Excursion ticket Budapest-Cluj Napoca

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Hi everyone!

I've read in a previous thread someone mentioning the excursion ticket Budapest-Cluj Napoca, valid for 4 days and sold for 31 euros. I'm travelling to Budapest on 23rd May and going for 4 days to Romania, 25-28th May. I think this is the best option for me, but I need your help here.
1. Do I need to buy the excursion ticket in advance?
2. Does this ticket allow me to travel e.g. from Brasov-Sibiu or in other routes during my stay in Romania till I get back to Budapest? Or is it only a go-return ticket from Budapest-Cluj Napoca and from Cluj Napoca to Budapest? I'm asking this because I want to go to Oradea before returning to Budapest, which means I'm not doing a direct journey Cluj-Napoca/ Budapest.
3. In which train station should I buy this ticket and leave to Cluj Napoca?

Thank you for your help!

Best,
Andre

1. Do I need to buy the excursion ticket in advance?

No, Kirándulójegy (or so-called "Excursion") tickets aren't the type of tickets that get sold out, there is no limit per train or day, so you can easily buy it already in Budapest. However Hungarian Railways (MAV) also allows to purchase it via MAV Ticket Shop, so if you want, then you can buy it even right now (although remember that on MAV website such "Excursion" ticket will be with two additional seat reservations 3 euro each, meaning that total price will be 31+3+3 or 37 euro)

2. Does this ticket allow me to travel e.g. from Brasov-Sibiu or in other routes during my stay in Romania till I get back to Budapest? Or is it only a go-return ticket from Budapest-Cluj Napoca and from Cluj Napoca to Budapest? I'm asking this because I want to go to Oradea before returning to Budapest, which means I'm not doing a direct journey Cluj-Napoca/ Budapest.

Well, first of all Brasov and Sibiu are much further inside Romania than Cluj, so there is no way how ticket till Cluj-Napoca can cover journeys there. Second, MAV "Excursion" tickets doesn't allow stopovers on the way, so when using it you won't be able to "break" your journeys. Although instead you can: a) simply buy "Excursion" ticket Budapest-Oradea (Nagyvard in Hungarian), it's also offered by Hungarian Railways and cost just 21 euro, while for all the trips inside Romania you can simply get domestic Romanian tickets; b) get Excursion ticket Budapest-Cluj-Budapest, but on the way back board the train in Oradea (again for all the trips in Romania including Cluj to Oradea you just buy domestic Romanian tickets); c) you can as well get full fare standard ticket Budapest-Cluj-Budapest, it cost 50 euro, but allows as many stopovers as you want (obviously as far as you don't travel any part more than twice)
Or, as a totally different approach and if your plans allow it, for the the trip there you can buy in advance via MAV website discounted (offer "Fortuna") ticket from Budapest to Brasov (start from only 19 euro), then gradually travel back west (via Sibiu-Cluj) using Romanian domestic tickets, while finally from Oradea just get standard full fare ticket to Budapest, it cost 19 euro

3. In which train station should I buy this ticket and leave to Cluj Napoca?

Passengers can purchase tickets from Hungary to Romania at any MAV international ticket counters, those are located at all the major train station in Budapest (Keleti, Nyugati, Deli), also there is MAV ticket office at József Attila (it's near Dear Ference ter metro station) and again, as was said above, passengers can buy tickets online via MAV website (we even have a step by step guide for buying tickets via Hungarian Railways website - http://europetrainsguide.com/Advice/How-to-Buy-Train-Tickets/Hungary-MAV.html)
Regarding train station for trains departing to Cluj - all the direct trains from Budapest to Cluj-Napoca depart from Budapest-Keleti station

1. Do I need to buy the excursion ticket in advance?

No, Kirándulójegy (or so-called "Excursion") tickets aren't the type of tickets that get sold out, there is no limit per train or day, so you can easily buy it already in Budapest. However Hungarian Railways (MAV) also allows to purchase it via MAV Ticket Shop, so if you want, then you can buy it even right now (although remember that on MAV website such "Excursion" ticket will be with two additional seat reservations 3 euro each, meaning that total price will be 31+3+3 or 37 euro)

2. Does this ticket allow me to travel e.g. from Brasov-Sibiu or in other routes during my stay in Romania till I get back to Budapest? Or is it only a go-return ticket from Budapest-Cluj Napoca and from Cluj Napoca to Budapest? I'm asking this because I want to go to Oradea before returning to Budapest, which means I'm not doing a direct journey Cluj-Napoca/ Budapest.

