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Hi,

Thanks for your  assistance.

I gotten my ticket from vienna to budapest in keleti- pu. Horray, one down! Soirry I did not dig back into the website as I finally gotten the ticket via email.

Ok, will get my ticket for budapest/zagreb return when I arrive in Budapest from Vienna.

There is a bit of change to my itinerary. After I return from Zagreb to Budapest, I would like to take an overnight train from Budapest to Krakow. Can you advise if I can get a cheap ticket when I arrive Budapest for a sleeper for 2 pax.

After spending in Krakow, we would take a train down from Krakow to Zakopane, then to propad and then to Kosice before coming to Bratislava. Is it a good option?

Regards.

After I return from Zagreb to Budapest, I would like to take an overnight train from Budapest to Krakow. Can you advise if I can get a cheap ticket when I arrive Budapest for a sleeper for 2 pax.

Yes, you definitely can. But remember that the number of such discounted tickets is limited, thus nobody guarantees that they won't be already sold out. So again formula 'earlier you buy the better chances you have' works here 100%. Also, in case you decide to 'fight back' MAV online ticket purchase system, you can as well buy Budapest-Krakow discounted tickets there  

After spending in Krakow, we would take a train down from Krakow to Zakopane, then to propad and then to Kosice before coming to Bratislava. Is it a good option?

Yep, why not. Route Zakopane-Poprad is quite picturesque, as well as scenery around Poprad. In terms of ticket, we just want to remind you to avoid 'Ex' trains on route Krakow-Zakopane since those are expensive ones which in this case cost up to 4 times more (in comparison to 'Regio'), but basically doesn't win you any time at all. Thus for this connection cheaper to use either 'Regio' or 'TLK' trains. Bus Zakopane-Poprad is cheap anyway, while for domestic segments within Slovakia your choice is regular tickets.

Hi TUT,

Thanks for email.

Sorry, I do not understand what you mean "in case you decide to 'fight back' MAV online ticket purchase system, you can as well buy Budapest-Krakow discounted tickets there" in your reply.

My dates are quite fixed but I am not able to buy now as I am not able to do so via the MAV online ticket purchase system. If possible, is it possible to teach me how to buy the ticket now so that I can get discounted ticket earlier? Or can I buy the discounted rate via email as I did for the vienna -budapest train ticket?

It is cheaper to buy one-way or return ticket for this with sleeper for 2 pax? How much is it?

We are also toying with the idea of going to Lviv, Ukrania from Krakow. What is the best way to go there and how much and how long is it? Any problem with the border clearance. I heard a lot of them talking about smuggling and chaotic situation at the border.

Thanks and regards.

Sorry, I do not understand what you mean "in case you decide to 'fight back' MAV online ticket purchase system, you can as well buy Budapest-Krakow discounted tickets there" in your reply.

This is precisely in regard to

I am not able to do so via the MAV online ticket purchase system. If possible, is it possible to teach me how to buy the ticket now so that I can get discounted ticket earlier?

First you need to register on MAV website (https://jegyvasarlas.mav-start.hu/eTicketV2/JegykivalasztasNk), the page is in Hungarian, but you can manage ok with google translator. Then go back, chose the train option you need, afterword websites redirects you to the page where you need to login, do it and follow the further instructions. After the payment is done you will get a code, using which you can print you ticket in Budapest.

Or can I buy the discounted rate via email as I did for the vienna -budapest train ticket?

No, not possible via email, only at the ticket counter in Hungary, from MAV website or 'money sucking' agencies, which might charge you even more than you save with such discounted ticket.

It is cheaper to buy one-way or return ticket for this with sleeper for 2 pax? How much is it?

Here it's one-way only. Discounted Double sleeper Budapest-Krakow - 49 EUR per person, while standard full fare for the route is 79 EUR per person +  21 EUR per person for the sleeper reservation. Thus basically two discounted tickets save you around 100 EUR.

We are also toying with the idea of going to Lviv, Ukrania from Krakow. What is the best way to go there and how much and how long is it? Any problem with the border clearance. I heard a lot of them talking about smuggling and chaotic situation at the border.

Well, doubt you'll have any big problems with the border, smugglers times are almost gone and anyway most of that was done on foot border crossing and almost minimal on long-distance buses or trains. More question arise in regard to transportation, since lately UZ (Ukrainian railways) announced rather essential cut of international trains (including this route), thus changes are expected. As of now direct overnight trains #35/36, which used to be everyday (22:15-6:03) is listed as once per two days and only till the end of October, instead the old #51 we will see the afternoon option 12:52 from Krakow and midnight in Lviv.
But such train options aren't the only one, there are everyday overnight bus, which btw cheaper (around 25 EUR one-way vs. around 40 EUR for the train ticket). Also you can always catch domestic polish train till Przemysl (from 32 PLN and 4:30-5 hours) and bus to Lviv from there (run like every two hours during the daytime).

Hi,

Thanks to your advice, we are now in Krakow and we enjoyed the overnight train ride with sleeper in a compartment for 2.

