In this post, I want to highlight how to travel from Vienna to Budapest. There are many options to travel from Vienna to Budapest, so it depends on your situation and what you feel would be the best option for you. This post will clarify all the available routes, and I will pick the best way overall.

To start, Vienna to Budapest is only about 133 miles apart. Since they are pretty close, it’s going to come down to speed, cost, and your preference on how to travel. You’ll see in this post that there is one superior method while some others also to consider.

The best option in deciding how to travel from Vienna to Budapest is to take the train. Like most other European cities Austria and Hungary have a good railroad network, which makes train the best option for most travelers. The travel time from Vienna to Budapest ranges from 2 hours and 30 to 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Trains leaving for Budapest leave from the Wien Meidling, Wien Huetteldorf, or Wien Hauptbahnhof train station in central Vienna. Arriving trains in Budapest either arrive at Budapest Kelenfoe or Budapest Keleti. Your arrival station will depend on which company and the time you decide to take. Still, it seems the majority of the fastest trains leave from Wien Westbahnhof and arrive at Budapest Keleti. It is possible to take a slower route or even stop in cities like Bratislava in Slovakia.

Austria’s RailJet is the best option to take since it is direct, and the fastest train to head to Budapest. There is wifi on board as well as a choice between 1st and 2nd class. The benefit of taking the train over the other options we’ll see below is the fact you can leave from central Vienna and arrive in central Budapest. For travelers staying in these city centers, this is the best option.

ÖBB

There are options when booking like any train, including first-class, business class, and second class. There are plenty of trains throughout the day, but the best option would be direct RailJet. Book in advance as the longer you wait, the price goes up. Summer also tends to be more expensive.

Price: Range from $20 to $50 on average

For most travelers, I would recommend taking the train from Vienna to Budapest. It’s cheap, efficient, and well get you to Vienna to Budapest in under 3 hours. For travelers who want to make the most out of their travels, taking the train makes the most sense.

1st Recommended

A list of things that will make your train travels better!

If you have time to kill or prefer flying, then taking a plane from Vienna to Budapest is the second-best option. It is quicker to travel by air technically, but going to and from airports will eat up any gains you get by flying. Also traveling by plane is way more expensive than just taking the train.

There are only about three nonstop flights a day from Vienna to Budapest, according to Google, costing around $150 on average. That’s not a deal considering the train is always less than 25 – 50 euros even with a first-class ticket. Also, I don’t think taking a flight would be faster if you take into account traveling to and from the airport. The advantage of taking the train over the plane is that there are no security checks at the train station.

Taking a flight is not a bad option, especially if you’re staying around airports, and you want a quick alternative from the train. But given that on a train you can get up, the food is less expensive than an airport and wifi that usually works I would opt for the train over a flight.

Austrian Airlines

There is only one major airline that serves Vienna to Budapest direct, and that’s Austrian Airlines. It is also to connect to other European cities. Still, I don’t see the point in that, especially when there is also a direct train service.

Use websites like Google Flights, Momondo, or Skyscanner to look at prices and schedule. Usually, I book with the airline directly on their website.

Price: Around $150

Yes, I think taking a flight is a good option. Still, it would be my second option if for some reason, the train was not available or if I happen to be staying around the airports. European airports are usually pretty efficient, but the problem is that they can be far from city centers. And you’re going to waste time and money commuting to and from the airports.

2nd Recommended

A list of things that will make your flight travels better!

Taking a bus is the cheapest way to get from Vienna to Budapest. And it’s not a horrible way to travel given that the bus does go direct. All buses leave from Vienna Central Station and arrive in Budapest at stations, Kelenfold or Nepliget. These two stations are both outside the Budapest city center, and you’ll have to take an additional metro if you need to be in the city center.

The travel time from London to Paris by bus is around 2 hours and 45 minutes to 3 hours, 30 minutes. All are direct services operating with just one company, Flixbus. The prices, in general, are pretty low, costing around $10 – $20 one way.

Onboard, there are toilets, and the ride is generally comfortable. There is also wifi offered on board to help you get through your bus ride. The journey is not that long, so if you are looking to save a couple of dollars and don’t feel like taking the train, then this would be a good option. As we’ve seen, though, the train is not that much more expensive compared to the bus, and it starts and ends downtown.

Flixbus

Several bus companies offer services. Eurolines maybe the best because they do offer wifi on board depending on the ticket you bought.

Price: Range from $15 to $40 on average

Taking the bus is the cheapest option, and the direct route is pretty fast. It’s about 10 dollars less expensive than taking the train; however, I think the train is more convenient since it leaves and goes directly into both downtown. Taking the bus, you’ll arrive in Budapest on the outside of town, and then you’ll need to take a bus. I think the train wins overall and is more comfortable.

3rd Recommended

A list of things that will make your bus travels better!

You can rent a car in Vienna and drive to Budapest although I wouldn’t recommend doing this unless you need a car. There is only one route to Budapest, and that is taking the A4 in Austria and then the M1 once you get into Hungary. You could opt to crossover into Slovakia and then into Hungary if you plan on seeing other sites.

The total time to Budapest if you drive direct is only about 2 hours 30 minutes. There is no need for border checks as Austria and Hungary both have open borders with each other. The only upside to having a car in Hungary is to be able to drive to sites on your timetable. Most of the travelers should opt for the train as Hungary has a pretty well-connected train service.

Cost-wise, renting a car is not that pricey, and you could get quite a deal for renting multiple days. The daily average for a rental car is somewhere between $20 – $50 per day. You’ll need to figure in for gas prices, which can be high as well as parking. Also, you’ll be responsible for the car, and I don’t think many travelers want to have to think about damaging a car and having to pay for it.

Avis

Enterprise

Europcar

Hertz

Sixt

You have all the big names in rental cars in Vienna. Prices will vary a lot depending on car size and length of car rental.

Price: About $20 – $50 per day on average (can be much higher if short notice)

If you want to take control of where you’re traveling from Vienna to Budapest, this may be the route for you. Given that you’ll probably have the car for multiple days, this may be the most expensive option. Another thing is that you could just rent a car once you get to Budapest. It’s not that expensive to rent a car, but gas prices in Europe are high, and driving in Europe comes at a cost.

4th Recommended

A list of things that will make your car travels better!

These two iconic cities are well connected, and there are plenty of options depending on your budget and how fast you want to arrive. For me, the clear winner is by train and is my 1st recommended.

I also have a link to What to Wear in for Men if you need travel style help. For now, these are just for men. Also, check back for new updates and new projects I’m working on this site.