accomplish this is by utilizing the Prague to Budapest sightseeing transfer option we discussed earlier. This allows you to travel comfortably and without any hassle between the two cities, while also making stops at fantastic locations in three different countries along the way. Choosing this option is undoubtedly the optimal way to travel from Prague to Budapest!

Those who enjoy luxury and comfortable travel and would like to journey in style between the Czech and Hungarian capitals can choose the private jet option from Prague to Budapest. While it may not be the most economical choice, as chartering a plane from Prague to Budapest can cost a minimum of €7,500, it allows you to customize the entire trip according to your preferences. Additionally, it is the fastest mode of transportation between the two cities, with a travel time of approximately 3 hours, including the flight duration.