Now, we are planning to go the Kraclaw for 2 nights middle of the week. Please advise the fastest and best type of train to buy? Also how long is the train ride?  Is there a spar ticket for such journey?

After that, we will go from Kraclaw to bratislava. How long is the train ride and is there a spar ticket and how much? Can I buy it in Krakow?

Lastly, we need to make our way from Bratislava to Vienna airport to catch our flight back home. What is the best way to go, how much and how long?

We look forward to hearing from you.

Regards.

Now, we are planning to go the Kraclaw...

Kraclaw??? What destination exactly you mean? We are kind of Ok with Central Europe geography, but having trouble finding such destination anywhere Maybe you meant Wroclaw?

Lastly, we need to make our way from Bratislava to Vienna airport to catch our flight back home. What is the best way to go, how much and how long?

It's really easy and cheap. You can take either train (run every hour from Bratislava main station or Bratislava-Petrzalka), 1:11 in first case or just 57 minutes in later, cost 11 EUR and you can purchase such ticket any time, even 5 min. before deprature. Or take a bus (http://www.slovaklines.sk/index_en.html) also run like every hour during the daytime, take 1:25-1:30, full adult one-way ticket is 7.7 EUR 

Hi,
Thanks for your prompt reply. Yes I mean Wroclaw.

I need to know how best to travel from Wroclaw to Bratislava. I went to the Krakow station just now and they advise the overnight 2nd class  train from Wroclaw to Bratislava is at about PLN 300 + each person.

Please advise the best and cheapest way to travel or should i buy the train ticket from Wroclaw to Bratislava only when I arrive Wroclaw? Is there a cheap ticket for 1st class sleeper or 2nd class train or alternative?  how much and how long as the personnel in the train station do not speak much English.

Looking forward to your reply.

Regards,

Well, for the connection Krakow-Wroclav at the moment you can save a bit in case you'll use InterRegio (IR) train instead of TLK, it will save you app. 7 PLN since ticket for the TLK train cost 48.5 PLN and for IR 41 PLN, while travel time is app. the same, IR even wins in many occasions.
In case of Wroclav-Bratislava you'll anyway will need at least one change since there is no direct train, but the rest (fare and timing) depends on whether you want to travel overnight or during the day. Overnight option is to dep.Wroclav 19:36, wait an hour for the change in Katowice and arr. to Bratislava 5:40am, so basically around 10 hours in total. While during the day you actually can travel faster - from 7 to 8:30 hours depending on dep./arr. choice.
In terms of tickets obviously it doesn't make sense to purchase one through international ticket for 300+ PLN (as PKP ticket counter proposed). First of all, because there are discounted tickets available for direct trains from Katowice to Bratislava/Budapest. And in case they are still left for your desired date and train, ticket counter in  Krakow can sell. Then you'll need just to purchase additional domestic ticket Wroclav-Katowice (from 32 PLN). Another simple trick to travel cheaper is to 'break' your tickets via border. Ideally Wroclav-last polish station before border (with Polish domestic fare), international cross-border ticket and another one from first station after the border to Bratislava. Depending on route you choose total will be different, but all around 30-35 EUR max. (app. 130-150 PLN). If the last proposal seems way to complicated, then you can do an easier trick - purchase international ticket Wroclav-Bohumin (for the direct trains from Katowice to Bratislava Bohumin is the first station after Polish border), then all those direct trains have a long stop (around 1 hour) in Bohumin, that is totally enough to visit ticket counter and purchase ticket Bohumin-Bratislava. In such case total will be around 40 EUR (app.175 PLN)

Hi
Thanks. Will go to Krakow train ticket and check for discount ticket from katowice to Bratislava.By the way, how is the condition of the train first class and 2nd class for overnight? Does it come with sleeper and how much is the discounted ticket?

Thanks.

Will go to Krakow train ticket and check for discount ticket from katowice to Bratislava.

You can try, but we can't guarantee you the availability, since the number of discounted tickets per each train is limited, plus, as we already mentioned few weeks ago, the rule of buying at least three days in advance applies in case of this Poland-Hungary offer. So it makes sense to ask for such tickets only in case you'll travel >3 days from the time of purchase.

how is the condition of the train first class and 2nd class for overnight? Does it come with sleeper and how much is the discounted ticket

Condition??? It's hard to guess which carriage exactly will be in service in your particular case, but according to the scheme there is everyday one polish 2nd class seating carriage, two couchette carriages and two sleeper carriages, thus making it 5 carriages in total.
Also remember that officially discounted offer is for Poland-Budapest connection, while Bratislava just happened to be on the way. Actual discounted fares are the same as those we already noted in case of Budapest-Krakow discussion (couchette from 39 EUR, sleeper from 45 EUR), but just besides two carriages Krakow-Budapest there will be also 3 carriages Warsawa-Budapest (including 2nd class seating carriage), thus from Katowice you can also get seats from 29 EUR. Offer itself is called 'SparNight' (it will allow you to make sure cashier understands you correctly in terms of what you want from them , train #407, dep.Katowice 23:43-arr.Bratislva 5:40

thanks. good night. will try tomorrow.