Well, first of all Brasov and Sibiu are much further inside Romania than Cluj, so there is no way how ticket till Cluj-Napoca can cover journeys there. Second, MAV "Excursion" tickets doesn't allow stopovers on the way, so when using it you won't be able to "break" your journeys. Although instead you can: a) simply buy "Excursion" ticket Budapest-Oradea (Nagyvard in Hungarian), it's also offered by Hungarian Railways and cost just 21 euro, while for all the trips inside Romania you can simply get domestic Romanian tickets; b) get Excursion ticket Budapest-Cluj-Budapest, but on the way back board the train in Oradea (again for all the trips in Romania including Cluj to Oradea you just buy domestic Romanian tickets); c) you can as well get full fare standard ticket Budapest-Cluj-Budapest, it cost 50 euro, but allows as many stopovers as you want (obviously as far as you don't travel any part more than twice)
Or, as a totally different approach and if your plans allow it, for the the trip there you can buy in advance via MAV website discounted (offer "Fortuna") ticket from Budapest to Brasov (start from only 19 euro), then gradually travel back west (via Sibiu-Cluj) using Romanian domestic tickets, while finally from Oradea just get standard full fare ticket to Budapest, it cost 19 euro

3. In which train station should I buy this ticket and leave to Cluj Napoca?

Passengers can purchase tickets from Hungary to Romania at any MAV international ticket counters, those are located at all the major train station in Budapest (Keleti, Nyugati, Deli), also there is MAV ticket office at József Attila (it's near Dear Ference ter metro station) and again, as was said above, passengers can buy tickets online via MAV website (we even have a step by step guide for buying tickets via Hungarian Railways website - http://europetrainsguide.com/Advice/How-to-Buy-Train-Tickets/Hungary-MAV.html)
Regarding train station for trains departing to Cluj - all the direct trains from Budapest to Cluj-Napoca depart from Budapest-Keleti station

Hi!

I'm so sorry I'm answering this late, but I thought I would receive an email alert. Thank you so much for the information, it was really helpful! Great job!

Best wishes,
André

1. Do I need to buy the excursion ticket in advance?

No, Kirándulójegy (or so-called "Excursion") tickets aren't the type of tickets that get sold out, there is no limit per train or day, so you can easily buy it already in Budapest. However Hungarian Railways (MAV) also allows to purchase it via MAV Ticket Shop, so if you want, then you can buy it even right now (although remember that on MAV website such "Excursion" ticket will be with two additional seat reservations 3 euro each, meaning that total price will be 31+3+3 or 37 euro)

2. Does this ticket allow me to travel e.g. from Brasov-Sibiu or in other routes during my stay in Romania till I get back to Budapest? Or is it only a go-return ticket from Budapest-Cluj Napoca and from Cluj Napoca to Budapest? I'm asking this because I want to go to Oradea before returning to Budapest, which means I'm not doing a direct journey Cluj-Napoca/ Budapest.

Well, first of all Brasov and Sibiu are much further inside Romania than Cluj, so there is no way how ticket till Cluj-Napoca can cover journeys there. Second, MAV "Excursion" tickets doesn't allow stopovers on the way, so when using it you won't be able to "break" your journeys. Although instead you can: a) simply buy "Excursion" ticket Budapest-Oradea (Nagyvard in Hungarian), it's also offered by Hungarian Railways and cost just 21 euro, while for all the trips inside Romania you can simply get domestic Romanian tickets; b) get Excursion ticket Budapest-Cluj-Budapest, but on the way back board the train in Oradea (again for all the trips in Romania including Cluj to Oradea you just buy domestic Romanian tickets); c) you can as well get full fare standard ticket Budapest-Cluj-Budapest, it cost 50 euro, but allows as many stopovers as you want (obviously as far as you don't travel any part more than twice)
Or, as a totally different approach and if your plans allow it, for the the trip there you can buy in advance via MAV website discounted (offer "Fortuna") ticket from Budapest to Brasov (start from only 19 euro), then gradually travel back west (via Sibiu-Cluj) using Romanian domestic tickets, while finally from Oradea just get standard full fare ticket to Budapest, it cost 19 euro

3. In which train station should I buy this ticket and leave to Cluj Napoca?

Passengers can purchase tickets from Hungary to Romania at any MAV international ticket counters, those are located at all the major train station in Budapest (Keleti, Nyugati, Deli), also there is MAV ticket office at József Attila (it's near Dear Ference ter metro station) and again, as was said above, passengers can buy tickets online via MAV website (we even have a step by step guide for buying tickets via Hungarian Railways website - http://europetrainsguide.com/Advice/How-to-Buy-Train-Tickets/Hungary-MAV.html)
Regarding train station for trains departing to Cluj - all the direct trains from Budapest to Cluj-Napoca depart from Budapest-Keleti station

Sorry to bother again, but I just remembered this. I've decided to buy the excursion ticked Budapest-Cluj-Budapest, but I'm willing to go during the day and comeback to Budapest on the 22h47 train, which means a long night journey. Is it possible to buy a normal excursion ticket and ask for a couchette or a sleeping carriage for the back trip, paying a fee for it? How much would it cost?

