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I’m a retired U.S. professor who is used to the complexities of academic research, but trying to figure out international train travel in Eastern Europe has left me perplexed!  In September 2011, I embark upon a trip I’ve been planning my entire life (64 years) to find family I’ve never known (I’m first generation American).  Because my maternal grandfather was a train conductor, I want to ride the train from Budapest to his home station, about 50 km across the Hungarian border into Ukraine, where I will stay for the majority of my visit.  I finally figured out that it is the Budapest to Moscow train route I need for an international “fast” train, but it is an overnight trip through Chop, dropping me in Mukachevo Ukraine about 5:30 a.m., with the return trip leaving Mukachevo for Budapest at about 2 a.m.  I wanted to see the western part of Hungary and those 50 km on the Ukraine side during daylight, but that doesn’t seem possible with the overnight trains.  I’m resigned to the not-so-reasonable arrival and departure times.  So, here are my questions.

1)  Are there alternative train combinations to get me from Budapest to Mukachevo in a reasonable amount of travel time and in reasonable comfort during daylight hours, and/or back again from Mukachevo to Budapest?  I’m willing to accept only one direction during daylight if that is the best combination.  I’m willing to go first class if necessary for the best combination.
2)  Will the Moscow to Budapest train be of a different design or comfort?
3)  How can I buy a round-trip ticket from Budapest to Mukachevo while I’m still in the U.S.?  I’m trying to pay for as much as possible before my trip.

Many thanks for your help.
MagyarRoots

1)  Are there alternative train combinations to get me from Budapest to Mukachevo in a reasonable amount of travel time and in reasonable comfort during daylight hours, and/or back again from Mukachevo to Budapest?  I’m willing to accept only one direction during daylight if that is the best combination.  I’m willing to go first class if necessary for the best combination.

Actually your task here is really easy, since there is plenty of ways to travel Budapest-Mukachevo during the day. There are 6 trains over the border from Zahony to Chop everyday, so your main task is to take any train from Budapest to Zahony and change there for Zahony-Chop (all the timetables you can find on MAV website - http://elvira.mav-start.hu/elvira.dll/xsl2/uf). While from Chop to Mukachevo is also no problem - multiple 'suburban' and long-distance trains.
In terms of tickets, the best way to manage everything is to buy one through Budapest-Chop return ticket (valid 1 month) already in Budapest for 34 EUR (it will allow you to make change in Zahony for train to Chop). While in Chop just purchase Ukrainian domestic ticket till Mukachevo, for suburban train it will cost less than 1 USD (app. 6 UAH)

2) Will the Moscow to Budapest train be of a different design or comfort?

Yes, train #15 (called "Tisza") is a sleeper train having seating carriage only on leg Budapest-Chop, but not further. During the night in Chop all the sleeper carriages receive bogie change (in Hungary it is 1435mm, while in Ukraine it is 1512mm), that is why train spends half of the night in Chop. So in order to use on route Budapest-Mukachevo you will need besides ticket (36 EUR) also a reservation for a sleeper berth (up to additional 14 EUR) + you will have 'fun' night with border/customs control and bogie change experience

3)  How can I buy a round-trip ticket from Budapest to Mukachevo while I’m still in the U.S.?

We would advice you not to worry about the ticket at all. First of all because there is simply no way to buy it online (such possibility is not offered either by Hungarian or Ukrainian railways) and secondly, there is absolutely no need to do it, because tickets like Budapest-Chop sold in unlimited number and can be used on any trains on the route, thus there is no chance they can be sold out.

p.s. just to give you one of the daylight itineraries: dep. Budapest 10:23 or 10:28 (in Zahony 14:57 and 15:27), catch 15:35 train to Chop, there at 16:52 (account time zone change), all the border/customs things in Chop will take around 20min, then catch 17:52 suburban train to Mukachevo (there 19:11). Departure earlier or later from Budapest also possible.

p.s. just to give you one of the daylight itineraries: dep. Budapest 10:23 or 10:28 (in Zahony 14:57 and 15:27), catch 15:35 train to Chop, there at 16:52 (account time zone change), all the border/customs things in Chop will take around 20min, then catch 17:52 suburban train to Mukachevo (there 19:11). Departure earlier or later from Budapest also possible.

well, taking into account the effect of time zone change and the departure/arrival times of 'Tisza' (it's not perfect in both directions, but from Mukachevo to Budapest it is worse) - I think it will be smarter to ride from Budapest to Mukachevo overnight, using sleeping-car of 'Tisza', but have the day daytime riding when returning - for example something like this

Mukachevo 12:03 - Chop 13:23 - local train (the timetable in Ukraine will change since 29th May, but for this train serious changes are not exprected)

Chop 14:15 - 13:33 Zahony
(please note, you should come not latter than 30 min before departure for border and customs procedures).

Zahony 14:37 - 18:37 Budapest - IC623

...taking into account the effect of time zone change and the departure/arrival times of 'Tisza' (it's not perfect in both directions, but from Mukachevo to Budapest it is worse) - I think it will be smarter to ride from Budapest to Mukachevo overnight, using sleeping-car of 'Tisza'

Valid point, it is always tempting to use time change in your favor, thus 12am till 6:30pm sounds better, than 10am-7pm. Also makes sense to use overnight at least on one direction since you can actually save some money, because even additional 14 EUR (most expensive sleeper berth reservation for UZ carriage) will be less than you probably pay for ok hotel in Mukachevo.
But on the contrary, if you are not train fan, bogie change (along with border control) in the middle of the night (especially if you get first or last compartment) might not be the best experience.

Zahony 14:37 - 18:37 Budapest - IC623

Here (as well as with 10:23 option proposed by us above) it's worth to add that for your Budapest-Mukachevo-Budapest ticket you will need to buy additional seat reservation (it is compulsory for all InterCity trains in Hungary) for app. 2 EUR

Many thanks to those who responded.  I think I now understand how the train system works!   

MagyarRoots in the USA