Overnight Train from Budapest to Prague for family of 4

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We are a family of 4: 2 adults + 2 kids aged 11 & 13.

What is the best option for the overnight train from Budapest to Prague? Price is not a problem, as we'd like to have the most comfortable option for this overnight travel for our family of 4.

We plan to travel overnight in August from Budapest to Prague in a sleeper train that can accommodate the 4 of us comfortably without having to share with any strangers.
Can we get 1 compartment with 2 double sleepers for the 4 of us or can we get 2 two-sleeper compartments next to each other?

Please advise of best option when we're booking this and many thanks.

What is the best option for the overnight train from Budapest to Prague? Price is not a problem, as we'd like to have the most comfortable option for this overnight travel for our family of 4.

Well, there are not a lot of options here, since basically it's only one train (EN "Metropol" Budapest-Berlin via Prague) dep. Budapest 20:05. Czech carriages Budapest-Prague arrive to Prague 6:23am, but for someone wishing to be in Prague earlier, it's possible to purchase tickets for Budapest-Berlin group of carriages from the same train and arrive to Prague 4am (although highly unlikely that someone would really want 4am arrival instead of 6:23am)

We plan to travel overnight in August from Budapest to Prague in a sleeper train that can accommodate the 4 of us comfortably without having to share with any strangers.
Can we get 1 compartment with 2 double sleepers for the 4 of us or can we get 2 two-sleeper compartments next to each other

If you don't want to travel with strangers, then it can be either two double bed sleeper compartments or one full 4 berth couchette compartment. When booked in advance it's possible to get double sleeper for as low as 59 euro (per passenger, thus 234 euro for everybody), while 4 berth couchettes start from 39 euro per passenger (meaning 156 euro for everybody). In both cases it's special discounted SparNight tickets available only in advance (up to 60 days), they can be bough via official Hungarian Railways (MAV) website (we have a step by step guide how to do it - http://europetrainsguide.com/Advice/How-to-Buy-Train-Tickets/Hungary-MAV.html). If you purchase tickets at the counter before departure they will be way more expensive + in high season there can be problems with beds availability

What would be more comfortable in terms of space, convenience, best sleeping option: couchettes or sleepers?

Also: In the couchettes do they have a bathroom with shower? What about in the sleepers compartments?
Size-wise, are both sleepers and couchettes the same size  to move around or are the sleepers a lot bigger and, thus, more comfortable?

Please advise and thanks again.

What would be more comfortable in terms of space, convenience, best sleeping option: couchettes or sleepers?

Couchette compartments are obviously bigger in the overall space, but again it is designed for 4 to 6 passengers, while sleepers are for 1 to 3 passengers. Imho, when you seat couchettes might be better, since you don't face the wall and sink, but when you lay down, then obviously sleepers win, since they have wider and more comfortable beds.

Also: In the couchettes do they have a bathroom with shower? What about in the sleepers compartments?

In couchette carriages there are no showers, only two WCs at the opposite sides of the carriage. In the sleeper carriages used on Budapest-Prague route there is shower in one of the WC + sink in every compartment.

Size-wise, are both sleepers and couchettes the same size  to move around or are the sleepers a lot bigger and, thus, more comfortable?

For moving around sleepers aren't bigger much, because beds in sleeper compartments are wider + on the other side there is wall with small sink and mirror

So if we take 2 private sleepers, would they have their own private showers and sink individually?
They will not be shared with strangers, correct?
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It's a long overnight trip with kids from Budapest to Prague, I am thinking that 2 double-sleepers in 2 private compartments may work better--especially if there are no showers in the couchettes. Seems like the beds are more comfy in the sleepers as well.

Thoughts and feedback?

So if we take 2 private sleepers, would they have their own private showers and sink individually? They will not be shared with strangers, correct?

No, shower and WC are always shared by all the passengers in the carriage. In the compartments there are only sinks

It's a long overnight trip with kids from Budapest to Prague, I am thinking that 2 double-sleepers in 2 private compartments may work better--especially if there are no showers in the couchettes. Seems like the beds are more comfy in the sleepers as well. Thoughts and feedback?

In Europe hardly you can call a 10 hour overnight journey long one, majority of passengers will go to sleep shortly after departure, especially considering 6am arrival. Private shower isn't an option either - in sleeper carriage it's one shower for the entire carriage, while in couchette shower not present at all. So at the end the choice is between paying more for wider & more comfortable beds in sleeper instead of cheaper 4 berth couchette

So can all family members be in the same carriage? How many sleeper compartments in 1 carriage?
What are the options for private shower and WC?
Do all the trains to Prague offer the same kind of accommodations?
10 hours is awfully long to be sharing stuff with strangers. We are willing to pay more for privacy.

Please advise of the above inquiries and many thanks.

So can all family members be in the same carriage?

Sure. Even more, in group of carriages Budapest-Prague (arr. 6am) there is only one sleeper carriage, so when you get your tickets you inevitably will be in one carriage. Same story with group Budapest-Berlin (arr. 4am) - only one sleeper carriage for the entire group of carriages as well

How many sleeper compartments in 1 carriage?

10 compartments per carriage, so potentially it's 30 passengers, however usually many of the compartments are sold as double or single occupancy, thus overall number of people even when all the compartments are sold out won't be 30 passengers.

What are the options for private shower and WC?

In regular trains that run at the moment - none. Probably you can order a separate carriage to be attached to the regular train, but it's a lot of hassle + really expensive

Do all the trains to Prague offer the same kind of accommodations?

Day time EuroCity trains have only seating carriages (with exception of Split/Bar-Prague sleepers attached to them few times per week). First class tickets for EC trains start from only 35 euro per passenger, second class - 19 euro. While for the overnight option it's only discussed previously EuroNight "Metropol" train #476 and two groups of carriages (Budapest-Berlin with arrival to Prague at 4am and Budapest-Prague with arrival at 6am) 

10 hours is awfully long to be sharing stuff with strangers. We are willing to pay more for privacy.

Well, maybe you should consider catching evening EuroCity Budapest-Prague (15:25-22:21) and simply spending the night in hotel in Czech capital or spend the night in Budapest and catch earliest morning EuroCity (5:25am-12:38)

p.s. many photos of sleeper carriage compartments to expect in "Metropol" EuroNight train here and here

Great. Maybe we will catch  the earlier evening EuroCity Budapest-Prague (15:25-22:21).
What is the difference between 1st class and 2nd class seats?
Is there a restaurant to buy food on this train?

Thanks so much for your assistance here.

What is the difference between 1st class and 2nd class seats?

EuroCity departing 15:25 from Budapest it is train Belgrade-Budapest-Prague, it has only one 1st class carriage, which consists of compartments for 6 passengers (will look something like this). While in 2nd class you have a choice between airplane type salon and compartments again for 6 passengers, but slightly less spacious   

Is there a restaurant to buy food on this train?

In the model train scheme Czech restaurant car is present (located next to 1st class carriage), but real train compositions in June and May show that it doesn't run all the time (some days it's missing), so at the end it might be a bit of chance whether it will run on the day you travel or not

Great.
Do these trains offer free WIFI/Internet?
Do the seats recline on both 1st class and 2nd class?

Do these trains offer free WIFI/Internet?

To our knowledge - no

Do the seats recline on both 1st class and 2nd class?

Yes, they should slide a bit into the middle of the compartments, thus recline in a way