Thanks again!

Best,
André

I'm willing to go during the day and comeback to Budapest on the 22h47 train, which means a long night journey. Is it possible to buy a normal excursion ticket and ask for a couchette or a sleeping carriage for the back trip, paying a fee for it? How much would it cost?

Yes, as far as we know, it's not a problem to use "Excursion" ticket for the overnight trains (obviously as far as it's still 2nd class trip, thus in 6 or 4 berth couchette, 3 or 2 bed sleeper, but not single sleeper for which 1st. class ticket is required). However maybe we misunderstood you, but there is no decent overnight train from Cluj-Napoca to Budapest, among the direct trains there is one in the evening (15:01-21:20) and then in the middle of the night (2:21am-9:05am), what did you mean by 22h47 train?

I'm willing to go during the day and comeback to Budapest on the 22h47 train, which means a long night journey. Is it possible to buy a normal excursion ticket and ask for a couchette or a sleeping carriage for the back trip, paying a fee for it? How much would it cost?

Yes, as far as we know, it's not a problem to use "Excursion" ticket for the overnight trains (obviously as far as it's still 2nd class trip, thus in 6 or 4 berth couchette, 3 or 2 bed sleeper, but not single sleeper for which 1st. class ticket is required). However maybe we misunderstood you, but there is no decent overnight train from Cluj-Napoca to Budapest, among the direct trains there is one in the evening (15:01-21:20) and then in the middle of the night (2:21am-9:05am), what did you mean by 22h47 train?

Hi

Thank you for the info! I've performed a research on http://elvira.mav-start.hu/ for train's schedule Cluj-Napoca-Budapest    and I got this one late in the evening: 22:57 (departure)   08:50 (arrival) Budapest-Keleti   1   10:53

Am I doing a wrong research on MAV website? There are plenty of trains Budapest-Cluj-Budapest (and inverse) if you search from Budapest to Cluj Napoca.

Best,
Andre        

I got this one late in the evening: 22:57 (departure)   08:50 (arrival) Budapest-Keleti   1   10:53
Am I doing a wrong research on MAV website? There are plenty of trains Budapest-Cluj-Budapest (and inverse) if you search from Budapest to Cluj Napoca.

Ok, now it's clear what you meant. The problem here is that MAV website (elvira) shows not only direct connections (like the one that were mentioned above - 15:01 & 2:21am), but also ones with changes and this particular one that you mention 22:57-8:50 is among those. Number 1 in column Changes (Chg.) points that you need to make a change in Alba Iulia, thus Cluj-Napoca to Alba Iulia (22:57-1:10am) and then Alba Iulia to Budapest (1:17am-8:50). First reason against it is that change time in Alba Iulia is only 7 minutes, which is quite risky in terms of Central/Southern Europe, any short delay and you will miss your next train. And second, even more important reason, is that such option via Alba Iulia presupposes totally different route to Budapest, so your "excursion ticket" will not be valid, it works only for most direct route Cluj-Alesd-Oradea-Biharkeresztes, but not longer route Alba Iulia-Deva-Arad

Hi,
I am planning a Cluj-Budapest-Cluj round trip in late November 2013 for a weekend. What would be the cheapest way of doing it? I am looking for direct travel by bus or train. Since I am a non-European citizen will I have visa issue to travel between Romania and Hungary.
thanks for your reply

What would be the cheapest way of doing it?

Romanian Railways (CFR) as well offer special return ticket, they are like Hungarian excursion tickets, but only called "Trip Tickets". Cluj-Budapest-Cluj costs only 31 euro (valid during 4 days). There are also direct buses available on the route (like Orangeways), but unless you can get some very good promo offer, buses won't be cheaper

Since I am a non-European citizen will I have visa issue to travel between Romania and Hungary.

Hungary is in schengen area (while Romania aren't), so on Romania-Hungary border there will full scale border control and visa check